Food bank, Charter One team up to help needy

The chickens will provide some 17,500 meals.
YOUNGSTOWN -- Charter One Bank and the Second Harvest Food Bank of Mahoning Valley are Carving Out Hunger this holiday season with the distribution of nearly 6,000 chickens.
Carving Out Hunger is Charter One Bank's annual hunger awareness initiative to help feed some of the region's families in need. The Charter One Foundation has pledged $10,000 to provide 5,886 chickens to 160 agencies in Columbiana, Mahoning and Trumbull counties, including faith-based pantries, shelters and adult and child day-care facilities.
This initiative will provide more than 17,500 meals for men, women and children in the community, according to Michael Iberis, executive director of the Second Harvest Food Bank of Mahoning Valley.
At 2 p.m. Tuesday, Charter One volunteers will sort and repackage food and unload poultry at the food bank at 2805 Salt Springs Road.
"Charter One is a good friend to the Food Bank, and we greatly appreciate their support year-round, but certainly at this time of year when the need is so great," Iberis said.
Other donations
Charter One Bank has also donated $97,000 for holiday food programs to other Second Harvest Food Banks across Ohio.
"Charter One Bank is proud to support the Second Harvest Food Bank ... as we strongly believe in its effort to relieve hunger and increase awareness throughout their community," said Ned Handy, the bank's president and chief executive officer.
Second Harvest Food Bank of Mahoning Valley is a clearinghouse for surplus food to Columbiana, Mahoning and Trumbull counties. It provides food and critical nonfood products to member agencies serving hungry families.
To support the food bank, call (330) 792-5522.