Campaign aims to collect 35,000 pounds of food

The 2007 Harvest for Hunger goals are 65,000 and 35,000 pounds of food.
By WILLIAM K. ALCORN
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Celebrities bagging groceries at Giant Eagle stores, and 4-H llama displays are among the ways Second Harvest Food Bank of the Mahoning Valley hopes to raise awareness about hunger here and move people to help.
The food bank kicked off its 2007 Harvest for Hunger on Friday at its offices and warehouse at 2805 Salt Springs Road.
The 2007 goals for the monthlong campaign are 65,000 and 35,000 pounds of food.
All of the food and money collected stays in the community, said Gary Sexton, president of the food bank's board of directors.
"For every 1 donated, the food bank distributes 15 worth of food," Sexton said.
Harvest for Hunger sponsors include Giant Eagle, WFMJ/WBCB, HOT 101, The Vindicator and United Food and Commercial Workers Local 880.
At various times during the campaign, entertainment personalities, political and civic leaders and other celebrities will bag groceries at Giant Eagle stores and urge customers to buy coupons for 1, 5 or 10 that will result in food going to Second Harvest, said Rebecca Martinez, director of resource development.
The Vindicator will insert announcements in its editions asking people to donate, said its representative Nena Perkins.
"I know the goals will be met because of the generosity of the people of the Mahoning Valley," Perkins said.
Members of the Llucky Llamas 4-H Club will do their part to raise awareness about hunger and collect food and money today by having live llama exhibits from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the parking lots of Sam's Club on South Avenue in Boardman and the Kmart Plaza on Mahoning Avenue in Austintown.
Helping the Harvest for Hunger is a community service project that teaches responsibility and gets members in the habit of volunteering, said Anna Orlando, president of the club and a student at Western Reserve High School in Berlin Center. Debbie Arendas is adviser for the club.
"We have a lot of hungry people who need food," said Martinez, urging the community to be generous.
Coincidentally, one of the new ways Second Harvest distributes food also got under way at Campbell Elementary School on Friday when 75 third- and fourth-grade pupils went home for the weekend with backpacks containing 7 to 9 pounds of food.
Under the BackPack Program, funded by an 11,000 grant from the Kennedy Family Foundation of the Community Foundation of the Mahoning Valley, children take home items such as milk and juice, cereals, fruit cups, energy bars, beef stew, chili and beans and macaroni and cheese, Martinez said.