Food-a-thon to reduce hunger

Harvest for Hunger

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Second Harvest Food Bank

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By Sean Barron

Second Harvest collected twice as much food in 2007 as in 2004, an official said.

YOUNGSTOWN — In many respects, Mary Frangos feels fortunate, which likely contributed to her desire to go grocery shopping — for her community.

“I’m blessed in my life and want to help the community,” said Frangos, of Liberty Township. “A lot of people are hurting right now; a lot of children are going hungry.”

So she came Saturday to the Second Harvest Food Bank of Mahoning Valley, 2805 Salt Springs Road on the city‘s West Side, to drop off a shopping bag containing lentil soup mix, spaghetti sauce, cornbread and an assortment of canned goods for those less fortunate.

Frangos was one of many Mahoning Valley residents to donate food as part of the first food-a-thon event at the facility.

Second Harvest has joined more than 200 Feeding America food banks nationwide to raise money, food and awareness of the country’s hunger situation. The food-a-thon is a collection of food products in area neighborhoods; residents are encouraged to gather nonperishable items and bring their collections to the food bank.

The program continues from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. today. On-air personalities from WFMJ-TV 21, which is helping with the event, will be on hand from noon to 3 p.m. to accept donations.

Fifteen-year-old Cory Kranek of Boardman arrived early and, without taking a break, joined other volunteers in helping place apples in plastic bags to be given to area agencies, then to those in need. Cory, a Boardman High School 10th-grader, said this was his first time at Second Harvest.

Cory also is a member of Teen Action Group, a Volunteer Services of America program, and said that power outages from last Sunday’s windstorm may have caused some people to have to go without food.

“It makes you feel good about helping other people,” Cory said of his volunteer efforts.

Not far away was Kelly Fredrick, who, among other things, was placing 12 apples in each bag and cereal into 1-pound bags.

Assisting at Second Harvest is nothing new for Fredrick, of Austintown, who gives her time once a month. The desire to help the community was pivotal in her decision to begin volunteering nearly three years ago, she explained.

“Food is such an important staple,” she added.

Fredrick said she also assists with special fundraisers such as the annual Taste of the Valley event, which brings about $40,000 each year to Second Harvest. The event allows people to sample foods and drinks brought in from dozens of area restaurants and beverage vendors, Fredrick noted.

The next Taste of the Valley is set for 5 to 8 p.m. Oct. 5 at Stambaugh Auditorium. Tickets are $75 per person.

Food collected at Second Harvest goes to about 165 local churches, after-school programs, homeless and domestic-violence shelters and other organizations and agencies, which distribute the items to eligible people, explained Rebecca Martinez, Second Harvest’s director of development.

The food bank collected roughly 5.3 million pounds of food last year, which is double the amount collected in 2004, she pointed out.

Heating bills could increase up to 60 percent this winter, which will cause a greater number of people to seek food assistance, Martinez predicted. The loss of good-paying jobs, many people on fixed incomes, tough economic times and high gasoline prices also have contributed to the trend, she noted.

“We take all types of food,” Martinez said, adding that September is Hunger Action Month.