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High school choirs help to feed needy
The amount of money and food raised will exceed last year’s figures.
NILES — High school choirs from Mahoning and Trumbull counties sang for someone else’s supper as they helped raise money and collect food as part of Project: Feed Our Valley’s holiday concert.
The Saturday concert in the Eastwood Mall’s concourse featured performances by choirs from Lakeview High School, Boardman Robinwood Lane Elementary School, Warren G. Harding High School, Salem High School and Howland High School.
Project: Feed Our Valley is an annual campaign by WFMJ TV-21 and the Second Harvest Food Bank of the Mahoning Valley to raise money and collect food as well as increase awareness about the growing problem of hunger in the area.
The program raised about $50,000 and about 54,000 pounds of food last year.
Those numbers will be exceeded this year, said Jack Stevenson, WFMJ’s marketing director, and Rebecca Martinez, Second Harvest’s director of resource development.
WFMJ had a stage area in the mall’s concourse with the choirs and others entertaining holiday shoppers.
“It’s great to be out here,” Stevenson said. “People realize there is need to help others in an area with such high unemployment. We’ll do better this year than last year. We didn’t anticipate that, but we’re very thankful.”
The food bank provides food to the needy in Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties.
There’s been a 32 percent increase in the number of people seeking food assistance from the food bank this year, so far, compared to last year, Martinez said.
“The community has responded to WFMJ’s call for food and volunteer support,” she said.
“I really want to thank the community. We’re really hurting. A lot of people are laid off. People who can give are giving more, and even those who are struggling are giving what they can.”
The holiday concert is a big help for this cause, drawing attention and raising money and collecting food for the food bank, Martinez said.
“It’s entertaining,” she said. “People [who are] shopping can slow down and listen to a little music and relax.”
Connor Bezeredi, a Salem junior and member of the school’s concert choir, Encore, said he was thrilled to participate in the event.
Bezeredi drew a lot of applause with his solo during Encore’s version of “I’ll Be Home for Christmas.”
“I love to sing, and to do what I love to help raise money for those in need is great,” he said.
Attila Samu, Salem’s choir director, said he and the choir members are honored to perform at events that help those in need.
“The kids love to perform, particularly at concerts like this,” he said.