WRTA drivers donate coats to Rescue Mission

By William K. Alcorn

The coats will be gone in two or three weeks.

YOUNGSTOWN — “We wanted to give something back to the community,” Western Reserve Transit Authority driver Louis Lee said Friday when the drivers donated about 70 winter coats and $235 to the Rescue Mission of the Mahoning Valley.

“Passage of the [WRTA] levy gave us all employment,” said Lee, of East Palestine, who is a member of the committee that organized the project.

“We meet a lot of nice people and see a lot people in need, and we wanted to help,” he added.

With money generated by levy and federal-stimulus dollars, WRTA has called back three employees from layoff and hired 14 new drivers, said John P. Brown III, a member of the WRTA board.

“We want people to know that WRTA’s 58 drivers have a feeling for the community,” Brown said.

“We expect to have another coat-and-money drive, but do it earlier in the year before the cold weather sets in,” said John Remias, president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 252, which represents the drivers.

This was just the first, said Patty Mabry, Local 252 vice president.

“We can’t give it away if someone doesn’t give it to us,” said the Rev. David L. Sherrard, Rescue Mission executive director.

The Rev. Mr. Sherrard said the coats are needed and will be gone in two or three weeks.

Rescue Mission of the Mahoning Valley operates in two locations in Youngstown.

Donations of food, clothing and small household items can be dropped off 24 hours a day at the Rescue Mission of Mahoning Valley Resident Building at 962 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

Donations of food, clothing and larger donated items, such as household appliances and furniture can be dropped off at the Distribution Center at 2246 Glenwood Ave. on weekdays between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Also, the Rescue Mission will pick up furniture and appliance donations by appointment. Call (330) 744-5485 for service.

The mission never sells any donated items. All items are given without charge to people relocating from the mission to permanent housing, and also are made available each Tuesday between 9:30 and 11 a.m. at the Glenwood building for anyone in the community in need. Photo ID is required. Last names beginning with A-L are able to receive help on the first and third Tuesday of the month, M-Z the second and fourth, said Lynn Wyant, development coordinator.

Emergency food-baskets are given out Thursdays from the Glenwood building by appointment. To be placed on the list, call (330) 744-5486.

alcorn@vindy.com