Renovations to charitable dining hall in Youngstown fulfill a dream

By DENISE DICK

denise_dick@vindy.com

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A renovation of the St. Vincent DePaul Society Dining Hall will allow the facility to continue to operate well into the future.

“It’s all up to code with the health department,” said Ralph “Skip” Barone, manager of the Front Street hall.

A walk-in freezer, fiberglass paneling, renovated restrooms, new shelving and stainless steel sinks are some of the amenities in the roughly $53,075 project.

“This has been the culmination of a dream,” Barone said.

The dining hall served more than 90,000 meals in 2009 with churches, social organizations and service clubs taking turns volunteering to serve.

No one is turned away at the hall and no questions asked, officials said.

“We make this a welcoming place,” Barone said. “We give them what may be their only hot meal of the day.”

Anthony and Mary Lariccia and their family of Boardman donated $50,000 toward the renovation project.

Read the full story Monday in The Vindicator and on Vindy.com.