Souper Supper is Wednesday at Fitch

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By Elise Franco

efranco@vindy.com

Austintown

An annual fundraising event at Austintown Fitch High School is more important each year than its last as the number of residents in need of assistance continues to rise.

Students and staff spent much of their free time over the past several months organizing the fourth-annual Souper Supper and making ceramic bowls for the event.

The supper is from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday in the Austintown Fitch cafeteria. Tickets for the fund raiser are $7 and include a light meal of soup, roll, dessert and a beverage, plus a handmade ceramic bowl.

Those who want the bowl only or the meal only can pay $5.

Kay Wilson, Fitch secretary, said the meal is lighter than a usual fund raiser dinner to raise awareness for the hunger that some families in Austintown face on a daily basis.

“The premise was we would have dinner, very simple fare, to try to spotlight hunger in the community,” she said. “The more people we reach, the better.”

Patti Prentiss, Fitch art teacher, said the event is more important now than ever in Austintown because the number of free and reduced lunches increased dramatically this school year.

“Every year that number increases,” she said. “It’s an indication of the poverty level, and we’re aware that our community is struggling.”

Prentiss said 77 percent of students at Woodside Elementary receive free or reduced lunches, which is the most in the district. She said the other elementary schools aren’t faring much better.

“The number at Lynn Kirk increased 12 percent this year,” she said. “Even at Lloyd, our most well-off elementary school increased 5 percent.”

Prentiss said last year the event raised enough money to help about 75 township families.

Wilson said each family gets a gift card for Santisi’s IGA in Austintown with enough money to buy food for a nice meal, usually about $75.

“In communities, school communities especially, teachers and counselors are aware of kids with families who are struggling,” she said. “We generally have a good idea of who can use the help.”

Fitch juniors Kevin Homistek, 17, and Austintown Corey, 16, were both involved in the process of making the bowls and said they were glad to be a part of the cause.

Homistek said he sees a definite need for this type of event.

“It’s good for the schools to get involved,” he said. “The whole Mahoning Valley has been affected with unemployment, so a lot of families and kids are in need.”