BP America donates meat from county fair to two Trumbull organizations
By Ed Runyan
WARREN
For the second summer, BP America has donated hundreds of pounds of meat to two Trumbull County organizations that feed the poor.
Curtis Thomas, BP America’s director of government and public affairs for Ohio, arrived at the Warren Family Mission’s Youngstown Road Southeast facilities Wednesday to deliver about 500 pounds of beef and pork that will be used in the mission’s daily free meals.
He was headed later to drop off a similar donation to Trumbull Mobile Meals on East Market Street.
Like last year, the meat came from BP’s purchase of two steers and two hogs at this summer’s Junior Livestock Auction at the Trumbull County Fair.
“This was a perfect opportunity to help out the dedicated young people who raised these animals,” Thomas said, adding that there also is a benefit to the local facility that processed the meat.
“BP gets the biggest gift of all — being able to help our neighbors who need food in the Mahoning Valley,” Thomas said.
The Family Mission served 3,991 meals at its Elm Road location in July and gave produce to 735 families. About 35 people per day receive free clothing at the Youngstown Road location.
The Rev. Chris Gilger, executive director of Warren Family Mission, said the mission asked for the meat to be processed into hamburger, stew meat, hot dogs, soup bones and hamburger patties to stretch its use as far as possible.
“This will feed thousands of people,” the Rev. Mr. Gilger said.
BP began drilling exploratory wells in northern Trumbull County in April and will have eight of those completed by the end of this year, Thomas said.
BP should know by December or early 2014 “what we have in the ground,” and BP will share that information with the public by the start of 2014, Thomas said.
“And then we will make a decision on whether we can make a material business out of this play,” he said.
The company pays attention to information available on wells being drilled by other companies, but BP will decide how much more to invest in the county “based on what our rocks tell us,” he said.