Former St. Vincent workers will distribute lunches Wednesday in parking lot

YOUNGSTOWN

Today, lunches once again will be served to the needy on Front Street.

Former volunteers and the former dining hall manager at St. Vincent de Paul Society once again will serve them – but not from the confines of the society’s hall.

The hall, located at 208 E. Front St. downtown, will be closed for the third consecutive day.

“We are still working through the process,” said Brian Antal, St. Vincent de Paul Society Mahoning District president.

Instead, volunteers and Ralph “Skip” Barone, former dining hall manager, will distribute the bag lunches in a parking lot across the street from the society hall at 11 a.m. today.

An anonymous donor read Tuesday’s Vindicator and became upset about the situation. The donor wanted to do something to make sure those in need have a lunch, Barone said.

“I was very excited,” Barone said when he found out about the donation.

Barone said he has enough funding to hand out lunches for the rest of the week. He plans to have about 150 bags ready to hand out today.

The donor “said come to him again if we run out of money,” Barone said while shopping for lunch supplies. “It’s very, very good.”

Barone, who has been hailed as a saint by the volunteers at the dining hall and by clients, worked 15 years at the hall and managed it for 13 years. He resigned Friday, but he will not discuss the reason for his resignation.

Volunteers at the dining hall followed suit by walking off the job in a show of support for Barone.

As a result, the hall was shuttered.

Antal did not say when he expects the facility to reopen. He has said the closure surrounds personnel issues.

Read more about the situation in Wednesday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.