43
Food pantry fulfills a need
YOUNGSTOWN
An essential need is being met at Volney Rogers Elementary with a new food pantry.
The Paramore Pantry had its grand opening Wednesday morning.
“We recognized a need for our students at Volney to get a little bit of help,” said Kimberly Harris, attendance secretary. “Families are needing food, and we were being asked, ‘Do you know where we can go to get some food?’ from our parents.”
“Some of them need a little extra help with a lot of different things, and this is our way to help parents out,” said LaWanna Sims, Volney student encouragement coordinator.
Harris said the school was able to provide parents with outreach methods to fulfill that need, but eventually decided to bring that outreach in-house.
The request came at the middle of the last school year, and the pantry is now fully functioning.
“We wanted to wait and start at the new year to get everything together and prepared,” Harris said.
The pantry, open to Volney families, will provide students and their families with needed groceries, personal items and clothing.
Having the pantry touches the hearts of those involved.
“It means a lot to me to have it,” Harris said. “It brings a lot of joy knowing we are doing our part. We can’t fix the problem, but we can be an answer to the solution. We are helping one family at a time – helping the solution.”
The only way to completely fulfill the solution, Harris added, is for the community as a whole to step up.
“Everybody has to put their hand in,” she said. “We are better together – we are stronger.”
Christopher McKee, Christ Centered Church administrator, said on behalf of the Youngstown church, he simply wanted to do his share.
“It means everything,” he said. “Our obligation [is] to serve the people and help uplift.”
The pantry’s sponsors are Imani Community Programming, The DeBartolo Corp. and Christ Centered Church, whose pastor is Bishop Kenneth Paramore.
To donate items to the pantry, call Harris at 330-744-8845 or drop the donation off at Christ Centered Church, 3300 Hudson Ave.