Latest news with #MercerCountyFoodBank
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Mercer County Food Bank to hold ‘Stuff the Truck' in Hermitage
HERMITAGE, Pa. (WKBN) – Directors with the Mercer County Food Bank are looking for some help this weekend. They will be holding a 'Stuff-the-Truck' event this Saturday at Donofrio's supermarket in Hermitage from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Organizers say they're being forced to rely on local donations to make up for funding cuts that have been coming from the federal government. They're hoping to collect at least 5,000 pounds of non-perishable food items this weekend alone. 'The need has been trending upward here in Mercer County since 2022. Last year, we distributed over 3 million pounds of food. With the cuts we've experienced this year from various channels, we're just trying to keep pace with the need,' said Becky Page, with the Mercer County Food Bank. According to CBS News, the nearly $1 billion cuts to USDA, which helps to fund food banks, were made to stabilize programs and prioritize proven solutions as well as roll back COVID-era programs. Organizers of this Saturday's event say they will be holding another food drive on June 7 at the Hermiage Walmart. Patty Coller contributed to this report. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Mercer Co. Food Bank celebrates 4th annual Community Garden Kickoff
SHARON, Pa. (WKBN) — The Mercer County Food Bank celebrated its fourth annual Community Garden Kickoff on Saturday. The family-friendly event included rock painting, flower planting, games, storytime and hot dogs for lunch. The food bank started the community garden in 2021 through the Lots to Love Program, a partnership between the City of Sharon and Community Action Partnership of Mercer County. The garden has eight beds with different fruits and vegetables such as peppers, red raspberries, tomatoes, onions and garlic. People in the community can easily get the fresh produce. 'You can kind of see the neighbors behind us. They love having this here. they love the ability to take whatever they need, and honestly, on the volunteer and food bank side, it's just another way that we can give back. If we're not supporting our community and lifting up our community, then there is no community,' said Alexis Spence-Locke, development director for the food bank. The garden is on 4th Avenue in Sharon, across from the Buhl Club. Next Saturday, May 31, the food bank will have its Stuff the Truck event from 1 to 3 p.m. at D'Onofrio's Food Center in Hermitage. Tino DiCenso contributed to this report. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
29-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Mercer County Food Bank's Empty Bowls event happening this Thursday
(WKBN) — Tickets are going fast for the Mercer County Food Bank's annual Empty Bowls is the food bank's largest fundraiser each year. It consists of a simple meal of soup and bread, symbolic as the food bank says that's sometimes all some of our neighbors eat each night. The organization says community support is crucial in helping meet the ongoing hunger needs in the Shenango Valley. 'If we do not support the food bank. Then our neighbors are going to bed hungry. These are your friends. This is your family. The way that we continue to do,' Mercer County Food Bank Development Director Alexis Spence-Locke said. 'The work we do is because of our community, so we just ask the community to continue to pour into the food bank, because when you're pouring into the food bank, you're really pouring into the households of your friends and your family and your neighbors.' Each guest will receive a hand-crafted bowl from local artisans to take home. The event is this Thursday at the Hickory VFW in Hermitage from 4-8 p.m. Remaining tickets can be purchased at $30 on the food bank's website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
09-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Mercer County Food Bank gearing up for Empty Bowls event
HERMITAGE, Pa. (WKBN) — The Mercer County Food Bank is getting ready for its annual Empty Bowls event. Each year, the food bank hosts a simple meal of soup and bread in a handcrafted bowl for guests to take home. The event serves as a reminder that food insecurity continues in the Shenango Valley. Empty Bowls will be from 4 to 8 p.m. on April 3 at the Hickory VFW on E State Street in Hermitage. The food bank is also looking for sponsors for the event. Sponsorship information and tickets are available on the food bank's website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- General
- Yahoo
New food pantry aims to feed local students in need
SHARON, Pa. (WKBN) – A solution to help stop hunger in Mercer County has made it into elementary schools. Wednesday morning, those at Case Avenue Elementary in Sharon cut the ribbon for the new School Pantry program. It is funded by First Presbyterian Church and run by the Mercer County Food Bank. It is estimated that about 20 percent of children in the area don't know where they will find their next meal. The pantry will help in providing food to 500 students that they can take home five days a week. 'This program is so important to the district because we have several, several families that don't have the means to provide for their own families, and so this program allows the students to take food home from school on a weekly basis and help with the families,' said Superintendent Justi Glaros.'The number-one need for anybody is to make sure their nutrition needs are met. If that isn't happening, all the other things don't matter, so we want to make sure children in Mercer County and in Sharon Schools are adequately fed so that they can develop in a healthy way,' said Dr. Reverend Glenn Hink, of First Presbyterian Church. Rebecca Page, executive director of the Mercer County Food Bank, said Sharon City Schools serves as the pilot program for their school food pantry model. One was opened at the middle/high school last year, and it is working well there so they decided to expand it. School pantries were also opened Wednesday at C.M. Musser Elementary School and West Hill Elementary School. Brian Oehlbeck contributed to this report. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
