The United Way of Richland County’s Summer of Caring Food Drive, benefiting United Way partner agencies at Catholic Charities and The Salvation Army, has resulted in donations of food items filling a box truck.
Dan Varn, executive director of United Way of Richland County, said the event was a great success. People dropped off non-perishable items at all branches of the Mansfield-Richland County Public Library between Aug. 18 and Aug. 29.
On Sept. 5, MHS Industrial Supply of Mansfield began sorting the items at its warehouse before the items were divided for Catholic Charities HOPE food pantry and The Salvation Army Mansfield food pantry, Varn said.
Varn thanked Library Director Chris May, library staff and patrons for their help in making sure local food pantries are stocked.
He also thanked Doc Stumbo for his efforts to reach out to organizations and individuals for financial donations for the HOPE food pantry.
“Every little bit helps,” Stumbo said.
Local community organizer Doc Stumbo, who also oversees the annual Make A Difference Day food drive on Oct. 24 in Richland County, was on hand Friday to talk with staff and volunteers from The Salvation Army and Catholic Charities, who said the donations are greatly appreciated.
The location of this year’s upcoming Make A Difference Day food drive is not yet available.
Ian Chambers, pantry crisis navigator at Catholic Charities HOPE food pantry, said the community has really come forward to help meet the needs of people who use its food pantries.
“We get pasta in and then we’re out right away,” he said.
Earlier this summer, Stumbo learned Catholic Charities’ HOPE Food Pantry was running low on food and through a couple of News Journal stories asked for the public’s help to donate several much-needed items, including pasta and cereal, rice, canned chicken and tuna, among others.
“We’ve had a 30% increase in the amount of clients that we are serving,” Alicia Rowe, director of Catholic Charities at 523 Park Avenue East, said earlier this summer.
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This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: United Way’s food drive a success thanks to library patrons who dropped off food items
Reporting by Lou Whitmire, Mansfield News Journal / Mansfield News Journal
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