Jennifer Kissel, left, of the North Hills Community Outreach and Betsy Stubna, Foreman Group Marketing Manager, prepare to load pantry donations to stock NHCO shelves.
Some days it’s harder to make ends meet than others. The Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber sponsored a food drive to help local families do just that as the economy is slow to recover. Employees at the Foreman Group rallied to bring in boxes and cans of shelf-stable products to help the cause, collecting four large boxes. The recipient of all this food is the North Hills Community Outreach, which operates three food pantries in the northern suburbs of Pittsburgh. The NHCO estimates they feed 700 families each month by providing them a pantry shopping trip that averages $100, allowing these families to spend that money on other much-needed things.
Dave Meyer, Foreman Chamber representative, packs boxes of groceries
One of the things that makes this food pantry unique is that not everything is non-perishable. Fresh bread and veggies are also offered. Many donors have garden surplus, and NHCO has its own organic garden, allowing many families to enjoy the bounty. “Our garden isn’t a little plot – it is about an acre and worked solely by volunteers. That includes composting, harvesting, everything.” Jennifer Kissel, Outreach Coordinator says. There is also a gluten-free section, and Senior Citizens are permitted to take just a bit more as a perq. More details on the program, as well as guidelines, can be found on their site.
Dave Meyer, PerFOREMANce Roofing Specialist, was the driving force for the Foreman Group, soliciting, sorting, and storing employee donations; and coordinating with the Chamber.
The Foreman Group thanks the Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber for pulling this drive together and allowing us to help our community.