Distribution set Saturday for Fallowfield Twp. food drive

By TAYLOR BROWN

tbrown@yourmvi.com

Some Mon Valley residents are out to prove small towns have big hearts.

On Saturday, more than 300 families in the Charleroi School District will receive food thanks to the generosity of the community.

Fallowfield Township residents Michele Vidnjvich-Zitz and Lisa Bellantoni spearheaded the food drive.

Bellantoni, Vidnjvich-Zitz and a host of other residents adopt a family each Christmas. They most recently “adopted” a family to provide them with food for an Easter dinner.

The friends were at work one day when they thought of a bigger way to have an impact in the community.

The event, sponsored by Barchemy in the Donora Industrial Park, is collecting food to help families.

More than 40 volunteers are involved, helping to collect and sort food leading up to distribution at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Fallowfield Township Municipal Building.

A dropoff site will be open at the Fallowfield Township Volunteer Fire Company Social Hall from 4 to 7 p.m. each day through Friday.

Bellantoni said the response to the event has been overwhelming.

“Everyone is just so supportive,” she said. “People are calling left and right to see how they can help.”

Small businesses and large companies are offering donations to the food drive and to the volunteers who will be distributing food.

Barchemy has opened a checking account specifically for the event so residents can donate money directly that will be used to purchase food.

“We have become the grocery stores’ best friend,” Bellantoni said.

Vidnjvich-Zits said out-of-town residents are also helping.

“Today I had a woman who lives in Florida call to tell me she wanted to send a check,” she said. “She used to live in Charleroi. It’s amazing. People never stop caring about the Valley.”

Volunteers will collect items each day at the social hall and pack boxes on Friday night.

Saturday morning, residents will drive up in their cars, pop their trunks and volunteers will place the box of food inside.

“The most amazing thing is that even people who are not working are not donating,” Bellantoni said. “People can say what they want about the Valley, but when push comes to shove, we prove that anything is possible and that we really do care about each other.”

Bellantoni said any and all donations help.

“People feel like $1 is not enough but it is, that could be a meal for someone,” she said. “We also don’t want people to feel embarrassed about coming. If you are hungry, don’t be ashamed to drive through. This pandemic is not anyone’s fault. We don’t want to judge, we just want to stick together.”

Vidnjvich said the volunteers are calling themselves “Small Towns, Big Hearts” and are planning to host other events throughout the Mon Valley in the coming weeks.

The group will accept non-perishable food donations, canned goods, dried fruits and vegetables, peanut butter, protein bars, spaghetti sauce, tea and juice.

Monetary donations can be made by check to Barchemy and mailed to 65 E. First Street, Donora, PA 15033.

For more information, call Vidnjvich at 724-777-8890.