-
Login
-
Digital Edition
-
Print Edition
- Most Commented
- Most Commented
- Most Emailed
- Most Emailed
- Popular
- Popular
« News Home
HELPING THE HUNGRY
TweetCity residents line up for Second Harvest produceBy ELISE FRANCO
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN — More than 150 community members waited patiently in line, not to feed their desire for the latest gaming system or cell phone, but because they were hungry.
Second Harvest Food Bank of the Mahoning Valley handed out hundreds of bags of bread and potatoes and boxes of greens Wednesday afternoon to Youngstown residents who needed it the most.
Food Distribution
People from every part of the city gathered in the parking lot of Price Memorial AME Church, on Dryden Avenue on the city’s East Side, for the arrival of a truck hauling thousands of pounds of fresh produce.
The truck arrived at 1 p.m., and volunteers promptly began calling numbers and handing out food.
Vera Henderson, 74, of Youngstown, said the Second Harvest distribution was beautiful to see.
“I had no potatoes or greens in the house, and those are my favorites,” she said. “This is the best thing they could ever do for us.”
Henderson, who lives on the East Side, came with her sister and said this was her second time at a food distribution.
Nicole Bridges, 29, of Youngstown, and her son, Laylon Bridges-Smith, 7, of Youngstown, stood in line for about 20 minutes before receiving their food. Laylon kept busy, however, by helping others carry the heavy bags of potatoes and boxes of greens to their cars.
“A lot of people need this,” Nicole Bridges said. “Gas prices are high — the cost of everything is going up right now.”
South Side resident Rick Stewart stood in line for a little more than 30 minutes, and shared Henderson’s sentiments.
“It’s a beautiful thing, a very beautiful thing,” he said of the distribution. “Some people are unfortunate and in need of help like this.”
It was easy to tell that Stewart, himself, was happy to be able to take home the produce.
“I’m a potato and greens eater,” he said. “That’s why I’m here. I love it. I just appreciate it.”
Betty Crafter-Royal, a member of Price Memorial Church and food bank agent relations associate, said turnout for the distribution was on par with what was expected.
“We gave out over 100 boxes of greens and potatoes,” she said. “When I got here just before noon, people were already waiting in the parking lot.”
Crafter-Royal has been involved with Second Harvest for 10 years and also runs the church’s kitchen and food pantry.
“It’s wonderful what Second Harvest is doing to reach out,” she said. “It’s well-deserved, and I know community members appreciate it.”
Mike Iberis, the food bank’s executive director, said the number of people in the area who don’t have enough food is rapidly increasing.
“I believe, by doing this, we’re able to distribute food to those who are going hungry,” he said. “We need to work harder to bring the food to the people.”
The food bank was able to acquire the produce through a collaboration among Second Harvest, Ohio Farmers Inc. and the state Legislature.
Iberis said everything handed out was surplus produce, which means if it hadn’t gone to this distribution and others like it, the greens and potatoes would have been left to die in fields.
According to the Second Harvest Web site, 12.2 percent of the population in Mahoning County lives in poverty. In Youngstown alone, the median income per household is $21,850, and 48.9 percent of children live below the poverty level.
“It seems that now everyone knows someone who is falling into poverty, whether it be a friend, family member or neighbor,” Iberis said. “Ten years ago that may not have been the case, but now it’s getting closer and closer to everyone’s lives.”
efranco@vindy.com
By ELISE FRANCO
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN — More than 150 community members waited patiently in line, not to feed their desire for the latest gaming system or cell phone, but because they were hungry.
Second Harvest Food Bank of the Mahoning Valley handed out hundreds of bags of bread and potatoes and boxes of greens Wednesday afternoon to Youngstown residents who needed it the most.
- Food Distribution
People from every part of the city gathered in the parking lot of Price Memorial AME Church, on Dryden Avenue on the city’s East Side, for the arrival of a truck hauling thousands of pounds of fresh produce.
The truck arrived at 1 p.m., and volunteers promptly began calling numbers and handing out food.
Vera Henderson, 74, of Youngstown, said the Second Harvest distribution was beautiful to see.
“I had no potatoes or greens in the house, and those are my favorites,” she said. “This is the best thing they could ever do for us.”
Henderson, who lives on the East Side, came with her sister and said this was her second time at a food distribution.
Nicole Bridges, 29, of Youngstown, and her son, Laylon Bridges-Smith, 7, of Youngstown, stood in line for about 20 minutes before receiving their food. Laylon kept busy, however, by helping others carry the heavy bags of potatoes and boxes of greens to their cars.
“A lot of people need this,” Nicole Bridges said. “Gas prices are high — the cost of everything is going up right now.”
South Side resident Rick Stewart stood in line for a little more than 30 minutes, and shared Henderson’s sentiments.
“It’s a beautiful thing, a very beautiful thing,” he said of the distribution. “Some people are unfortunate and in need of help like this.”
It was easy to tell that Stewart, himself, was happy to be able to take home the produce.
“I’m a potato and greens eater,” he said. “That’s why I’m here. I love it. I just appreciate it.”
Betty Crafter-Royal, a member of Price Memorial Church and food bank agent relations associate, said turnout for the distribution was on par with what was expected.
“We gave out over 100 boxes of greens and potatoes,” she said. “When I got here just before noon, people were already waiting in the parking lot.”
Crafter-Royal has been involved with Second Harvest for 10 years and also runs the church’s kitchen and food pantry.
“It’s wonderful what Second Harvest is doing to reach out,” she said. “It’s well-deserved, and I know community members appreciate it.”
Mike Iberis, the food bank’s executive director, said the number of people in the area who don’t have enough food is rapidly increasing.
“I believe, by doing this, we’re able to distribute food to those who are going hungry,” he said. “We need to work harder to bring the food to the people.”
The food bank was able to acquire the produce through a collaboration among Second Harvest, Ohio Farmers Inc. and the state Legislature.
Iberis said everything handed out was surplus produce, which means if it hadn’t gone to this distribution and others like it, the greens and potatoes would have been left to die in fields.
According to the Second Harvest Web site, 12.2 percent of the population in Mahoning County lives in poverty. In Youngstown alone, the median income per household is $21,850, and 48.9 percent of children live below the poverty level.
“It seems that now everyone knows someone who is falling into poverty, whether it be a friend, family member or neighbor,” Iberis said. “Ten years ago that may not have been the case, but now it’s getting closer and closer to everyone’s lives.”
efranco@vindy.com
Comments
I am truly sorry that I must make this observation, but NONE of the people in the picture fit the world profile of “the poor” or “the hungry”. The majority of the people pictured could be classified as either obese or morbidly obese.
The situation here is the same as in Minneapolis a couple of weeks ago when thousands lined up for free, no proof needed, food vouchers. The operative word here is free.
Now I am sure there were truly needy people served by this act of charity, but what part of those pictured appear physically unable to get a job? Is this the new method of providing for your family?
Do you think Second Harvest would be better supported if they adopted the idea of ‘trust but verify’? With this article and picture, do you feel motivated to increase your donations to Second Harvest?
Wow, Bullchip, are we looking at the same picture? I don't see anyone in it who could be described as morbidly obese, not that it matters. There are many, many reasons why the people in this photo may be hungry/unemployed; it's more than a little unfair to make sweeping generalizations.
Lucy, I go on the facts as presented. The primary fact is the picture. The article gives a couple of specifics, but as was said in the long distant past, a picture is worth a thousand words.
Look at the picture as posted with the article, and please identify one person that would fit the world profile of “the poor” or “the hungry”.
I repeat my question -With this article and picture, do you feel motivated to increase your donations to Second Harvest?
I have viewed Second Harvest as a charity of value which I have helped support in the past, however, as stated in the article “Gas prices are high — the cost of everything is going up right now.” In light of that, is it not appropriate for me to question where my charity dollar will do the most good to those that are truly needy?
My question is that if all these people are so in need, then why aren't they working at 1pm in the afternoon. That one person was 29 years old!! Get off your lazy behinds and get your food instead of expecting someone to hand it to you!
I think that perhaps bullchip and atown have some racist tendencies that they're trying to mask with comments about weight and age.
Is George saying that the only people in the video are black? I'm not going to watch it, I'm just asking.
I agree with George 412, Bullchip has some racist hangups, same as Thomas Maskell of Poland.
And I think George is blind to the fact that people of working age and capability are pictured at 1pm getting free food because they are hunger instead of working to earn that food themselves. It would be one thing if all those people were elderly like the 74 year old woman in the story, but they are not. Just because they all happen to be black is something that the Vindy decided to show.
Sure Atown. Keep trying to convince yourself that you're not a racist. Also, you're assuming that the people in the picture are unemployed...ever heard of the working poor? Not all people work during standard 9-5 hours, by the way. You're making a lot of assumptions based on a photograph, just as Bullchip did.
You might also consider educating yourself about exactly why the Mahoning Valley African American population was hit disproportionately hard by the closing of the steel mills and why it's taken longer to recover. Oh, but then you'd actually have to step outside of your little bubble of suburban white privilege.
George, you don't know me, so don't assume anything. The color of your skin makes no difference to me, whether you are willing to work to support your family to just lay around on your lazy rear end does. We are all strapped in this valley, not just the African Americans. The difference is I don't expect a hand out, nor think I deserve one based on the color of my skin. Apparently you do.
Did anyone else notice that only the apologist and liberals are making this a racial issue? Statements such as “suburban white privilege” are truly racist slander.
Putting yourself through college by working and paying for it out of your own pocket are apparently a part of “suburban white privilege”. Working two full time jobs while you are starting your way up in your career is part of “suburban white privilege”. Going to work every day, even when you are not feeling well is part of “suburban white privilege”. Being denied jobs because you do not fit the current hiring protocols to achieve the desired ‘diversity goals’ is part of “suburban white privilege”.
Get off the racist hate wagon you are on and look at the article and associated photograph presented. You have a group of “well fed” working age people who are, in the middle of a work day, lined up for free food. My money is going to support this agency, do I not have the right to comment on how I see it being used?
412 and Face, you want to take away my right to freedom of speech. You present no explanation for the crowd pictured, except to excuse them with implausible rationalizations.
You are the true racist here. You are the ones who consider the color of the skin before you evaluate the nature of a persons actions. You are the ones who will judge a person by the color of their skin and not the content of their character. You are the ones who promote the subtle racism of lowered expectations. You are the ones who will allow a school to fail a child and the child to fail and no one will be held responsible.
Bullchip, no one wants to take away your right to freedom of speech, but we also have the right to counter your ill-informed reactions and judgments. All of the comments you leave on nearly EVERY story are racist, sexist, homophobic, and judgmental.
In this case, your judgments are based on a single photograph. Of course I won't "present an explanation" as two why that particular group of people are lined up for free food; I don't make those kinds of presumptions. My expectations are kindness, compassion, mindfulness; wow, they are low. And stop plagiarizing Dr. King to support your hateful views.
By the way, I also worked my way through college--two jobs and all of that, but I never had to worry (because I'm white) about being turned down for a job because I look like the gang-banger who was featured on the news last week and the week before and the week before.
That is suburban white privilege...I know it because I have it. The difference is that I don't pretend that I'm not privileged and that our systems are not inherently racist, sexist, and homophobic.
Keep making hateful comments, and I'll keep countering them...we ALL have the right to free speech.
“All of the comments you leave on nearly EVERY story are racist, sexist, homophobic, and judgmental.”
Your words appear just about as judgmental as is possible. You can call me names without fear of contradiction because you believe you have “the moral high ground”. You accuse me of “plagiarizing Dr. King to support your hateful views”. And I thought that speech was for all people, now you tell me he meant it to refer only to one race? Does that mean everyone else SHOULD BE JUDGED BY THE COLOR OF THEIR SKIN?
As I taught my children when they were growing up, if you look like a thug/criminal/gang banger/hooker you will be treated as such by society and your employment options will be limited. Your statement “turned down for a job because I look like the gang-banger” confuses me. If that is the persona one adopts, I would think that being refused employment based on that would be entirely appropriate.
You decline to debate on a factual basis, you denigrate me and call me names, you obfuscate and misdirect, you substitute your feelings for facts and you call yourself kind and compassionate.
If you teach a person how to raise a garden, you will insure that they have food a week from now and not just tonight. You teach them the idea of reaping the fruits (and vegetables) of their labor. Others in the community see them benefiting from their efforts.
If you give a person who declines to work food, you teach them to be dependant on the society and to behave in proscribed ways. If you teach them the value of education and hard work, you give them their independence and freedom to make their own decisions.
In response to the original post, (and overlooking the call for debate on a factual basis using simply a photograph apparently,) I don't understand how those people do not fit the label poor or hungry.
I still can't make sense of this. I'm assuming, (which I know is dangerous,) that the original poster is implying that because the people pictured are not in rags that they are not poor. I'm also assuming that the original poster claims that overweight people can not be hungry. Is this correct?
As for dictating where the charity you choose to donate to should donate their aid or services, there are three simple options. The first would be to become deeply involved within the charity and affect change from within the organization. The second would be to find a charity that more appropriately fits the requirements attached to your donation. The third is probably the simplest. Maybe the original poster should save his donations and seek out the people that qualify under his version of poor and hungry and help them directly.
Bull, Your response, as usual, is oversimplified and reactionary. You twist and ignore. I never wrote that Dr. King's speech was meant for one race. Again, you never get it quite right. You are assuming that people are declining work...how can you possibly know that? How can you know that the people in the photo are unemployed? Able-bodied? Assumptions all.
TB and I are trying to say that is impossible to judge whether or not people fit the description of poor/hungry from one photo. You are jumping to conclusions. Several people on this thread have told you so. If three people tell you that you have a tail, as the saying goes, maybe you should turn around and look.
I can't debate you on a factual basis because a photograph (the entire basis or your argument) does not provide any facts upon which to debate. This has been my point all along.
By the way, you seem to write the same comments about misdirection and obfuscation on every thread. Is this your standard line? It sounds very Rush Limbaugh.
Do I think that I have the moral high ground? Do I believe that compassion and kindness have the moral high ground over bigotry and judgement? Yep.
~Don't judge a book by its COVER--- Don't JUDGE a PERSON by its COVER!!~
As a person of faith, I am saddened by the vitriolic tone of the debate taking place over hungry people being fed.
All great religions including Christianity instructs us to feed the hungry, etc. In fact, feeding the hungry and taking care of "the least of these" is tantamount to professing one's Christian faith (as I assume most of the writers are).
One cannot "know" whether another is hungry and the facts are these: Working poor people make up the majority of those visiting pantries like those shown in the article; 2) The fastest growing hungry population is in the suburbs; 3) and most important, it shouldn't matter--it's a bag of food and if the person receiving it doesn't need it, they will have to answer for it.
So relax, give a prayer of gratitude if you're not hungry and stop passing judgment on those you don't know and unfortunately, will never get to know.