Richland County residents, agencies, businesses and local labor unions turned out in full force to donate nonperishable food items, hygiene items and monetary gifts for the 20th annual Make A Difference Day food drive Friday.
Norm Shoemaker, president of the Mid Ohio Labor Council, was among the labor members who came to help load the donations in pickups outside Dan Lew Exchange on North Park Street in downtown Mansfield.
Doc Stumbo, who organizes the event to help fill the pantries at Wayfinders, formerly Harmony House, and Catholic Charities, said people of Richland County continue to be generous with their funds.
“People have been bringing a lot of food in too,” he said.
Cash, checks and gift cards pour in
He held more than $8,915 in checks and cash from the community Friday morning outside the collection site as motorists came by to drop off bags and carloads of food. He said donors also gave $1,600 worth of gift cards to Kroger that will be split, $800 each to each of the two food pantry beneficiaries.
Local unions donating checks and cash included the AFL-CIO, Steelworkers Local 3057, Steelworkers Local 169, AFSCME unions, Laborers Union and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.
Cam Grayson of Advantage Credit Union filled the back of her SUV with donations, which union members unloaded into a box truck.
Miss Ohio Madison Miller was on hand as well as vocalist and Little Miss Ontario Breckelle Miller and Caroline Grace Williams, the latter a former Miss Ohio, who came to help at the food drive.
Miller, a pianist from Coshocton, said contestants and the public just learned Thursday that the Miss America pageant will be held in Orlando, Fla. on Jan. 6 and she is excited.
Resident Sally Ford dropped off nonperishable food items.
“I call to buy canned spaghetti sauce and pasta and little containers of cheese,” she said. “I try to donate every year to one food bank or the other or whether it’s the mailman (U.S. Postal Carriers food drive). I do them every year. I also included some gummy treats for the kids,” Ford said.
Wants to help people who are suffering due to inflation
“I saw the story in the paper three weeks ago,” she said.
Ford said she likes to do her part.
“I don’t know how they can pay any bills,” she said. “Inflation is killing us.”
Stumbo said next year he plans to ask each of the 125,000 residents in Richland County to donate a single nonperishable item of food or a canned good.
“I think we can do it,” he said.
The food drive was to continue all day Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at two sites, Wayfinders (Harmony House), 124 W. Third St., and Catholic Charities, 523 Park Avenue East. Residents are encouraged to drop off donations of cash, checks, canned goods and nonperishable food items at these sites. Checks should be made payable to Catholic Charities or Wayfinders. Donations by credit/debit card are also accepted.
Twenty years ago Doc Stumbo and Tom Brennan, former Mansfield News Journal managing editor now retired, decided to start a food drive for Make A Difference Day.
Stumbo said he saw where USA Today was doing Make A Difference Day projects and he came to the News Journal to discuss organizing a food drive, and the annual event has continued for two decades.
“This is a bad year and people are really having a hard time buying groceries with rent being increased and gas prices so high,” he said this week. “Every little bit people donate helps the community.”
All local media participated in promoting the drive.
419-521-7223
X (formerly Twitter): @LWhitmir