Adrian Carroll, a 63-year-old from Warren, plays a dual role during a food distribution event on Saturday at the Trumbull County Fairgrounds in Bazetta. This collaborative effort involves the Warren Family Mission, Second Harvest Food Bank of the Mahoning Valley, Safe Harbor Recovery LLC, Trumbull County commissioners, and the Trumbull County Fair Board.

From Homelessness to Giving Back

Andre Morris, now 40 and a client of Warren-based Safe Harbor Recovery LLC, once struggled with homelessness and addiction. But he's grateful to have turned his life around. "It's only right to give back. I was helped when I was homeless on the streets of Cleveland two or three years ago," he said. Morris was one of the volunteers who put in some physical labor to make the holidays brighter for those in need.During a two-hour food distribution drive on Saturday morning, an estimated 38,000 to 40,000 pounds of frozen meats, fruits, vegetables, and other items were distributed. This was a collaborative effort among Safe Harbor Recovery, Trumbull County commissioners, Second Harvest Food Bank, the Warren Family Mission, and the Trumbull County Fair Board.Spending about a month at Safe Harbor has been a game-changer for Morris. "We always love to help the (Warren Family) Mission out," John Dailey of Safe Harbor said.Timing played a crucial role in the planning of the food distribution. With the holidays and winter approaching, the need for food and basic necessities has increased. For example, 487 people visited the mission's food pantry last week, an increase of about 100 from the previous week. The pantry's hours are 9:30 a.m. to noon and 1 to 3 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. It's common for the pantry to give out 400 bags of food per week, and each recipient can visit up to once a month. In some cases, emergency bags can be distributed on a case-by-case basis.In addition, the mission provided about 120,000 hot meals last year to those in need. Greg Bones, the pantry coordinator, noted this.Mararri lamented that it's easy to take for granted having a full refrigerator. During Saturday's distribution, he spoke to several people in line who told him they had no food in their fridge. This highlights the financial hardships many families in the Mahoning Valley are facing due to inflation and rising prices, especially during the holidays. The first vehicle in line for the food distribution arrived at the fairgrounds around midnight Saturday. "You just don't realize what people are facing with food insecurities," he added.Mike Iberis, Second Harvest's executive director, noted that the increase in need has been most pronounced in many rural sections of Trumbull County. The partnership between the entities that made the food distribution possible has also been crucial in helping many individuals and families. "More gets done together than what you can do separately," Iberis added."We're just happy we could help the community and give back to the community," Kierstin Holmes, fair board director, said. "We're very happy to give back, especially during the holiday season. It was a big yes for us." Of the estimated 25 volunteers who boxed and distributed food, seven or eight were fair board members.Among the recipients who will have a brighter and more secure holiday season are Kathy Bryant of Youngstown and Joshua Baumgartner of Niles. "I feel blessed. I will cook dinner for me and my husband," Bryant said from her car. She recently lost a sister, and her husband is battling cancer. She also praised Second Harvest for "making a big difference in people's lives."Baumgartner echoed this sentiment. He didn't mind waiting in line for more than two hours for his extra holiday largesse. He was thankful for the distribution's impact on the community as a whole.In 2023:• An estimated 10.5 million pounds of food were distributed, equating to 8,750,000 meals for the year and 168,269 meals per week.• Of those who received food assistance, 29% were children and 25% were senior citizens.• Nearly 18,000 people received food from the agency's 160 partners, including pantries, meal sites, and senior programs.Source: Second Harvest Food Bank