Westmoreland Meals Financial institution advantages from United Means’s annual fundraiser

By jimadmin On Dec 22, 2020

Instead of figuring out the most efficient route through East Pittsburgh Street Shop ‘n Save in Greensburg on Monday night, Renee Sasanko opted for a nonprofit that would benefit from a $ 750 donation.

The United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania’s annual fundraiser, which typically sees one person speed down the aisles of a Charley Family Shop ‘n Save to collect hundreds of dollars worth of groceries in three minutes, has been made an easy one due to the coronavirus pandemic Check donation reduced.

For the second consecutive year, the Westmoreland County Food Bank has been the beneficiary, who uses the money to buy groceries for families in need.

“I had previously volunteered at the food bank and donations were low, so I thought it was a good thing, a worthy cause,” said Sasanko, 58, from Latrobe.

Sasanko, an illustrator from the Elliott Group in Jeannette, was able to participate in the fundraiser through United Way’s donor awards program. After she donated to the nonprofit as part of the Elliott Company campaign, she was added to a pool of nearly 3,000 people who had qualified for the event.

Jennifer Miller, CEO of Westmoreland County Food Bank, was met by Sasanko, members of United Way, and Mike and Tom Charley, shop owners, who presented her with the gift certificate. Another gift certificate worth $ 250 was presented to Sasanko.

The donation is usually based on how much food is collected during the shopping spree. This year the funds were determined by averaging the donations in recent years.

“I wasn’t sure what to expect and that was a big surprise,” said Miller, who was asked to come to the Greensburg store to meet with a donor.

Donations from the Delmont-based organization have been sparse as people adhere to social distancing mandates and stock up on food if it closes again. However, with unemployment rates skyrocketing this year and more people in need due to the pandemic, donations are more important.

“These are people who have never had to ask for help,” Miller said of the importance of the donation. “It’s different, it’s so different, and the inequality we hear in people’s voices when there is a shortage of products or things they really need is just heartbreaking. That will go a long way in helping someone Need to help. “

The Charley family has attended the event for more than 10 years. For Tom Charley, this is an opportunity to give back to people in need while supporting the community. He noted that the shopkeepers have bought about 110 meals at another local restaurant every Saturday since it closed this spring, which may have problems.

Next week the family will buy meals at restaurants every day until the New Year.

“Anyway, in whatever form or form we can help the community, that’s what we want to do,” he said.

Megan Tomasic is a contributor to Tribune Review. You can contact Megan at 724-850-1203, mtomasic@triblive.com, or on Twitter.