Pair of Kiski Area juniors collecting food and shoes to help Alle-Kiski Valley families

Two Kiski Area High School juniors are collecting items to benefit local charities this holiday season.

Tabytha Hogan, 16, has launched a food drive for the Leechburg Food Bank at First United Methodist Church.

Allison Thompson, 17, is collecting old and new shoes to benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Nonperishable foods and footwear can be dropped off at Tabytha’s home at 49 Fitzgerald St. in Allegheny Township and at the high school at 240 Hyland Park Road.

“We’re both very involved together and both have a very similar mind in what we want to do for the community,” Allison said.

The food drive

The Hogans’ home is hard to miss, as it is decorated with thousands of lights and multiple Christmas decorations.

Tabytha said this time of year brings fond memories of her grandmother, the late Cheryl Baker, with whom she spent many holiday seasons baking dozens upon dozens of cookies in time for Christmas.

As far as putting up the lights, those skills were instilled by Tabytha’s father, John Hogan, who helped with the setup.

“It was always a good time to bond with my dad,” Tabytha said. “It was always something that made me happy because little kids would drive by and they would have a big smile on their face (watching the display). … This year, I did a lot of it by myself because my dad’s hurt. He needs a hip replacement, but he stood out there with me (and) told me where everything went. He smiled and nodded at me and gave me tips.”

The oldest display is a 19-year-old Rudolph driving a white wire sleigh.

Tabytha said she wanted to do a food drive including a holiday display after recalling a family along Oak Manor Drive in Harrison’s Natrona Heights neighborhood doing the same years ago.

“They had this big long list of different things that you could put in their bin, and it was like my inspiration because they don’t do it anymore,” Tabytha said. “When I was little, we used to always go and donate food.”

The family is collecting through early January. They hope to receive cereals, soups and other canned goods to be given to the food bank shortly before Christmas and after New Year’s Day.

Tabytha noted that families in the church she attends, First Evangelical Lutheran, make use of the food bank and “I’ve always been around people that needed the help from the food bank,” so it feels natural to support the charity. Her grandfather, Richard Baker, volunteers at the food bank weekly, she said.

Gary Lyon, director of the Leechburg Food Bank, said donations are especially needed in the winter months.

“Any time an organization or individuals contribute food for us, it goes right into our food bank here, and it’s a real blessing for us,” he said. “We welcome it all. The only thing we can’t take is fresh produce.”

About half of Leechburg Food Bank’s food comes from the Armstrong County Food Bank.

Leechburg serves about 72 “units,” which includes individuals and families, monthly.

The Hogans also are collecting letters to Santa. A red mailbox with white lettering sits outside their home. Letters can be dropped off through Dec. 17.

Tabytha said her school used to collect letters to Santa but stopped because of the pandemic. Her mother, Jaime Hogan, lauded her daughter’s efforts.

“I’m very proud of her,” Hogan said. “Very proud that she wants to help out the community and also wants to keep traditions going and keeping the spirit of Christmas alive in the family like her grandmother.”

The shoe drive

Allison became involved with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society through a friend, who also nominated her for LLS’s Students of the Year program.

According to LLS’s website, Students of the Year is a philanthropic leadership development program for exemplary high school students. During the campaign, participants foster professional skills such as entrepreneurship, marketing, and project management to raise funds for the society.

“I was trying to find something to give my time to over the next year because I am not playing for a cup soccer team,” Allison said. “I’ve committed the next year of my life to doing different fundraising events.

“LLS is searching for a cure. They’re not trying to get you to donate your money so they can give it to children to go to pony shows and go to carnivals. It’s to actually research and find a cure for families who are struggling.”

The collected shoes will be exchanged for a monetary donation from an organization that gives shoes to homeless shelters and others in need.

Allison said they have 2,000 shoes stored in a warehouse with a goal of collecting 5,000 by the end of February.

People also can drop off shoes at Four Brothers Supply along Route 819 in Apollo.