Penn-Trafford junior wins scholarship for work in combating food insecurity

Ever since she was a young child, Kari Ann Leventopoulos has wanted to help feed the hungry.

“She always enjoyed picking out and carrying the food to put in the box at church at St. Regis,” her mother Becky Leventopoulos said. “It was kind of her thing.”

The interest grew when the Penn-Trafford junior developed a grade school science project to gauge the generosity of donations to see who gave more: men or women. As she studied and tried to duplicate the results, she learned more about hunger in society.

“We can all relate to hunger as we all get hungry, and it really hurt me that some people go home and are hungry,” Kari Ann Leventopoulos said. “We tend to think of the issue as one for the homeless, but it could be your friends or people you go to school with.”

Spreading the word about food insecurity has become a platform for the 16-year-old. While competing in pageants and juggling voice lessons and dance classes, she penned the book “Henry is Hungry,” which is sold on Amazon and at Feathers Artist Market and Gifts, 102 Fourth St., Irwin. She also donates the book to schools if leaders agree to hold a food drive.

“I want to build a new generation of volunteers,” Leventopoulos said about the emphasis on getting the book into local libraries. “It is about a little boy experiencing food insecurity, and it is so kids can learn how to hold a food bank and collect food.”

All of these efforts to raise awareness and gather food culminated in a $2,500 college scholarship and 2022 Vitalant Foundation’s NextUp Award for Leventopoulos this month. The award honors individuals under 18 who have “shown a transformative commitment to their communities.”

“I like holding the events,” Leventopoulos said about the donation collection projects. “One at Sunrise elementary (in the Penn-Trafford School District) collected over 1,000 pounds of food. It took a couple of cars to get the food to the food bank.”

Her help is appreciated by the groups that fight hunger.

“(She) has supported the mission of the Westmoreland food bank for years, conducting food drives and collecting donations,” said Lauren Hill, director of development of the county food bank. “It is inspiring to see a young person commit to assisting those less fortunate in our communities. We are grateful for Kari’s leadership.”

Leventopoulos has big plans for the scholarship funds.

“I kind of already have my whole life planned out, and the money will help with college. After that, I want to go to med school and then become a general practitioner and open my own practice,” Leventopoulos said.