Westmoreland County Food Bank celebrates its 40th anniversary, honors its staff and volunteers

The 40,000-square-foot warehouse of the Westmoreland County Food Bank was transformed into a banquet hall open to the public Thursday night to celebrate the organization’s 40th anniversary.

“It is an incredible accomplishment of the community as a whole,” said Lauren Hill, the food bank’s director of development. “These are great people in this county that have helped us achieve this milestone.”

The event was meant to highlight volunteer and staff achievements and thank the public for donating and supporting the organization throughout its history — and especially after two rough pandemic years that saw increased demand.

Former Pittsburgh Penguins left winger Phil Bourque met with attendees while magician Lee Terbosic and musicians from Practice Makes Perfect, a Greensburg music studio, entertained.

The event comes as economic issues increase demand for the nonprofit’s services and as it heads into its busiest months of the year.

“Inflation is the biggest thing bringing people to us now,” Hill said. “Demand has stabilized, but folks are coming to us for their first time. Everything is more expensive.”

From the office and warehouse in Salem, the food bank supplies 40 food pantries across Westmoreland County and works with about 20 partner programs that provide meal assistance.

Hill said from March 2020 to May 2022 the organization saw a 30% increase in the number of households reaching out for assistance.

While that number is back to prepandemic levels, the nonprofit still typically serves around 7,000 households per month.

“As an organization, we also are facing higher costs to purchase and transport food,” Hill said.

While the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Price Index (CPI) showed only a 0.1% increase in overall inflation in August, the food eaten at home category increased 0.7% for the month.

While those numbers may seem small, the cost of groceries is still up more than 13% since August 2021. The overall food index, which combines all food purchases, both to prepare at home and from restaurants, increased 11.4% over the last year.

That’s the largest 12-month increase since the period ending May 1979, according to the bureau’s latest report.

“Canned vegetable prices have gone up tremendously, and so has the cost of diesel that we use to transport the food we buy in bulk,” Hill said.

Canned corn, a food bank staple, has gone up over 30% and the price of some items has nearly doubled, according to Hill, who said she expects other inflationary pressures to increase demand this year as well.

October, November and December are traditionally the organization’s busiest months due to spikes in heating bills that start arriving in the mail as the weather cools.

The August CPI showed almost a 20% increase for those home services in the past year.

“It can be the difference between heating and eating,” Jennifer Miller, chief executive officer of the food bank, said while noting the holidays also play a role in increased need.

“A lot of households have to make decisions to deal with these circumstances while also trying to provide a holiday meal. When you add in inflation, it is tough.”

Ready for Thankgiving distributions

While the food pantry welcomes both monetary and food donations, Miller said Thanksgiving turkeys are already covered this year because the agency was proactive after dealing with supply chain issues last year trying to secure the holiday staple. There are enough on hand to provide one for each household that relies on their services and that is important to Miller.

“It’s about food but it is also cultural, and we want everyone to be able to have a proper Thanksgiving.” Miller said.

Honoring the volunteers

Both leaders said holding this public event was important to show appreciation to the 27 employees and some of the estimated 5,500 people who volunteered last year to make feeding the hungry possible.

They are always looking for more people to help, even if they’re only available one day per month, or just occasionally as their schedule allows.

Paul Bertolina has been volunteering at the food pantry held at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church in Irwin for about three years and finds it rewarding.

“They are really good people who just need a little help,” Bertolina said of those he serves. “You get to know them and enjoy seeing them. You find out what they like and try to make sure they get that when it comes in.”

Marie Ochaba is director of the food pantry held at Mt. Pleasant Church of God that feeds about 250 families on the last Tuesday of each month. She encourages anyone to volunteer at least once like she intended to in 2009 in honor of her late brother.

“I told them I’d be there but that I probably would not come back again. But I did and I enjoy it because the people need it,” Ochaba, who became director of that pantry in 2015, said. “And now my volunteers don’t leave.”

Ochaba said it upsets her that some seniors have small limited incomes per month to survive.

“How do you make that last? You can only stretch it so far,” Ochaba said. “We are here to help.”