Greenwood Chevrolet Donation Will Feed Thousands

AUSTINTOWN, Ohio – A donation from Greenwood Chevrolet to Second Harvest Food Bank of the Mahoning Valley will provide more than 125,000 meals for people in need.

“That is an astronomical amount,” said Renee Fuller, Second Harvest director of development.

And that’s just from the $25,000 check presented Tuesday. Three pickup trucks packed with nonperishable food, collected from employees and customers, will provide even more meals.

“There’s so many people this is going to help in our Mahoning Valley,” Fuller said. “It’s significant right now because, No. 1, the holidays. People really need the extra help.”

The food donations include items beyond every day staples.

“We need food all year long, but right now there’s an uptick in people that need help,” Fuller said. 

Second Harvest has 160 partner pantries across Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties, and the numbers of those served is growing, she said.

And statistics show that about 29% of those who need food are children, up from 25% most years.

Tracy Briden, Greenwood business manager, said the food drive started with the Mahoning Valley Corvettes club approaching the dealership with the idea.

“Of course, Mr. [Greg] Greenwood embraces anything that can help the community,” she said. “We all got on board – all the employees, their families, everybody – and we started collecting nonperishable food items.”

It turned into a friendly competition between the sales, service and parts and collision departments to see which could collect the most food.

“We got three trucks filled, and then he donated the $25,000, and it’s just such a good feeling to be able to help people,” Briden said. 

She said each department filled a truck for Second Harvest.

“We’re all winners,” Briden said. “Every department won.”

It’s meaningful for her because she likes giving back.

“I like to do something for the community. I like to do something for the families because there’s so many unfortunate families that really need our help.”

Sam Sicilia, president of Mahoning Valley Corvettes, said the club has been involved with helping Second Harvest for years. This year, they approached Greenwood, which has also contributed to the food bank.

“We actually kicked this off at our meeting five weeks ago,” Sicilia said.

Members, which number about 70, filled a Corvette and the area surrounding the car with food items for the food bank.

“Our club has been in existence since 1962,” he said. “It’s one of the oldest Corvette clubs in America, and as long as I’ve been in the club – 16, 17 years now – we’ve always given to local charities.”

Last year, the club donated $10,800 to local charities. This year, the amount rose to over $11,000. The funds are raised at the club’s annual car show staged at a building that formerly housed Greenwood Hummer.

“It all goes to local charities,” Sicilia said.

Second Harvest serves so many people, he said. 

“Second Harvest just reaches out to such a large, large area,” the car club president said. “We feel it’s just a great cause.”

Pictured at top: From left, Renee Fuller of Second Harvest Food Bank of the Mahoning Valley and Lynn Romeo, Taylor Tomsich, Jim Conlin and Tracy Briden of Greenwood Chevrolet stand beside a $25,000 check the dealership presented to the food bank Tuesday.

Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.