BOARDMAN, Ohio – The United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley teamed up with the Muransky family Saturday to launch a weekly food distribution initiative in response to the coronavirus pandemic. 

Ed Muransky, CEO of The Muransky Companies, and his daughter, Donielle, led 20 volunteers to pack and deliver food to 110 hosueholds in Mahoning County. The initiative is by referral only, with the United Way working with agencies it funds such as Catholic Charities, YMCA, Direction Home and Ursuline Ministries. 

“We want to focus on individuals and families who are at risk and should not be out in the public due to COVID-19.  We want to make sure they stay safe.  So that is where we step in, bringing them food and essentials,” says Bob Hannon, president of the United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley. “Our United Way has the relationships with the non-profit community and a great base of volunteers to get this done.”  

The Muransky family is providing funding, volunteers and space at the Southwoods Executive Building to serve as a central site for the weekly distributions.  Every Saturday, volunteers will deliver food to shut-ins, seniors and families across Mahoning County who have no transportation to get to food pantries or to grocery stores.

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“We are so happy to partner with the United Way to help fill this void in our community,” says Muransky. “Our family is committed to making a difference.” 

PNC Bank, another major community partner with the United Way, is also providing funding for the initiative 

“Like many communities across the country, the Mahoning Valley is experiencing an unprecedented amount of hardship and hunger due to COVID-19,” says Ted Schmidt, PNC regional president for Youngstown. “We’re proud to be part of this effort to help prevent hunger right here in our neighborhoods.”

“The United Way worked with the Nemenz and Kawecki families who own the local Save A Lots. They helped us get the food, which included milk, bread, pasta, pasta sauce, peanut butter, jelly, oatmeal, granola bars, beef stew, soup and oranges,” says Roxanne Sebest, director of marketing and communications for United Way. “One Hot Cookie also donated cookies that we gave to each household as a special treat.”

Pictured: Ed and Donielle Muransky are among the volunteers packing supplies that the United Way will distribute to families in Mahoning County.