Future Holiday Idea?

[Lynds]

Jaime, sorry it has taken me so long to get back. If you are still interested give me a call 330-742-8710. Iwasthere is right, we will be having a bar crawl on Friday July 3rd and a firework show on the 4th of July downtown we can definitely collect food at both events. How do you want to distribute the good though? Gleaners has been doing it for years and they have a huge starage house off of Pyatt St.
If we are going to distribute independently i think we should start with contacting the blockwatch groups and coalitions and then approach the churches. Most churches on the East side have weekly foodbanks (i used to drive my old neighbors all the time) or maybe, depending on how much we collect we can have a foodbank in each ward at centralized parks or churches (7th ward Pambering Park / 6th S.Side Park / 5th someplace at Mill Creek / 4th the park near Calvery / 3rd Wick Park / 2nd North High school / and the 1st ward Downtown.
I don't know I'm rambling. Let me know if your still interested I could really use the help organizing something like this. 

[iwasthere]

it seems the only time there is a food drive is thanksgiving and Christmas. why not pick a holiday that isn't too much commericalized for profit? is the city going to have the second annual fourth of july bar crawl? iwasthere had a great time esp with the wondering diners and the firstnighters groups, they are not to be trusted behind the wheels when you have soaked filled firewater all nighters. they are dangerous when they are sober when drinking their personalities changes in front of your eyes at a moments notice without any warnings with that in mind iwasthere would do it again with these wonderful people.

[Jaime Hughes]

From here though-- the infancy stage of this idea, I am not too sure where to turn from here. I mean, I know that there are families in need in our own neighborhoods, I live on the northside and see it everyday. I feed the little children next door dinner almost every night, it hits me directly in that respect.


Where shall I start?

[Lynds]

Jaime, I think thats a great idea. Gleaners food bank would be able to help as well as the 7th ward coalition.

[john r. swierz]

      There are organizations in the city that collect food and make up food baskets at thanksgiving and Christmas time.  One such organization is the Seventh Ward Citizen's Coalition.  They usually end up with 5 food baskets that go to needy families who reside in the 7th Ward

[Jaime Hughes]

I was kicking around a few ideas and thought of one in particular.

I work with a women who has two really wonderful kids. She ended up in Youngstown when her car broke down, she doesnt have any family here (they are from Jersey) and had no way back. She lived in the Mission and worked her way up to working and has a car, her kids go to Harding Elementary and now she lives in a little house on the northside.

I was thinking that we should adopt families in the city for christmas time? Especially with this economy, it will be even harder for families to have dinners and get there children gifts. What does everyone think about adopting families with children in the Youngstown city schools or adopting a family to give them christmas dinner ? Let me know, I would really like to start on this now with local organizations and that.

Thanks!

Jaime