A new partnership between the Big Reach Center of Hope in Greenford and Food Donation Connection, based in Tennessee, is rescuing food from local restaurants that would otherwise be tossed in the trash.
One look inside Big Reach's distribution center is all it takes to know it's not a typical food pantry.
"We cover anything from fresh bread to soups," said Lisa Wallace, who runs the marketing and donations programs at Big Reach. "I mean you name it (and) it's probably come through here."
Each week, 100 volunteers package and stock refrigerators and freezers with restaurant food donated by 17 different eateries and bakeries. Chipotle in Austintown and Bob Evans in Canfield are relatively new partners.
"It's not like home products or canned food," said Edward Santiago, assistant general manager at Bob Evans restaurant in Canfield. "This is actually food that you go out and get, but instead of just wasting it, we chose the Big Reach."
Dwain Yeagley and his wife volunteer at the Greenford facility. Yeagley said in our throwaway society, what Big Reach, Food Donation Connection and area businesses are doing is a Godsend.
"We try and give good quality food and you can't thank the people who are donating it enough because it just helps so many families it's unbelievable," Yeagley said.
To date, they've brought in 80,000 pounds of food from participating businesses. In 2011, Big Reach helped 40,000 people. Families must meet state income guidelines and can visit once every four weeks.
"And every story is different and everyone has a story to be told, so we're fortunate that we can listen to that and that we can help meet those needs," said Wallace.
Big Reach already offers classes on coupons and nutrition and soon plans to add cooking classes and financial lessons.
"To help them (families) become better and do better," Wallace said.
