StrongLand Chamber of Commerce
Collects Food
News, May, 2013.
StrongLand Chamber of Commerce collected food donations for Kiski Valley Food Bank at their recent Home Expo last February 8th - 10th at the Pittsburgh Mills Galleria Mall. Over 150 pounds of food was donated.

We thank the Chamber for selecting us for food donations this year. These donations are very meaningful. Kiski Valley Food Bank is a 100% all-volunteer community organization and receives no government money. All donations are from neighborhood food drives, businesses, organizations and churches.

Neighbor Helping Neighbor
News, May, 2013.
"Neighbor Helping Neighbor" is our theme this year. Kiski Valley Food Bank is an independent and true 100% all-volunteer community organization. We are entirely supported by the citizens of our service area, businesses, grocery stores, organizations and churches of Kiski Valley. We receive no outside or government funding.

Kiski Valley Food Bank is committed to those who are in need or at risk of hunger by not having enough nutritional food for three complete meals a day. As an independent food bank, we are able to serve individuals and families that are in need of food from unemployment, underemployment, medical and economic crises and may not be able to meet federal and state income requirements

Although we may find it difficult to believe, a local mother went without two meals a day to feed her family! We have many testimonies that sufficient food is a very real need in Kiski Valley, particularly among children. Local statistics tell us nearly one in five children live in households that struggle to put food on the table. Child hunger in Kiski Valley is invisible, but they are hurting because of it.

Better than 80% of the groceries we distribute are collected in monthly neighborhood food drives throughout Kiski Valley. Each neighborhood is solicited twice a year for grocery donations. The first week of each month our 100% volunteer organization fields a large team to canvass neighborhoods with flyers soliciting bags of groceries to be picked up the next week. The second Saturday of the month is grocery collection day when more volunteers and vehicles drive through the neighborhoods looking for bags of groceries on the front porch. The third Saturday of each month is distribution day.

Although our shelves nearly go empty every month, we have always had provision through community donations. That's why we call this neighbor helping neighbor.

Kiski Valley Food Bank serves the boroughs of Apollo, Avonmore, East Vandergrift, Hyde Park, Leechburg, North Apollo, Oklahoma, West Leechburg and Vandergrift; the townships of Allegheny, Bell, Gilpin, Kiski, Parks, Upper Burrell (in part), and Washington. This includes all the unique villages within these townships. We reach a total population of 46,915 and 20,292 household.

___________________________

The Kiski Valley Food Bank Newsletter!
News, May, 2013.
KVFB often sends out a newsletter to families we help. It is filled to overflowing with news you can use, like:

• recipes  

• how to find & use coupons that save you big money

• timesavers in the kitchen

• ways to make meals for less

• nutritional advice

• what's the best food to buy in what season

• and more!

This newsletter can help you during these difficult days.

This month's newsletter

___________________________

EASTER FUND DRIVE A SUCCESS!
News, May, 2013
The Kiski Valley Food Bank Easter Fund & Food Drive was a great success! Businesses in our region hosted the 2013 Easter Donation Cans. Special thanks go to the following local businesses, whose kindness help families all across the valley. You are great men and women!

• Naser Foods, Apollo

• BZ Mart, Apollo

• Honeybear Mini-Mart, North Apollo

• G & G Restaurant, Vandergrift

• Vandergrift Pharmacy, Vandergrift

• Solomon's Mini-Mart, Vandergrift

• Pizza Hut, Allegheny Township

• Dairy Queen, Allegheny Township

• King's Family Restaurant, Allegheny Township

• Creekside Diner, Apollo

• Carpenter's Cafe, Vandergrift

• Freedom Farms Cafe & Carry - Out, Allegheny Township

• Dizzy's Bar and Grill, Leechburg

• Apollo Trust, Allegheny Township

• Sunoco Snack Shop, Leechburg

• Hunt's Hilltop Convenience Mart, Leechburg

• Leechburg Pharmacy, Leechburg

Thanks to you, many families in our area are being helped by our Fund Drives. Your generosity has been a great blessing to many here in our area. Now, even in this tough economy, please continue to remember those who are struggling with high gas prices, high food prices and low income or no job.

___________________________

You Don't Have To Wait For A Holiday...

We always need your help. Anytime, you can:

• You can give online by clicking the "Donate" button in the left column, or

• by calling us at 1 - 724 - 610 - 2037, or

• mail a contribution to us at Kiski Valley Food Bank, P.O. Box 178, Vandergrift, PA 15690, or

• take action in other ways
  

All donations are tax-deductible. Thank-you for your consideration. You are helping families right here in our area weather this recession.

________________________

It All Adds Up
News, May 2013
Out of the blue someone in Markle calls us. They have food for us to pick up even though we haven't done a food drive there in months. Another day, King's Family Restaurant calls with food for families. It continues...a grocery store in Apollo giving food...People's Gas doing a food drive...someone in Leechburg has groceries...a lady in Vandergrift with bags of food to give...a man in West Leechburg who bought groceries for us--they each give boxes or bags to Kiski Valley Food Bank throughout the year.

These donations, given at times other than our monthly food drive, add up! They augment our monthly neighborhood food drives and help us to feed local families. It is a great thing these Kiski Valley neighbors do for each other. It is a great honor for us to have a small part in it.

Even if you only have a bag or two of food to give, please call us at 1 - 724 - 610 - 2037. Every little bit helps. Thank you for your kindness.

Cultured Pearl Earrings For Only $5.00
Helps Feed Others
News, December, 2012.
Are you looking for a great gift or something special for yourself? How about a pair of cultured pearl earrings for $5.00? Yes, you read it right - only $5.00. Sobran Jewelers, across from Kiski Area High School, has a very special and limited quantity offer of these beautiful cultured pearl earrings. John Sobran, owner of Sobran Jewelers, indicated there is still a supply on hand.

These beautiful cultured pearl earrings are a great gift, and by purchasing them you will be doing more because 100% of the $5.00 goes to helping Kiski Valley Food Bank (KVFB) feed families in the Kiski Valley area. Holidays also bring an increased demand for food and KVFB always adds more to the monthly provisions by supplying meat. As the word spreads about this offer, the demand is increasing. If you want to help donate to Kiski Valley Food Bank, visit Sobran Jewelers from 10 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and Sundays from Noon to 4:00 p.m.

Kudos goes to John Sobran, owner, of Sobran Jewelers for offering this very special gift. What better way is there to contribute to the community than with a great gift and giving the entire purchase price to the Kiski Valley Food Bank. Everyone benefits from offers such as this. Thank you to John Sobran who joins a number of businesses and organizations contributing to KVFB. (120112)

Area Businesses Contribute Holiday Food
to Kiski Valley Food Bank
News, December, 2012.
Making the holidays brighter is the goal of Kiski Valley Food Bank (KVFB). When it comes to Thanksgiving and Christmas we add turkeys, hams, potatoes, apples and other ingredients as extras to assist in making holiday meals. KVFB could not accomplish this without the very generous contributions made by supermarkets, businesses and individuals. The following businesses made specific food contributions for the holidays.

Turkeys this year were donated by MetPlas Incorporated (Natrona Heights), Naser Foods of Apollo, Giant Eagle of Allegheny Township, and Vandergrift #2 Fire Department. Schafer's Fruit Farm of 144 Apple Lane, Allegheny Township donated apples several times this year. Brady-Curran Funeral Home of 429 Franklin Avenue, Vandergrift, donated potatoes. Faith Community Bible Church of 111 Kathleen Road in Allegheny Township donated bottled water and canned food. Held's Shop 'n Save of North Apollo donated canned foods. Picture Perfect Hair Salon of 1194 Dime Road in Parks Township donated assorted food given by their customers.

These very generous contributions helped KVFB meet the holiday demand. Many may not realize the internal workings of a food bank, but KVFB often comes to each month with very little stock on their shelves. The great and wonderful citizens of Kiski Valley contribute food when the grocery collection drives come to their neighborhood. This provides over 80% of each month's supply of food needed. A big thank-you goes to our citizens, businesses and organizations that support the Kiski Valley Food Bank.

Kiski Valley Food Bank, founded in 2007, is an independent and all-volunteer non-profit community organization serving those in need and distress. It is 100% supported by the community and receives no government or grant money. It is neighbors helping neighbors. Financial gifts may be made through PayPal on this web site or mailing to Kiski Valley Food Bank, P. O. Box 178, Vandergrift, PA 15690-0178. If you want to donate groceries, please call 724-610-2037 and we will arrange to pick up your donation.

Kiski Valley Food Bank covers portions of Westmoreland, Armstrong and Indiana Counties. These communities include the Boroughs of Apollo, Avonmore, East Vandergrift, Hyde Park, Leechburg, North Apollo, Oklahoma, Vandergrift, and, West Leechburg; and, the Townships of Allegheny, Bell, Gilpin, Kiskiminetas, Parks, Upper Burrell (partial), and, Washington. These also include communities within Townships, such as Bagdad, Bell Point, Brownstown, Dime, Edmon, Forks Church, Garvers Ferry, Gosser Hill, Kepple Hill, Kiskimere, Mamont, Maysville, Metcalf, McKean, North Washington, North Vandergrift, Orchard Hills, Perryville, Poke Run, Riverview, Salina, Schenley, Shady Plain, Spring Church, Tinsmill, Truxall, and others. (120112)

___________________________

Our volunteers collect food through rain, sleet or snow!


Braving the elements to collect food during a neighborhood food drive. 

Volunteers carry in food to be sorted into food packages for distribution.

Checking to see if all the food is unloaded.

A volunteer pushes a shopping cart full of groceries for delivery.

Volunteer packs some dry milk for distribution.


Checking the food for the families in the valley.


Volunteers sort food.


Volunteer is still smiling after packaging 200lbs of potatoes, 4 bushels of apples and checking the families' packages.

Volunteer carries a turkey for a family.

Thanks for making the Kiski Valley Food Bank Food Drive a great success! Thanks to all the businesses and neighborhoods who donated food and monies! And thanks to the volunteers who make the distribution happen each month. If you are interested in donating towards our May 2013 Food Drive, or are interested in volunteering, please phone: 1 - 724 - 610 - 2037

Kiski Valley Food Bank celebrates 5 years of service:



The Kiski Valley Food Bank, founded in 2008, is celebrating five years of service to needy families and individuals throughout the region. In five short years the food bank distribution has grown by more than 10 times with numbers growing each month.