Jan 21, 2016 3 min read

Don Carter, longtime Washington County Farm Bureau coordinator of a major drive to benefit those who depend on the Greater Washington County Food Bank, set a collection goal of 14,000 pounds this year.

The number is a tie-in to the Farm Bureau food drive that began 14 years ago.

“This is something that’s grown over the years,” Carter said Thursday outside the Washington County commissioners meeting. “I think we started with something like seven collection sites. Every year, the demand keeps going up. It’s not going down.”

Carter promised to provide a list of sites at the beginning of February. He noted it’s not just food, but personal hygiene products and cleaning supplies are needed. As in years past, groups of 4-H youth are competing to be top collector.

In advance of the drive, which will begin in February and continue through March, Carter introduced the commissioners to a helper, Heidi Hoffman, who became the food bank’s donations director Jan. 4. Carter said she’ll help him coordinate the unloading of collection boxes as they fill up so donations go to the closest of the 45 food pantries.

Hoffman grew up in Charleroi and now has a Monongahela address in Carroll Township. She formerly worked as marketing director for Century III and Northway malls.

Her background includes event planning, and even though snow blanketed the plaza around Courthouse Square, she asked those attending the commission meeting to mark on their calendars 10 a.m. Saturday, May 14, when the food bank, at its new home at 909 National Pike West, Centerville Borough, aims to plant an orchard to provide clients with fresh fruit.

In October, the food bank moved from rented space in Eighty Four to the former Country Fresh Market, a 24,500-square-foot facility purchased last spring for $1.1 million, which includes 22 acres of land.

It is open to accept donations from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

“Right now, we are serving over 5,400 households a month,” Hoffman said. “Our goal is to make sure no one goes to bed hungry. We are always welcoming food and also cash donations. People don’t realize they can donate financially to the food bank. We have buying power. We’re able to go out and buy food in bulk … that will, in turn, go back to the hungry.

“As a concerned citizen of Washington County, I like having a job where I am able to give back.”