Gazette Staff Reports
STATE COLLEGE —The State College Downtown Rotary Club donated 355 pies to the YMCA Anti-Hunger Program as part of its holiday season Pie Sale fundraiser.
The club’s Rotarians sold 755 pies with the support of State College Boy Scout Troop 31, which the Downtown State College Rotary Club charters.
“The Anti-Hunger Program challenged the club to donate 350 pies this year, so we did slightly better than our goal,” said club Past President Ja Nae Wian. “We were pleased to be able to support the Anti- Hunger Program again this holiday season.”
Donated pies were part of the Christmas Blessings in a Box holiday meal package distributed by the Anti-Hunger Program. Pies were also distributed to families that receive weekly home food deliveries from the program.
“The impact of this donation is much greater than one may understand,” said Anti-Hunger Program Director Mel Curtis. “To face food insecurity is not what parents had planned for and the little things such as the pies, is something they wouldn’t have used their money on due to other pressing needs. It is the little extra that allows them to feel a little bit better, if only for a short period of time.”
The Anti-Hunger program ensures that people in Centre County do not go hungry. Some of the program’s activities include a Backpack Program that distributes food to school children on Fridays that they can eat over the weekend, a Mobile Feeding Program for children in the community that do not have access to nutritious meals, and several food distribution and delivery locations throughout the county.
The Pie Sale fundraiser is one of several fundraising activities to support those in need. The State College Downtown Rotary Club’s more than 60 members raise funds and engage in programs that support the humanitarian programs of Rotary International and various local non-profit organizations and projects.
The club’s local charitable distributions primarily benefit children and youth. The club meets every Thursday at noon at the Ramada Hotel and Conference Center on South Atherton Street. For more information, visit www.downtownstatecollegerotary.org.
