STRUTHERS, Ohio - A couple from Struthers wanted to make a difference so they decided to start collecting food for Second Harvest Food Bank of the Mahoning Valley.

 

Little did they realize how big their effort would grow. Last year they started collecting food in a box on their front porch but their effort grew to over 3,500 pounds of food. 

 

This year you can help them surpass last year's donations.

 

Plus in addition to the joy of giving, you can be entered to win a raffle from one of around 20 businesses that have donated items to the Zuppo's to help them raise food to help neighbors in need.

 

Taylor Zuppo was taking care of patients as a nurse when she heard about struggles families were facing during the pandemic so she told her husband Tony about the need.

 

"They were just talking about, we have to wait until the next paycheck to go get groceries, or we are going to have to cut out meat," said Taylor Zuppo.

 

So the couple decided they would start collecting food for Second Harvest Food Bank last year. They started small asking family and friends, soon co-workers started 

asking how they could help. 

 

The couple started a Facebook site called 24 days of Christmas Zuppo Food Drive.

 

"We passed out flyers, knocked on people's doors, went to businesses to get the word out, just trying to help people out," added Tony Zuppo.

 

To make things more fun for those giving, they asked and about ten businesses got involved donating items to the raffle in 2020.

 

Taylor said, "So every 24 items people donate, their name went into a raffle."

 

This year there are around 20 businesses taking part and have donated items.

 

Niles Nutrition, Struthers Nutrition, Luv'a Bella Winery, Sweet Melissa's Good Eats, Penguin City Beer, Modern & Pine Charcuterie, Birdfish Brewing Company, AK Creations, Identity Skin Spa, Beaded by Taylor, Etheral Creations, Julip Photography, Handmade with Henrietta, Simply Maddie Designs, BanditBands. 

 

To be entered in a drawing all you have to do is drop off a bag of at least 24 non-perishable items at Struthers Nutrition or at Niles Nutrition during business hours.  Leave your name and phone number in an envelope in your bag or on a piece of paper with your donated non-perishable food items, to be entered into the drawing for a potential prize.

 

Their locations are below:

 

The couple says it is truly better to give. They are hoping to meet or exceed last year's donations to meet an increase in needs.

 

"Just knowing that a box of cake mix donated could really make some little kids birthday that year, or maybe that box of spaghetti and sauce really could make a whole meal for somebody that maybe just had soup or broth," said Taylor Zuppo. 

 

"It's just part of helping people. The holiday spirit," said Tony Zuppo. 

 

The Zuppo's are collecting food from December 1st to December 31st. 

 

All donations will be made to the Second Harvest Food Bank of the Mahoning Valley.

 

Names of winners in the raffle items will be drawn after January 1, 2022.