PLATTSBURGH — WIRY 1340 Hometown Radio celebrated 75 years of service to the community with a live remote show to promote and support the JCEO Food Pantry and the St. Joseph’s Community Outreach Center.
75TH ANNIVERSARY
Janet Trombley and Tammy Villanueva, hosts on WIRY hometown radio, orchestrated the live remote show from the St. Joseph’s Outreach Center soup kitchen, with Robbie Trombley at the studio working the board.
“We want the community to know about this, the food pantry, and all the other resources available here at St. Joseph’s,” Villanueva said.
“This is the 75th year of WIRY hometown radio, and this is the year of giving back to the community.”
“This is our giveback,” Trombley added.
Along with help from some dedicated WIRY listeners, the two collected items for the drive from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m..
“We have some very lovely listeners here today to help,” Villanueva said.
“It is amazing the amount people in this community that are willing to help.”
Trombley said WIRY and its listeners are a family that is ready to support one another and their community.
“We are a family, we really are,” she said.
“One of our listeners, June, she calls into the show everyday. She called us to let us know she has donations, but she cannot leave her house so we actually went and picked the donations up for her. She had six bags of things to donate.”
The Joint Council for Economic Opportunity is always accepting monetary donations, however this collection prioritized non-perishable and shelf-stable, easy-to-prepare food items, as well as gently used bedding, clothing and household lighting such as table and standing lamps.
“We are extremely grateful for all of the community support. and we are lucky for all of the people thinking of their neighbors in need,” Ellie Jent, JCEO Chief Development Officer, said.
DONATIONS IN DEMAND
Some non-perishable and shelf-stable items in high demand include:
• Cereal
• Canned dinners
• Syrup
• Pancake mix
• Instant potatoes
• Canned meats
• Canned fruits and vegetables
• Peanut butter
• Jelly
• Juice
Jent said the JCEO also accepts donations of milk and eggs cards as those items do expire.
“The milk and egg cards allow people to go and buy fresh milk or eggs,” she said.
“The need is high right now, but so are the community efforts. The North Country takes care of one another.”
Through the partnership between the JCEO and St. Joseph’s Community Outreach Center, several resources are made available to the community including the joint food pantry with JCEO, and community dinners on Thursdays at their soup kitchen.
“The JCEO is such a wonderful agency, offering resources to folks who are really struggling,” The Rev. Christopher Looby said.
Looby, the parish pastor, said the soup kitchen served approximately 295 people at the community dinner Thursday, Feb. 20 and serves upwards of 400 people in the summer.
“Given the economic times we are in, food distress is more real than ever in the area,” Looby said.
Looby is “very proud,” to be a part of this operation and that his favorite aspect is “meeting the people.”
According to Heather Contessa, Outreach Center Director, The outreach center benefits anybody in the community in need.
“It is open to everybody. Support is not based on any religion or income status,” she said.
“It is amazing, the amount of good I am seeing going out of this building. It is truly inspiring.”