In the spirit of compassion and community service, three local organizations—the Olean Rotary Club, Operation Warm Hearts, and the Zonta Club of Olean—joined forces to launch a community-wide food drive supporting families during these challenging times. This past week, we proudly delivered the first round of donations to the Olean Food Pantry.Our shared mission is simple: to ensure that neighbors facing hardship have access to the essentials they need. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our community drop-off partners—the Olean YMCA, Olean Public Library, Parent Education Program, and Lindsey Vossler Massage—whose generosity and accessibility made donating easy for everyone.
Together, our community collected 688 pounds of food through this collaborative effort among the three nonprofits. Of that total, 538 pounds were delivered to the Olean Food Pantry and 150 pounds to the Olean Salvation Army.
By uniting our missions, volunteers, and hearts, we’ve taken meaningful steps to support local families experiencing food insecurity. Because of your generosity, hundreds of pounds of nourishment will now reach tables where it is needed most.
Representing our community partners (bottom photo) are Area Governor Paula Bernstein of the Olean Rotary Club; Board Members Mary Kay Ash, Paula Bernstein, and Ann Marie Sitter Tompkins of the Zonta Club of Olean; and volunteers Chris Rosel, Fred Tompkins, and Peter Ash of Operation Warm Hearts. The top photo features Megan Moretz of the Salvation Army of Olean with Paula Bernstein.
Together, these organizations are proving that when a community comes together, we can create a truly meaningful impact.