Apr 23, 2020 2 min read

Bob Perenic, a resident of Strabane Trails Village in South Strabane Township, was watching the news last week and was struck by the number of cars lined up and people waiting to receive food from a local food bank.

I thought of all of those kids and their parents without jobs and without food and I said, ‘I have to do something,'” said Perenic.

Perenic wasted no time.

He reached out to managers and activities coordinator Krissy Penn at the independent living center about a plan to raise money for the Greater Washington County Food Bank.

They were on board with the idea, so Perenic sent a letter to residents throughout the building outlining the importance of donating to the Food Bank amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We are all blessed at this time in our lives, with a great place to live and plenty to eat. The majority of us don’t have to worry about next month’s rent or having food to eat,” Perenic wrote.

“One of the only sources of food many have will be the local food bank to feed their children and themselves. I am asking my fellow residents to donate as much as possible to the Greater Washington County Food Bank.”

In the past week and a half, Strabane Trails Village residents and staff have raised over $3,300.

“I’m proud of our residents,” Penn said. “They put this together completely themselves. The amount of money they raised translates to $15,000 worth of food.”

Perenic said donations ranged from $1 to $1,000.

Said Perenic, “We can make a difference in people’s lives.”