‘Isabella’s Happiness’: 9-year-old hosts food drive to help Washington County residents
Courtesy Donnise Tatano
Isabella Tatano, right, with her grandmother, Sharon Stankas, left, and great-aunt, Jolene Deller, back, at a lemonade stand fundraiser that benefited Food Helpers of Washington County.
Karen Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
Isabella Tatano, center, who held a lemonade stand fundraiser for Food Helpers of Washington County, donates a check at the open house of the food bank’s new Southpointe location. From left are Athen Petrolias, operations manager at Food Helpers’ Southpointe location, and George Omiros, executive director and CEO of Food Helpers.
Courtesy of Donnise Tatano
Isabella Tatno, center, a fourth-grader at Muse Elementary School, has made it her mission to raise money for Food Helpers of Washington County. She recently organized a lemonade stand fundraiser.
A fourth-grade student at Muse Elementary School on a mission to make others happy has turned her attention to Food Helpers of Washington County.
At the recent open house of the Food Helpers at The HQ at CNX in Southpointe, Isabella Tatano presented the food bank with a check for more than $800 that she collected to help Washington County families during the upcoming holiday season.
This month, Tatano is holding a food drive, called Isabella’s Happiness Food Drive, and plans to drop off her haul at Food Helpers in early November.
On Oct. 28 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., donors can drop off non-perishable food items at Lawrence Volunteer Fire Department, 428 Georgetown Road, Lawrence.
“She wanted to do this during the holiday season to try and make sure families have less to worry about,” said Donnise Tatano, Isabella’s mom. “She thinks it’s the best way to help and make in impact for people who have worries about food at the holidays. This way they don’t have to worry about food, they can worry about presents and other things.”
Food Helpers is a nonprofit that provides groceries and nutritional information and education to food insecure residents in Washington County. An estimated 26,000 people in the county are currently food insecure.
“It’s amazing that someone who is 9 years old has taken it upon herself to raise funds for others who are food insecure,” said George Omiros, executive director and CEO of Food Helpers. “It has a profound impact on the clients we serve daily in Washington County, and we encourage other students and adults to remember those who are in need daily.”
Tatano said her daughter started “Isabella’s Happiness” more than two years ago, when she saw a man holding a sign asking for money. He was accompanied by a dog, and Isabella asked her mother if they could help out and purchase dog food for the dog.
“But by the time we got back, he had gotten shooed away,” said Tatano.
After that, Isabella began giving her own money or purchasing something to eat for people who needed it.
Last year, Isabella’s teacher provided a list of places that the budding philanthropist could donate to, and Food Helpers caught her eye.
She decided to help the food bank and its efforts to provide food-insecure families with meals.
She launched a food drive and in two weeks, Isabella collected a whopping 349 pounds of food from family and friends.
“She was so excited and asked if we could do this every year,” said Tatano.
In July, she opened a lemonade stand at Muse Fire Hall, where she raised the money that she donated to the food bank at its open house.
“I am very proud of her,” said Tatano. “This is all her. She has a spirit for giving.”
Those who would like to donate food items in advance of the Oct. 28 food drive can contact Tatano at 724-809-5765 or Mike Kazmarski at 412-417-4081.