Marc Pagano mixes a batch of laundry detergent as he and his children package and label homemade laundry detergent at their Cranberry Township home for the Southwest Butler Food Cupboard.

CRANBERRY TWP — One Cranberry Township family found a unique way to help their community.

The Paganos have been involved with the Southwest Butler Food Cupboard in Harmony for years. They discovered one of the food cupboard's needs was to revive its laundry soap production program.

The cupboard, run out of Zion Lutheran Church, 557 Perry Highway, Harmony, aids families in Harmony and Zelienople, as well as Lancaster and Jackson townships.

“Katie Tomo, the former director at the food cupboard, mentioned that the food cupboard had made laundry soap for their clients in the past, but that the production of liquid laundry soap was difficult at the food cupboard since the soap needs to set up and be stirred before being bottled, and the volunteers are only there a few times each month,” said Vera Pagano.

She decided her passion for making things from scratch, combined with her husband's ability to plan production processes, made this project perfect for her family.

“We grate the bar soap, dissolve grated soap in hot water, add borax and washing soda, stir until dissolved. Mix in more cold water, let set up to a gel-like consistency, mix again, bottle and use,” Pagano explained.

She said the process doesn't take long, but the laundry soap needs to set over night before it can be bottled.

“Grating the soap and dissolving it takes the most effort, so we are planning to get a used food processor to speed up the grating process,” she said.

This family affair consists of the Pegano children collecting donated water jugs and preparing and measuring the ingredients. They also mix, bottle and label, as well as distribute at the food cupboard.

“Our kids are excited about this opportunity to reach out to local families in need by doing a hands-on project where they get to go from raw ingredients to handing a jug of laundry soap to a family who really needs it,” said Pagano.

The Pagano family made 112 gallons of soap in February and handed out around 70 gallons Feb. 18. They increased their stock to have 100 gallons available for the March distribution. They recently mixed up another batch for the distribution this week.

According to Tomo, who left her position at the food cupboard, the Paganos supplied 118 families in February.

The soap works well in traditional or HE machines. The low suds property doesn't affect the effectiveness as it is the ingredients in the soap, not the suds, that does the cleaning.

The Paganos are always looking for empty or full 1-gallon water jugs with screw top lids. The soapmakers cannot accept milk or juice jugs or jugs with flip-top lids.

They also are accepting bars of Fels Naptha soap and boxes of Mule Team Borax and Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda.

People wishing to make a donation should e-mail PaganoSoapProject@centurylink.net.

Yield: 10 gallons of liquid soap4 cups of hot tap water1 bar Fels-Naptha soap1 cup of Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda *½ cup Borax10-15 drops of essential oil, such as lavender, rosemary or tea tree oil (optional)Grate the bar of soap and add it to a saucepan with water. Stir continually over medium-low heat until the soap dissolves.Fill a 5-gallon bucket half full of hot tap water. Add the melted soap, washing soda and Borax. Stir well until all the powder is dissolved.Fill the bucket to the top with more hot water. Stir, cover and let the contents sit overnight to thicken.Stir and fill a used, clean, laundry soap bottle half full with soap and then fill the bottle to the top with water. Shake before each use as the mixture will gel.* With this recipe, Arm & Hammer Baking Soda will not work, nor will Arm & Hammer Detergent. It must be sodium carbonate.If desired, add 10-15 drops of essential oil, such as lavender, rosemary or tea tree per 2 gallons of soap mixture. Add this after the soap has cooled.For top-loading machines use 5/8 cup per load. Using this amount, the yield will wash about 180 loads.For front-loading machines use ¼ cup per load. Using this amount, the yield will wash about 640 loads.

4 Cups of hot tap water1 Fels-Naptha soap bar1 Cup of Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda*½ Cup BoraxGrate bar of soap and add to saucepan with water. Stir continually over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.Fill a 5 gallon bucket half full of hot tap water. Add melted soap, washing soda and Borax. Stir well until all powder is dissolved. Fill bucket to top with more hot water. Stir, cover and let sit overnight to thicken.Stir and fill a used, clean, laundry soap dispenser half full with soap and then fill rest of way with water. Shake before each use. (will gel)*With this recipe, Arm & Hammer Baking Soda will not work, nor will Arm & Hammer Detergent. It must be sodium carbonate.You can also add 10-15 drops of essential oil (such as lavender, rosemary or tea tree oil) per 2 gallons. Add once soap has cooled.Yield: Liquid soap recipe makes 10 gallons.Top-Load Machine- 5/8 Cup per load (Approx. 180 loads)Front-Load Machines- ¼ Cup per load (Approx. 640 loads)

WHERE: 557 Perry Highway, Harmony, Pa. 16037E-mail: info@swbfoodcupboard.orgWebsite: www.swbfoodcupboard.orgPhone: 724-453-4184On Sept. 1, 1983, the Southwest Butler Food Cupboard opened. Support for the SWBFC has grown to include many area churches, civic organizations and private individuals. The following churches comprise the current board of directors, along with a community representative from Zelienople: Calvin United Presbyterian Church, English Lutheran Church, Grace Church of Harmony, Harmony-Zelienople United Methodist Church, Park United Presbyterian Church, St. Gregory Roman Catholic Church, St. Paul Lutheran Church, St. Peter's Reformed Church and Zion Lutheran Church.