Robin’s Home facilities get face lifts
Last year, through its Building Community initiative, Aramark gathered donations of dog and cat food to give to animal shelters throughout Butler County, but this year, pivoted to gathering food donations for veterans.
The Aramark food services crew from Slippery Rock University donated food, money, and spent the day Sunday, April 21, working on the Robin’s Home resource center at 357 N. Main St. in Butler.
Lisa Rodgers, general manager for Aramark, said as a food company, the organization focuses on providing food to resource-based organizations in its service projects.
“We collected food from all of our employees and brought it with us so we have six boxes of food that we’re going to donate, and probably get more today,” Rodgers said. “We’ll be sprucing up the flower beds, planting the flower gardens.”
Over the course of a few hours, Aramark employees did just that. About 15 employees turned out to the Building Community work day Sunday, where the company also donated $6,000 to the Veterans H.E.A.R.T. Resource Center.
Mary Chitwood, founder and executive director of Robin’s Home, said most veterans who Robin’s Home help come to the shelter with nothing but the clothes on their backs.
Bobbie Catanese, a manager for Aramark, said the organization asked Chitwood what kind of food donations she would like to stock the resource center with.
“Mary made mention of baked beans and pasta dishes,” Catanese said. “She said they can make a whole meal out of that if they need.”
Chitwood said one of the first things the shelter gets a client connected with is food, so the donations from Aramark would make a big difference.
“We like to have food on hand for our residents when they come into our housing program,” Chitwood said, “or for any veterans in our community in need of food, so we can meet that need right then while we get them connected to other resources.”
Robin’s Home’s resource center opened March 8, and offers housing, empowerment, assistance, resources and training to veterans in the area. Some Aramark employees stuck around the resource center Sunday to paint the walls inside and beautify the garden outside to help make the place more welcoming.
“We have food that they can access, hygiene, clothing, a computer lab, we do monthly events, we do support groups,” Chitwood said.
Other Aramark employees went to Robin’s Home’s shelter at 401 East Pearl St., to help with more gardening work.
Following Aramark’s presentation of the check for $6,000, Chitwood thanked the company and its workers with a short speech. She said the nonprofit gets all of its support from donors and volunteers, so the more people who offer help to Robin’s Home, the more people it can help.
“The contribution will make a significant difference in the lives of the veterans we serve,” Chitwood said. “Together we can continue to make a difference and ensure that every veteran receives the care, respect and support they deserve.”
