Hempfield community hosts raffle fundraiser for Westmoreland Food Bank

In the past three years, Karen Peltier and her Hempfield neighbors have raised approximately $7,500 for the Westmoreland Food Bank by holding an unconventional fundraiser.

Prior to 2020, the South Meadow at Lindwood Condominium Association regularly hosted a holiday social for residents with a donation box dedicated to the county food bank. When the pandemic hit, Peltier, the association’s social chair, realized she would have to think of a new way to help the hungry.

“All of our social events were canceled, and I knew that we wouldn’t be able to collect money at our parties, so I handed out envelopes in mailboxes with raffle tickets asking for donations,” Peltier said.

Those who returned envelopes were entered into a neighborhood raffle for homemade prizes including cookies, candles and candies. Peltier found that, compared to previous years, the raffle was extremely successful, earning about $2,500. She said that the donation box had brought in an average of $700 each year.

“People have been wonderful about responding,” Peltier said. “We had about 75% participation throughout the neighborhood. I think everyone here has done such a great job as neighbors.”

Once the raffle concludes, Peltier — along with association president Joe Lanza and his wife, Donna Lanza — count the financial contributions and take them to the food bank in Salem.

The agency supplies 40 food pantries across Westmoreland County and works with about 20 partner programs that provide meal assistance. The nonprofit still typically serves around 7,000 households per month.

“When we open those envelopes and Joe starts counting the money, we are always in awe at the generosity of our community members,” Peltier said.

South Meadow at Lindwood Condominiums is a community of 122 residents, with the majority being between 60 and 90 years old, Lanza said.

“(The fundraiser) makes me feel really good,” Lanza said. “We have a really really great community of people here. We’re all very tight, and we’re all pretty connected socially.”