On July 11, the Town of Parma Democratic Committee participated in the Hilton Fireman’s Parade for the first time since rebuilding the committee in late 2016. To create a low waste parade float, and simultaneously aid their local community, the committee constructed a patriotic display using nonperishable food items that were then donated to the Hilton Parma Food Shelf.
Amanda Genaux-Hauser, committee chair and candidate for county legislator, says, “Everyone on our committee is driven to participate in politics because we love our community and want to make a positive impact on people’s lives. When we started planning to build a parade float, we wanted our effort to benefit the community in a tangible way. Constructing the float using nonperishable food was a fun way to host a food drive and people were really generous with their donations.”
The Hilton Parma Food Shelf serves over 200 families each year. There is year-round need in the community, but donation volumes are highest in November and December and tend to be lower during the summer. Need in the community cuts across all demographics. They serve families who fall in the gap where they are struggling but do not qualify for SNAP benefits, elderly citizens dealing with overwhelming medical expenses and even veterans who are in need. Urgent needs can be found on the Hilton Foodshelf Facebook page.
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