When Mary Kay Davis, Principal of Washington Elementary School in Mt. Lebanon, heard about South Hills Interfaith Ministries (SHIM) emergency Fall Food Drive, she didn’t hesitate to organize a drive at her school. “Our families are always eager to engage in community service projects,” she said.
But Mary Kay has a personal history with SHIM, as well – a connection stretching back more than twenty years to a time when her family used SHIM’s Food Pantry.
Mary Kay’s father worked in middle management for Westinghouse Electric. During the 1980s, the company went through a period of layoffs and his department was cut. The family turned to SHIM for help making ends meet while he was unemployed.
Mary Kay, an elementary student at the time, remembers coming to the SHIM food pantry and helping her mother pick out food. “My sister and I were each given our own little bag to pick out things we wanted,” she remembers. “We always picked the canned goods without labels because we thought it would be fun to have a Mystery Meal!”
In addition to groceries, the family received Christmas gifts through SHIM’s Angel Emporium program one year. The experience of coming to SHIM made an impression on Mary Kay. She has continued to support the organization through the years and now encourages her students to do the same.
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