Memorial food drive continues for third year
Courtesy of Christine Patti
Alan Beall and Christine Patti sit in a truck filled with donations after last year’s food drive.
Photos: Courtesy of Christine Patti
Christine Patti will have this board available for grieving parents to share the names of their late children.
David Bannon
Christine Patti has been honoring her late son with an annual food drive, which has also provided an outlet for grieving parents to connect.
Patti kicked off her third food drive in memory of David Bannon on Friday. Bannon, 34, died on July 28, 2020, from pneumonia.
To date, Patti has raised more than $75,000 and more than 7,000 pounds of food for the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. She collects donations in bins at her home at 420 Parkview Drive, Mt. Lebanon.
“If someone donates $500, that’s 1,500 meals,” Patti said.
Patti is currently retired, having worked as a professor at California University of Pennsylvania, and was a principal in the Mt. Lebanon School District prior to that.
Bannon graduated from Mt. Lebanon High School in 2004. Prior to his death, he was a lead application engineer at AstraZeneca. He was hospitalized just months into the COVID-19 pandemic, meaning his family could only have virtual visits.
“It was very disheartening, because we could not be with him,” Patti said.
She described the ensuing grief as lonely, but the food drive has shown her a community of parents who share the pain of outliving a child.
New for the food drive this year is the “Gone Too Soon” board. Patti asks that parents write the name of their child on a heart and pin it to the board. The board already carries 40 names.
“I wanted others to know they’re not alone,” Patti said. “There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think about him and I know it’s the same for other grieving parents.”
In one instance, Patti recalls a couple stopping to speak with her after seeing signs for the food drive.
“They shared their story about their son that died. He was actually in David’s class, and I didn’t know he had passed away,” Patti said. “People are coming together, and want to share and help each other. It’s a grief that you never get over. It’s in the wrong order.”
Also new this year will be raffling off 37 baskets of prizes. Patti said those prizes will include gift certificates to Mt. Lebanon restaurants, alcohol and a snow cone machine. The Pittsburgh Pirates are donating tickets to the raffle, while the Steelers and Penguins are providing autographed merchandise.
Those who are not able to drop off a donation can make a monetary contribution to the food drive at the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank website. The food drive ends July 28.
“I’m grateful for how the community has risen and helped me and many others recognize the importance of being there for parents who lost their children,” Patti said. “The support has been amazing.”