BARBERTON, Ohio — When a local blessing box was removed from a wall in Downtown Barberton, the community didn’t waste any time coming together to build a new one, so they can help those who need it.
“I’m not great at speaking or advocacy. I’m good at trying to build stuff,” said Alura Mead.
Building a box is hard work, but 22-year-old Mead said it’s worth it.
“I wanted to take the initiative to just help my community out anyway that I could,” said Mead.
For years, Mead said people could walk up and take what they needed from the former purple blessing box that used to hang at Second Street Northeast and East Lake Avenue in Barberton.
Then, everything changed on Tuesday, when Mead said the blessing box was removed and destroyed, upsetting people like Michael James Giron, who used to be homeless.
“Somebody comes by and puts a box of macaroni in the box and somebody else gets it. There’s just no harm in that. Why can’t we have them?” asked Giron.
“Blame is being passed back and forth. Nobody will give a straight answer on what happened,” said Mead.
On Friday, News 5 called a nearby business that appeared to share the same wall where the blessing box once hung but no one answered.
We also emailed the city of Barberton, and didn’t hear back from them either.
However, Councilwoman Emily Beck posted on Facebook Thursday morning and said she is waiting to hear back from a few building owners near the Second Street location to see if they’d be willing to host the next blessing box.
Beck asked for everyone to hold tight until they get permission and figure out how to maintain the new box.
Meantime, 22-year-old Mimi Vargo said she’s focused on helping her sixth grade best friend restore what’s been lost.
“I was in a position once where we had to come and get food from one of these, and now I’m in a position where I can help others, and I can give back to the community where I’m from, so I might as well just step into action,” said Vargo.
Even Big Mike’s Automotive in Barberton took action by partnering with a local landscaping company to pass out nearly 100 bags of free oranges on Friday after they heard the blessing box was removed.
“We’re not from Barberton, but we love the community, so we know that the community is what has enabled us to provide for our families, our employees, so why not give back to the community,” said Big Mike’s Automotive Vice President, John Prouty.
Until Mead can get a spot in Downtown Barberton, she said the new blessing box will be placed at the corner of Holmes and Sixth.
“It doesn’t look like much but it’s what we can do, and I’m proud of us,” said Mead.
