021125...R FOXCONN FOOD 1...Lordstown...02-11-25...Foxconn employee Corine Eastham of Lordstown loads a cart with food items donated to the Lordstown Elementary School food pantry Tuesday afternoon...by R. Michael Semple

LORDSTOWN — A $2,000 donation in food items from Foxconn EV Systems to Lordstown Elementary School will help students receive food for the weekends from the school district’s pantry.

Employees from Foxconn visited the school Tuesday afternoon, bringing in two large carts filled with food items for the elementary school’s food pantry, which fills student backpacks for the weekend.

Olivia Bundy, one of the 10 Foxconn employees who came to the school, said the donation is one way the company wants to support the local community and its people. She said the company was made aware of the backpack program by school officials and felt this would be one way to give back to Lordstown.

“We felt it was a wonderful program to help since it makes sure children have food when they go home. The school sent us a list of what they needed and we were able to get items at Sam’s Club,” Bundy said.

The company plans to make food donations twice per year to the district.

Bundy said the company provided the funds, and the employees bought the items.

“It was quite a group effort. We love to be involved in the community,” she said.

John Ritter, director of facilities, maintenance and culinary at Foxconn, said Foxconn Executive Vice President Shane Brown has been pushing for the company to be more involved in the community and be corporate sponsors in Lordstown and other cities,

“This will not be a one-time thing. We will be dropping off more items in April. This will be a long-term investment,” Ritter said.

Deanna Meese, elementary guidance counselor and coordinator of the pantry for the past five years, said food is sent home with students each Thursday in their backpacks.

Meese said at the beginning of the school year, parents sign up their children for the program.

She said high school students come each week to help sort and pack the food.

“There are children who may get home and can fix macaroni and cheese or noodles or have them for lunch on the weekends,” Meese said.

She said between 47 and 50 children receive food items each week, which is 25% of the students. She said fruit snacks, granola bars and items such as macaroni and cheese cups that can easily be heated up are in the backpacks.

“What Foxconn has done is amazing. She almost had me in tears when she said that they were going to do this for us throughout the next year. We appreciate any help we receive,” Meese said.

Lordstown Schools Superintendent Greg Bonamase said the school district appreciates Foxconn being a community partner for the schools,

He noted a Lordstown church has helped support the backpack program by kicking it off each fall.

Ritter said Foxconn also is working with Lordstown village officials to build houses on available properties in the community through Habitat for Humanity. He said the goal for this year is to raise $30,000 for Lordstown.

He said the company also has hosted golf scrambles to help local organizations and charities.