The outpouring continues for Roark Sizemore, the Pantry Plus More co-founder whose family home was leveled by a fast-moving fire last month.
This time, it will come by way of a dinner plate at The Boston Beanery.
The restaurant on Patteson Drive is donating 50% of the cost of every meal to the family from 4-8 p.m. on June 20.
“This family has done much for so many people,” said Angie Blankenship, who owns the restaurant with her husband, David.
“You know, you’re gonna go out to eat anyway, right?” she continued.
“We hope the community rallies around them as much as they’ve rallied around us over the years.”
The couple’s son, Rogan, is a longtime friend of Sizemore, who established the food pantry as a high schooler, with the help of a counselor.
Sizemore’s goal was to simply provide nutritional food for needy youngsters across Mon County’s school district.
Angie Blankenship is also a teacher at Eastwood Elementary, “So I’m very familiar with Roark’s mission. We go way back.”
Pantry Plus More is also known for the Thanksgiving meals — turkey with all the trimmings — it delivers to households across the region during the holiday.
In the hours after the blaze, Max Byron, another school chum, launched a GoFundMe account for the family that is still open.
To donate, visit www.gofundme.com and type Sizemore’s name in the search field.
The Suncrest-area home is now slated for demolition while the family continues to stay in temporary lodging set up by friends.
In the meantime, no one was injured in the fire, and Sizemore, who was napping in his basement bedroom that Sunday afternoon, was the only one home as the upper floors began to fill with smoke.
He quickly escaped through the basement door.
Speaking to The Dominion Post after the fire, he said he was moved beyond measure by the people who have opened their hearts to his family’s plight.
Like a Pantry Plus More food box, he said, what started out as an ordeal and family tragedy has quickly turned into something emotionally nourishing — all the way around.
“I don’t know how we’d be getting along,” he said, “without the love from this community.”
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