Photo by Gage Vota Daily Bread Center advisory board president Pat Hartenstein prepares donations at the center.

MARTINS FERRY — The Daily Bread Center will revive a longtime community tradition Thursday when it hosts its annual salad luncheon fundraiser at the St. Mary School gym.

The luncheon will be held from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and is donation-based, with attendees invited to make “love offerings” to support the Daily Bread Center’s operations.

A variety of salads, chicken salad sandwiches, desserts and beverages will be available. Takeout also will be offered.

A silent auction will be held, with tickets available for $1 each or six for $5.

The salad luncheon began about 16 years ago but was paused for four years during the COVID-19 pandemic. The tradition was revived in 2024.

Daily Bread Center Advisory Board President Pat Hartenstein said she was frequently asked when the center would bring back the annual event.

“It’s one of our bigger fundraisers, but our biggest fundraisers are the people who donate throughout the year. Unified Bank has been so generous from the get-go. They take care of our rent, and that helps a whole lot,” Hartenstein said. “Then we get donations from Kroger and Walmart, but this is one of our bigger fundraisers.”

She added that the luncheon has become a community event.

“It’s mainly for middle-aged and older people who seem to really get into it because it is a place to see some of their friends and some of the other people from the other churches. They get a nice lunch, and they can sit there and chit-chat,” Hartenstein said. “Nobody says, ‘Hey, get going, you’re done eating.’ It’s just a nice social time. We’re hoping for a nice turnout on Thursday.”

The Daily Bread Center is located at 100 S. Zane Highway and is open from 10 a.m. to noon every Wednesday and the first three Saturdays of each month.

Hartenstein said the center is open Wednesdays because that is the day it receives its produce delivery from the Mid-Ohio Food Collective.

She added that when the center opens, food items are placed on tables in front of the shelves for clients to select.

Hartenstein said if a resident doesn’t need a particular item, volunteers will set it aside for someone else who may need it.

She added that inflation has led to an increase in the number of residents seeking assistance.

“There has been a steady increase of people coming in this year, and I can absolutely understand it,” Hartenstein said. “I mean, my goodness, some of the prices. I don’t know how a family with children can do it. We get a lot of elderly people, and they always thank us and say they’re so glad we can do this for them.”

She said one benefit of rising prices is that grocery store donations often include higher-value food items.

“It’s kind of helped us because Walmart and Kroger donate some of their meats. We recently got a roast that was about $48 that you or I couldn’t afford, but because it was getting close to its expiration date — although what we get is frozen and perfectly fine — we receive some of those big-ticket items, which is just amazing,” Hartenstein said.