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Ohio Township Police Officer Stephen Panormios checks the address as he delivers hot meals to local families on Friday afternoon in Emsworth.
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Ohio Township police officer serves, protects and feeds

Michael M. Santiago/Post-Gazette

Ohio Township police officer serves, protects and feeds

Officer Stephen Panormios of the Ohio Township Police Department said he tries to be a community-oriented officer. After thinking on how he could help out during the COVID-19 pandemic, he hit upon an idea to provide relief to both struggling local businesses and food-insecure families.

Mr. Panormios, 42, held a GoFundMe fundraiser that pulled in nearly $4,000 in just a few days to buy food from local restaurants. Then he volunteered to deliver it alongside fellow officers.

“I want to see these businesses open their doors when this is all said and done,” he said. “There’s been overwhelming support.”

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As word spread, emails and phone calls began pouring in, and Officer Panormios quickly reached his goal. He’s buying food from a pair of local restaurants, Chev and Rachel’s Family Diner and Monteverde Catering and has served more than a dozen families in the area.

Kelly Monteverde, whose parents founded the catering company in 1986, said the business typically specializes in weddings and larger events and has a staff of five full-time employees plus some part-timers. Ms. Monteverde runs the business with her mother, and all of their scheduled events through May have been either canceled or rescheduled.

“We’re just a good home cookin’ family business,” she said. “We’re leaning on community for help with carryout.”

She said distributer Gordon Food Service donated $500 worth of food. On Friday, she was preparing barbecue pulled beef with sides for around 60 people.

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“Steve’s trying to help us make money, so I charge him what I would typically charge somebody else,” she said. “I’m not paying myself to make the food.”

Mr. Panormios has spent 19 years with the Ohio Township Police Department, which serves Sewickley Hills, Emsworth, Neville, Ben Avon, Ben Avon Heights, Aleppo, Kilbuck and Ohio Township.

“We’re doing this mainly by word of mouth,” he said. “Anybody that’s struggling financially, whether they got laid off, fixed income, whatever, we want to help. We’ll keep doing this till the money runs out, then until the stay at home order is lifted.”

Jeremy Reynolds: jreynolds@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1634; twitter: @Reynolds_PG.

First Published: April 18, 2020, 12:00 p.m.

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Ohio Township Police Officer Stephen Panormios checks the address as he delivers hot meals to local families on Friday afternoon in Emsworth.  (Michael M. Santiago/Post-Gazette)
Debby Monteverdes of Monteverdes Catering places a pot roast dinner in the back of a squad car.  (Michael M. Santiago/Post-Gazette)
Ohio Township Police Officer Stephen Panormios visits with Maryann Bercik Finotti, of Emsworth, after delivering a meal.  (Michael M. Santiago/Post-Gazette)
Ohio Township Police Officer Stephen Panormios delivers a meal to a house on Friday.  (Michael M. Santiago/Post-Gazette)
Kelly Goldie, left, and Debbie Dolecki of Monteverdes Catering place meals in the squad car of Stephen Panormios.  (Michael M. Santiago/Post-Gazette)
Debbie Dolecki, left, Debby Monteverdes, Stephen Panormios and Kelly Goldie stand by a Monteverdes Catering truck.  (Michael M. Santiago/Post-Gazette)
Hot meals are loaded into the squad car of Matt Balouris, Ohio Township police officer.  (Michael M. Santiago/Post-Gazette)
Ohio Township Police Officer Matt Jones places hot meals on a table as he and fellow officers prepare to deliver them to residents.  (Michael M. Santiago/Post-Gazette)
Ohio Township Police officers Matt Jones, left, Stephen Panormios and Eric Wallace load meals for delivery.  (Michael M. Santiago/Post-Gazette)
Ohio Township Police officers Matt Jones, left, Eric Wallace and Matt Balouris prepare to deliver hot meals to local families.  (Michael M. Santiago/Post-Gazette)
Ohio Township Police officers Stephen Panormios, left, Matt Balouris, Matt Jones and Eric Wallace pose in front of their squad cars.  (Michael M. Santiago/Post-Gazette)
Michael M. Santiago/Post-Gazette
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