A Legacy of Giving Back

David Lurio’s family has been part of this region for four generations. His great grandfather co-founded what would become Elbeco Inc. in Reading in 1907, and the family built it into one of the country’s largest uniform manufacturers, outfitting public safety, firefighters, EMS workers, and postal professionals throughout North America When the company was sold in 2022, David stepped back from the business, but continued to be involved in the community.

“So many people have contributed to the success of the company along the way,” David said. “Employees who were so loyal. The whole Elbeco family. It’s humbling to have had that opportunity, and it comes with a sense of responsibility.”

That sense of responsibility inspired he and his wife Jackie in a way that will be felt for years to come. The Lurios recently made a $200,000 donation to Helping Harvest directed toward our mission of providing food to neighbors facing hunger in Berks and Schuylkill counties. However, it did not start there.

The Lurios had supported Helping Harvest before, but it was seeing a Helping Harvest Mobile Market in action, the long lines of neighbors waiting for food, that made them want to do something more. “Everyone sees food banks through the media,” David said, “but seeing those lines in person, that many people who needed that kind of support. It really impacted us.” They reached out, asked questions, and listened. After learning more about our programs, they decided to make a generous commitment of $100,000. Then they visited our Community Kitchen in downtown Reading.

What they saw there moved them to double it.

“Meeting the staff, the executive team, the chefs,” David said. “Their enthusiasm and passion for their mission combined with their focused vision is what really impressed us. Jackie, who spent her career as a therapist helping people through some of their hardest moments, put it plainly: “Seeing some of the clients struggling, I’m really proud and happy that we’re able to help people that need it.”

It mattered to them, too, that this gift would reach both counties. Schuylkill carries as much meaning for them as Berks, as the company operated a manufacturing facility in Frackville for decades. They wanted to know their support would touch the full region which supported the company for generations.

Their gift was made through a Donor Advised Fund, an approach they find particularly meaningful. “A DAF enables donors to be more strategic,” David explained. “Rather than responding to short-term opportunities, it allows you to laser-focus on the areas where you really want to make a difference over time.”

When they picture what this gift makes possible, the Lurios think of the many who are struggling with food insecurity. People who are working hard, doing their best, and still need a hand. “We are blessed to be able to pay it forward in some small way,” David said.

That legacy is not nostalgia. It is not sentiment about a business that no longer bears the family name. It is a living commitment to a community that shaped four generations of one family, and that David and Jackie Lurio have chosen to carry forward and show up for their community.

To learn more about giving through a Donor Advised Fund or making a gift that matters to you, contact Dave Delozier at ddelozier@helpingharvest.org or 610-926-5802, ext. 212. To find food assistance near you, visit helpingharvest.org.