Earlier this month, the committee of Zelienople’s annual Miracle on Main Street distributed the proceeds from its most recent event, held Dec. 7, to multiple charitable organizations and other beneficiaries.

Each year, the event committee chooses a nonprofit to be the chief beneficiary. For 2023, the bulk of the proceeds, $5,000, went to Zelienople’s In Toto Community Resource Center, an organization dedicated to providing social support for the neurodivergent population.

“We all concluded that their mission, the organization as a whole, and what they did for the community ... it just resonated with a lot of people in the group,” said Megan Murphy, who will take over as director of this year’s event. Murphy is taking over for the event’s founder, Donna Zeigler, who stepped down as event coordinator after the 2023 edition.

In addition, Miracle on Main Street raised $700 for a single mother to help her pay utility bills.

“We always have donations specifically for single mothers in need,” Murphy said. “We received multiple donations for a single person this year that stood over and above the rest.”

Miracle also donated more than 300 new coats to children in need, while a swathe of food donations went to the Butler Area School District’s Kids’ Weekend Backpack Program, which provides food for students who are dealing with food insecurity.