By: Renea Kessler
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
renea@thevillagereporter.com
Joe Nickloy, the owner of Nickloy’s Fix & Fab, is known for his charitable contributions to various organizations. In the 1990s, he was involved in a serious racing accident and his friends organized a benefit for him, raising $10,000.
Overwhelmed by their generosity, Joe pledged to repay them. Instead of repaying them directly, he decided to express his gratitude by donating to charitable causes, aiming to pay back what his friends had done for him during his time of need in the 90s.
He has been involved with The Backpack Program at North Central Schools for about three to four years now.
He started off collecting food for food drives and heard about the backpack program through the Nazarene Church. Joe would go to Campbell Soup and purchase items specifically for the program and it continued from there.
He donates over $1,000 a month to the Backpack Program, and he takes scrap metal that people bring into the shop and then donates that cash to the program. He takes all scrap metal including refrigerators, washers, dryers, mowers, bikes, and vehicles.
When asked how donating to this program makes him feel Joe replied, “extremely good, I have been organizing benefits for a long time and raising money for various things. It’s a wonderful feeling to help people out when they are in need.”
The backpack program is designed for families who qualify to receive a bag of food every Friday to help them through the weekend.
Additionally, plans are in place to supply students with necessary school supplies throughout the school year. The North Central counselors initiated the program around 2010, inspired by another school’s efforts to send food home in backpacks for families in need.
The program is funded with the help of various community groups, businesses, and individuals. Contributions to this program can be made by sending donations to the school or by contacting Joe Nickloy for details on donating scrap metal, with the proceeds benefiting the program.