NorthEast Emergency Distribution Services (NEEDS)
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NEWS: October 2014

Meet the President of NEEDS

The North East Emergency Distribution Services (NEEDS) Board is comprised of representatives from a community of 25 churches and civic organizations whose mission is to do God’s work through caring for their neighbors by providing basic emergency assistance.  There are also a number of at-large community members who have independently joined the board or who volunteer for the food pantry. The NEEDS board oversees an active food pantry (located in the Kenwood Baptist Church) as well as provides neighbors-in-need with housing and utility payment assistance.  As an all-volunteer cooperative, the NEEDS Executive Board meets monthly to determine the most efficient way to fill its food pantry shelves and how best to spend its resources as they help local families survive stressful times. NEEDS does not receive government funding.  During the year NEEDS supports local school students through school supply and clothing drives. NEEDS serves more than 2,500 people in northeastern Hamilton County.

The current president of NEEDS is Mr. Frank Morris of Blue Ash. As a native of Memphis, Tennessee and following his college graduation in 1961 Frank accepted an offer to move to Cincinnati with a very impressive company, Procter and Gamble. At the time he knew very little about Cincinnati. As the years passed he enjoyed his career, met his wife and together they raised three children in Blue Ash.  After retiring from P&G in 2000, he began to look for volunteer opportunities.  Mr. Morris knew that whatever volunteering he did, he wanted to have interaction and involvement with people.

After reading an article about NEEDS and noting that the board consisted of a consortium of churches, civic organization and at-large community members, Frank Morris stepped-in to help.  After 13 years as an at-large community member, Mr. Morris is now the President of the NEEDS Board.

“What I like about NEEDS is that volunteers are on the “front line” when it comes to serving our neighbors in need. We conduct client interviews ourselves, assess the need, and decide how best to mitigate the urgent situation on the spot,” noted Mr. Morris. “We face sad situations at times, but it is also gratifying when we are able to provide immediate help to eliminate an emergency. I feel very good about the volunteer hours I have given to NEEDS.”

You, too, can support NEEDS. It is the NEEDS food pantry that serves to help our neighbors who face family food shortages. Volunteers are needed to work the food pantry front desk, stock the shelves, and help with grocery shopping. More importantly during hard times there can never be enough canned food drives.  Ask your church or civic organization if its part of the community that support NEEDS; there is always room for more volunteers however you choose to help.

It is the mission of the Northeast Emergency Distribution Service (NEEDS) to provide emergency assistance to the neediest families in the Northeast Cincinnati community.  In addition to canned goods and non-perishables, community members can also support NEEDS monetarily by sending checks to:  NEEDS, 8341 Kenwood Rd., Cincinnati, Ohio 45236. 

The NEEDS food pantry is located at the Kenwood Baptist Church, 8341 Kenwood Road, 45236 and is open Tuesday and Thursdays from 9 am – 1 pm.  Donations of canned goods and other items are always accepted at the NEEDS food pantry. Monetary gifts can be mailed to: NEEDS, 8341 Kenwood Road, Cincinnati, Ohio 45236. For pick-up of donated items or to ask questions please call (513) 891-0850 (NEEDS) or checkout NEEDS website: http://www.cincyneeds.org/

Frank Morris

NEEDS President Frank Morris loading the NEEDS
food pantry with canned pumpkin for the holidays.

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