Sometimes the best gift is an item that would otherwise go to waste, as three recent donations to the NEEDs pantry show.
Last week, NEEDS volunteers received a visit from Jason of Harlow-HRK, a food broker that represents a variety of consumer products to the Kroger grocery company. Jason stopped by to unload a trunkful of specialty items for the pantry, including flours, grains, baking mixes, coffee, and snack foods. This wasn’t Jason’s first visit – and NEEDS is so grateful that he thinks of us when he has leftover products to share.
Harlow-HRK isn’t the only organization to share extras with NEEDS. The Mason Food Pantry, located on the Grace Chapel campus in Mason, recently donated two crates of chunky soup to the NEEDS pantry. Another donation came from Operation Give Back in Blue Ash: OGB regularly receives leftover bread from local Panera restaurants, and they have generously decided to share the extra bread with NEEDS.
When it comes to helping our community, we’re all in this together!
Over the past several weeks, NEEDS volunteers have been getting ready to restock the pantry to meet the increased need that our clients experience during the colder months. To our excitement, several individuals and groups have recently stepped up to help by hosting food drives.
First up: Maggie Albers, who began volunteering with NEEDS this summer as part of her high school capstone project. Maggie’s “Do What You CAN” drive brought in two full carloads of food and personal care items for the pantry!
But Maggie wasn’t the only student eager to help. Inspired by WLWT’s Day of Giving, the Madeira High School Key Club hosted a food drive to benefit NEEDS – and when two more vehicles loaded with donations arrived at the pantry, it was clear that the drive had been a success!
Among NEEDS’ most faithful supporters are our member churches, including Church of the Saviour United Methodist. Recently, Church of the Saviour held a hugely successful food drive that benefited not only NEEDS but five other organizations. Thanks to this drive, NEEDS volunteers were able to fill several gaps on the pantry shelves with much-needed nonperishables.
Finally, NEEDS held a two-day food drive that attracted donors from 10 different churches and civic organizations. A big thank you to the volunteers who staffed this event, including Moeller High School senior Kyler Graves!
Recently, pantry volunteers received a handwritten card from one of our regular clients. “We very much thank you for your free food pantry donation to our family today,” she wrote. The client enclosed a single dollar bill and signed the card with the names of everyone in the family.
It turns out that whenever this client visits the pantry, she hands our volunteers a few dollar bills – the most she can offer. She had no money during her last visit, but still wanted to offer something for what she had received. The NEEDS pantry volunteers are always so touched by this client’s attitude – she may not have much, but she always does her best to give back!
In September, NEEDS wrapped up the annual school supply drive and responded to numerous requests for food and financial assistance. Here are our totals for the month:
The NEEDS pantry served 98 families – for a total of 372 people!
NEEDS also provided emergency assistance to 12 families – twice the number served in the previous month. A total of $3626 was distributed to cover rent and utilities for these families.
Moving into October, there will be many opportunities for NEEDS volunteers and donors to serve our community. We look forward to another impactful month!
Due to the financial impact of COVID-19, the past several months have been especially busy at the NEEDs food pantry. Would you like to help us restock for the fall and winter? Now is the perfect time, because NEEDS is holding a food drive!
When: Friday, October 16 and Saturday, October 17 from 10:00 am – 1:00 pm Where: The NEEDS food pantry at Kenwood Baptist Church, 8341 Kenwood Rd How: The food drive will be a safe and convenient drive-through operation. Simply drop off your donation at the collection point! What: Below is a list of most-needed items. – Canned goods, including vegetables (except green beans), fruit, soup, fish, and meat – Peanut butter and jelly – Pasta and pasta sauce – Packaged side dishes (rice, pasta, and potato mixes) – Macaroni and cheese – Boxed cereal – Dish and laundry soap, hand soap – Shaving cream and disposable razors
If you have any questions about the food drive, feel free to call NEEDS at (513) 891-0850. Thank you!
