Each year, families and faculty at Ursuline Academy hold a food drive to benefit six local organizations — including NEEDS! Pantry coordinators Janie and Maureen shared this letter of appreciation:
“Thank you once again for your generous donation to the NEEDS food pantry. We are so blessed to be a part of your program each year. Your donation is one of the largest we receive. This year you provided two full pallets of food, home, and personal care items. Wow! Our shelves are now restocked! We also appreciate the way you sorted the product and delivered it to us. That really helps us in the effort to put it away.
It’s impressive to have your students help lead this effort. It warms our heart to see young people involved in community service. Many thanks to Rowan Haas and Lara Licu for contacting us to coordinate the delivery. And a special thanks to Megan Knapke for leading this program. We understand that you all collected 15,000 pounds of product. That’s amazing!
As we explained to the students, our pantry visits increased another 40% in 2023, serving over 2000 families. It’s challenging to keep our shelves stocked. We look forward to your donation each spring in preparation for the summer when our donations typically decline. Your donation will go a long way in helping needy families in our area. Please share our thanks with the students, families, and faculty who made this food drive successful. The volunteers who keep our pantry running and the families we serve thank you all.”
Learn more about you can help meet the needs of our neighbors here.
As the weather warms up, many of us are eager to head to the farmers’ market for delicious local produce. But did you know that farmers’ markets are also a great source of fresh food for our neighbors in need? Gleaning teams collect unsold food to donate for hunger relief — and thanks to these volunteers, the NEEDS pantry receives fresh produce all summer long!
You can help by joining the Montgomery Market team! Contact Sue Plummer at the Society of St. Andrew to learn more.
Madeira High School’s Key Club, a student group focused on service, has often supported NEEDS by organizing food drives. Pantry coordinator Janie shared this note following the club’s latest successful drive:
“Thank you so much for coordinating another food drive for the NEEDS food pantry. You collected so many of the items we needed. And as if that wasn’t enough, you also sorted and labeled everything!! Wow! That is such a huge help for us.
The Key Club is an impressive organization. We know that leadership and caring are among the core values of the club and clearly the students are demonstrating those qualities. Please know that you are truly making a difference in the lives of your neighbors in need.
The NEEDS volunteers and the families we serve thank you! We look forward to continuing our partnership in the years ahead.”
NEEDS is so grateful for the individuals and organizations who help us serve our neighbors. To learn more about you can get involved, visit https://cincyneeds.org/donate-volunteer/ .
The NEEDS pantry relies on community donations to provide food and household supplies to our neighbors in need. But not everyone has time in their busy schedules to shop for and drop off donations.
Enter our newest way to give: Amazon Wish List! Just like a wedding or baby registry, the NEEDS gift list enables you to select the items you would like to give and have them shipped directly to the pantry. The list is kept up to date with the pantry’s most-needed items — and if you’re an Amazon Prime member, shipping is free! It’s a simple and convenient way to help meet needs in our community.
Just like the weather here in Cincinnati, the needs of our pantry are constantly shifting. You can make a donation to help us provide the items our neighbors need most!
This month’s top needs are laundry detergent, chicken and beef soups, and packaged dinners and side dishes (such as Hamburger Helper, Pasta Roni, and potato/rice mixes).
Other much-needed items are listed below.
Canned Food: Baked beans
Home and Personal Care Items: Deodorant (men’s and women’s) Paper towels Toilet paper Sanitary pads and tampons
Freestore Foodbank supports over 600 food pantries, soup kitchens, and other organizations in the tristate area — including NEEDS! You can join their fight against hunger by participating in the Hunger Walk and 5K this Memorial Day.
Register as part of the NEEDS team HERE, or form your own team! Funds raised will help NEEDS and other organizations provide food to our neighbors in need.
