NEEDS - News December 2016

NorthEast Emergency Distribution Services (NEEDS)

NEWS: December 2016

NEEDS Food Pantry Is YOUR Local Foodbank

It is the mission of North East Emergency Distribution Service (NEEDS) to provide emergency assistance to the neediest families in the Northeast Cincinnati community. Those suffering economic hardship could be your family, friends and neighbors in any of the communities within the Sycamore Schools, Madeira Schools, Princeton Schools and Deer Park Schools District lines.

NEEDS runs a local food pantry, much like the Freestore Foodbank. Though much smaller and with fewer resources, the most important difference is that the food pantry run by NEEDS is convenient to local families. These families do not need to travel any farther than the Kenwood Baptist Church, 8341 Kenwood Road (near Jewish Hospital) to receive assistance.

The NEEDS Food Pantry serves people of all religions and walks of life. There is never any proselytizing or counseling. Volunteers greet recipients at a desk in front of the pantry; the only thing given-out is food and personal necessities. The Food Pantry and financial aid are also source of help for our local city police departments and school nurses (both public and private). You can read about what NEEDS is doing in your the local community newsletters.

Though feeding families is the primary goal of NEEDS, annually it also takes up the “call” to provide disadvantaged children with school supplies, hats, gloves, and socks. Beginning in June NEEDS notifies local churches and civic organizations of its annual August school supply drive. At the same time local schools, public and private, provide NEEDS with a suggested list of school supplies and an age specific count of disadvantaged children in their schools. Each January NEEDS hosts a hat, glove and sock drive, again to be distributed to schools both public and private. This year the sorting and delivery of hats, gloves and socks will take place on Friday, January 6th, at 9:00 am in the Kenwood Baptist hall. Items donated can be delivered on the morning of the 6^th or you may call (513) 891-0850 (NEEDS) to make alternate arrangements. Nancy Flem, this year’s hat, glove and sock coordinator says, “given the cold weather so far this year, it's obvious warm winter hats, gloves, and socks are needed by many of our clients and their families.” NEEDS has made it a priority to serve whoever and whenever there is a need.

NEEDS is a community of 25 churches and civic organizations. Both the Blue Ash Women’s Club and the Montgomery Women’s Club are active participants on the NEEDS board. Though housed in Kenwood Baptist Church the NEEDS board members come from many religions. Meetings are ecumenical as the NEEDS board knows that hunger never discriminates. Nearly every school in the Northeast Cincinnati community collects for NEEDS and recently the Blue Ash Recreation Swim Team Blue Fins had a canned good collection challenge with another public pool swim team. FRAMEUSA. LifeSafer Ignition Interlock Company and Old Navy also have had canned good drives for NEEDS.

The NEEDS Food Pantry is YOUR neighborhood foodbank, its local, its convenient and it serves your neighbors in need

NEEDS is an all-volunteer cooperative located in the Kenwood Baptist Church, it does not receive government support. In addition to overseeing an active foodbank and helping school children, NEEDS also provides neighbors-in-need with housing and utility payment assistance. NEEDS serves more than 2,000 people in northeastern Hamilton County.

If your neighborhood or company is looking to start a collection program, why not consider collecting for NEEDS? Any community group can collect canned goods, other non-perishable food items including school supplies, diapers, cleaning items (both household and personal) and feminine hygiene products or they can raise monetary funds for NEEDS. Items that are most urgent include: canned fruits and vegetables, beans, prepared foods, tuna, peanut butter, jelly, cereal and spaghetti sauce. Did you know that toilette paper, feminine products, diapers and personal and household soaps are not covered by food stamps? NEEDS does its best to help our neighbors in need.

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/

E.H. Greene Middle School Student Volunteers from STRIVE with teachers and advisors
deliver canned goods to NEEDS pantry.

Madeira Middle School Student volunteers in front of car loaded with canned goods for
NEEDS

Maintenance Staff from Sycamore Junior High School delivering canned goods collected
for NEEDS.

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