NEEDS received an amazing donation from local company LSI Industries, whose employees saw a need and chose to step up. Pantry coordinators Janie and Maureen shared this letter of thanks:

“We were pleasantly surprised (or shall we say… shocked) when you stopped by to drop off 800 lbs of food and personal care items at our pantry last week. Wow!! As you told us, you had been listening to news of the government shutdown that impacted SNAP benefits and you decided to help. And that you did! Your food drive was more than successful and we are thankful that you chose NEEDS to be the recipient. Since you dropped off on a day we were serving, you could see the long line of cars that were waiting to be served. You can be assured that your donation will be helping the less fortunate in the community where LSI operates.

NEEDS has been serving our community for 40+ years and we pride ourselves on being a 100% volunteer and donation-run organization. We receive no government funding and rely on contributions from schools, churches, and businesses to operate. We appreciate your efforts to help the less fortunate in our area.

The NEEDS volunteers and the families we serve thank you!”

You can get involved, too! Click to DONATE or join our VIRTUAL FOOD DRIVE today.

Blue Ash company Everything But The House (EBTH) is a regular donor to NEEDS. This year, two employees visited the pantry just before Thanksgiving with a sizable donation of food — as well as a stack of Kroger gift cards!

Pantry coordinators Maureen and Janie shared, “Your donation came at any especially needy time for our food pantry. After the cutoff of SNAP benefits and their slow reinstatement, the number of families seeking food assistance from us has risen by 50%. In addition, the expected increase in health insurance costs will strain families even further. Your support will help us meet their needs.

They say ‘it takes a village.’ Thank you for being a part of ours!”

You can get involved, too! Click to DONATE or join our VIRTUAL FOOD DRIVE today.

Families and faculty at Madeira Elementary School hold an annual food drive to benefit NEEDS — and this year, their generosity was incredible! Pantry coordinators Janie and Maureen shared this letter of gratitude:

“Oh my goodness….. this year you outdid yourselves. You collected over 1200 items, which is 50% more than last year. WOW!!! You packed our two SUVs to the roof! Many thanks to the 5^th graders who had the biggest collection and helped carry and load all those heavy boxes. We absolutely love their enthusiasm for helping others. We know that energy comes from Roxanne Hurley, whose passionate leadership of this event is infectious!

Your donation came at a critical time following the government shutdown that led to a surge in the number of visits to our pantry. In October we served more neighbors than we had in any month in our 42 years of operation. As a 100% volunteer and donation-run organization, we rely on contributions from schools, churches, and businesses to operate. We appreciate your efforts to help the less fortunate in our community. 

The NEEDS volunteers and the families we serve thank you!”

You can get involved, too! Click to DONATE or join our VIRTUAL FOOD DRIVE today.

Pantry coordinators Janie and Maureen shared this note of appreciation to the families and faculty of Montgomery Elementary School:

“Thank you for having another successful food drive for NEEDS. We’re grateful for your long-term commitment to our pantry and to Molly and Donny for making it happen. Your students and their families are always so generous and willing to help the less fortunate in our community. 

As you may know, we are an 100% volunteer and donation-run organization. We rely on contributions from schools, churches, and businesses to operate. Your donation came at a critical time this year, shortly after the government shutdown ended. In October we served more neighbors than we had in any month in our 42 years of operation, so our shelves desperately needed to be replenished.

The NEEDS volunteers and the families we serve thank you!”

You can get involved, too! Click to DONATE or join our VIRTUAL FOOD DRIVE today.

Thanksgiving is coming up — and NEEDS is sending a big thank you to the students and staff of Indian Hill High School, who collected a large donation for the pantry. Our pantry coordinators shared this note:

“Wow! What a wonderful surprise it was to pick up three car loads full of food and personal care items from you the week before Thanksgiving. You are so very generous! Your donation came at a critical time as the government shutdown led to increased visits to our pantry. In October we served more neighbors than we had served in any month in our 42 years of operation.

As a 100% volunteer and donation-run organization, we rely on contributions from schools, churches, and businesses to operate. We appreciate your efforts to help the less fortunate in our community. We’d like to add our special thanks to Susan Schonauer for coordinating the food drive.

The NEEDS volunteers and the families we serve thank you! We look forward to continuing our partnership in the coming years. Have a blessed Thanksgiving.”

Each year, St. Xavier High School holds a food drive to benefit NEEDS. It’s a wonderful opportunity for families, faculty, and even alumni to work together to serve their community. Pantry coordinators Janie and Maureen shared this letter of gratitude:

“Thank you for another amazing effort with your annual food drive. The timing couldn’t have been better as you helped our pantry serve people who were impacted by the government shutdown. In October, we served more neighbors than we had served in any month in our 42 years of operation. Our shelves were in desperate need of being restocked. You certainly did that for us!

Your donation each year is always our largest. We had 30+ volunteers working for several hours to put it away. We know how much effort you all put in to collect it across many different neighborhoods.  It’s so impressive!!

Please thank all the students, their parents, and your staff who work so hard to make this a success. It’s great to see these young men involved in community service. It instills a giving spirit that hopefully will carry on for a lifetime. We’re always thankful for your two fellow alums who help us make it happen each year — Tom Young (’57), who helps coordinate the pickup and Dean Backscheider (’75) who provides the van and a driver. 

Please know that you are truly making a difference in the lives of our less fortunate neighbors. The NEEDS volunteers and the families we serve thank you.”

You can help, too! Click to donate or join our virtual food drive today.

One of NEEDS’ regular partners is the Madeira High School Key Club, a student organization dedicated to service. Pantry coordinators Maureen and Janie shared this note of appreciation for the club’s efforts at a critical time:

“Thank you once again for coordinating a food drive for the NEEDS pantry. Your students and their families did a great job of donating so many of the items we need to stock our shelves. We’d also like to thank Mrs. Robertson for her leadership in making this happen.

The past month has been challenging for food pantries as we try to keep up with the increased need triggered by the government shutdown. October 2025 was the biggest month we have ever experienced in our 40+ years of operation. We are so grateful for the support of the Key Club and impressed that your organization encourages students to get involved in community service.

The NEEDS volunteers and the families we serve thank you! We look forward to continuing our partnership in the years ahead.”

You can help, too! Click to donate or join our virtual food drive today.