Dear Friends,
After two weeks off, we are ready to reopen Heart to Heart next week and we are looking forward to seeing our regular volunteers again and meet some new people. A lot of changes have occurred in the past two weeks and we anticipate many more to come. We have opted to continue the drive-thru pantry model until it is no longer realistic to serve clients completely outside. There are plans to erect a sturdier tent structure to provide shelter as the weather changes. We hope to be completely moved into Lincoln Road Chapel as soon as possible. To accomplish that goal, we will have contractors, inspectors, and cleaners in and out of the building for the next several weeks to adequately prepare the space. This is a big change that will require the use of Heart to Heart funds, effort on behalf of the volunteers and staff, and most of all, patience.
Simply put, change is hard. The circumstances in the world today have us all on edge, unsure what to expect next. It is hard to feel like we are out of control of so many things in our lives. We understand that these past few weeks have been difficult for the group volunteers so dedicated to the work of Heart to Heart. It has been difficult for us as well. Our goal is and always will be to do what is best for the clients we serve at Heart to Heart. We are doing the best we can in the circumstances in which we find ourselves. While Kate and I are, of course, interested in hearing suggestions, questions, and concerns from those who make Heart to Heart run, please remember that we are human beings. Please continue to grant us grace in this transition; your patience and prayers are so appreciated.
One of our major priorities in the immediate future is to improve communication with volunteers and donors. We will contribute to this effort by providing more information, asking for more feedback, and being as transparent as possible. But we will need your help. Please keep up to date with the information available, keep in touch with us, and answer our requests for feedback. This blog will serve as our primary source of distributing information, but we will also increase the use of our social media platforms- Facebook and Instagram. Please read the Contact Information portion of the blog below and participate as soon as possible.
We have included a lot of information to read in this blog post, but also know that photos speak volumes. With that in mind, we have included a few photos of progress made in the past couple of days. Many thanks to Steve Shaner for our new indoor ramp. We encourage you to come to see it for yourselves by signing up to volunteer next week.
We look forward to seeing you,
Amy Caskie
Missions Administrator
Update
Service Statistics
September 16 (Pop-Up): 40 households served
A Closer Look
These slides indicate how our service numbers have changed over time. Click to enlarge each graph to see details.
Return to Work
We will resume our services the week of September 21. To volunteer for those shifts, please make sure you have completed the Civil Rights training (see below), then use the Sign-Up Genius to let us know you are coming. If you are a minor, we must have a Waiver Form on file for you.
Please note: We must adhere to CDC guidelines for all of our volunteer shifts. In order to do that, we cannot accept volunteer walk-ins and the number of volunteers per shift will be limited. We hope this is a temporary solution to a temporary problem and we ask for grace as we work together to figure this out.
News
Volunteer To Do List
- Take the online civil rights training course here>>
- Verify you have completed the course using this form>>
- Mark your calendar for October 6 at 1:30pm for PantryTrak training via Zoom. This training will be conducted by Mid-Ohio Food Collective. Volunteer shift leaders on Tuesdays and Thursdays will be required to take this training. Use the Sign-Up Genius to indicate your interest and you will be sent a link to the Zoom prior to the meeting date.
- Let us know if you’re interested in being a volunteer shift leader via email>>
- All shift leaders can take the online food safety training for $15, and send us a PDF of their completion certificate. The course is called Food Handler (level 1) and you will follow the instructions on the ServSafe website to purchase the course. Please contact us if the cost of the course will prevent you from completing it and we will make arrangments.
- Register your Kroger card for Community Rewards which earns money for Heart to Heart when you grocery shop. More info here>>
- To sign up for upcoming volunteer shifts click here>>
Heart to Heart Finances
We are working with our business office to provide more information and deeper transparency to all those that support Heart to Heart. Please let us know if there is specific information you are looking for, and we will do our best to provide accurate information. Click the image below to view the chart showing the change in our total income and expenses over time.
Survey for Volunteers
We are planning for the colder weather and trying to anticipate our volunteer needs as we move indoors. Please participate in the following survey to share your opinion and willingness to return to volunteering in light of the pandemic.
Contact Information
We are trying to streamline our communications at Heart to Heart. We want to make sure you’re getting all the information you want, and only the information you want. In order to better serve this goal, we will be creating new email distributions lists and will implement their use beginning October 1. Please click below to sign up for the appropriate email list(s).
And what does the Lord
require of you
But to do justice,
To love mercy,
And to walk humbly
with your God?
Micah 6:8 NKJ
Our mission at Heart to Heart is to respond to God’s commandment to love one another.
Our vision of Heart to Heart is to model God’s love by:
Cultivating a loving community
Honoring individual gifts
Feeding bodies and souls
…and seeing everyone as a child of God
In accordance with Federal law and U.S.D.A. policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, or disability.