Weekly Update
Statistics
Households Served
- 60 in Drive- Thru on Tuesday, March 12
- 40 at Pop-Up Pantry on Wednesday, March 13
- 46 in Drive-Thru on Thursday, March 14
- 49 total new families this week
- Families Served YTD: 1,853
Notes
Tuesday is Election Day
Both First Community campuses serve as polling locations. Tuesday is election day (primaries), but Heart to Heart will remain open. The drive-thru will function with slight modifications to accommodate additional traffic in the parking lot. Volunteers are asked to please park on Cambridge Blvd. or First Ave, allowing preschool parents and voters use of the limited parking lot spaces. Heart to Heart will only close for November elections.
Upcoming Dates
- Feminine Hygiene drive during worship this Sunday, March 17.
- Next MOFB Truck delivery is Monday, March 25.
- Yohan’s jury duty starts Monday, March 25.
- First Community Offices close at noon on Good Friday, March 29. Heart to Heart has no volutneer shifts on Friday afternoons.
- First Community Offices, and Heart to Heart, are closed all day Monday, April 1.
Volunteers Needed
The following shifts next week are still in need of volunteers. Please click the button below to sign up for one of these open shifts.
Monday, March 18
- 8:30 am- 9:30 am Cold Stocking (2)
Tuesday, March 19
- 8:30 am- 10:30 am Drive-Thru (7)
- 10:00 am- 12:30 pm Drive-Thru (5)
Wednesday, March 20
- 1:00 pm- 2:00 pm MOFB Shop-Thru (1)
Thursday, March 21
- 7:00 am – 9:00 am MOFB Shop Thru (1)
- 8:30 am- 10:30 am Drive Thru (7)
- 10:00 am- 12:30 pm Drive-Thru (1)
Friday, March 22
- 9:00 am- 10:00 am Direct Retail Pickup (2)
- 9:30 am- 10:30 am Cold Stocking Shift (2)
News
Feminine Hygiene Drive
We call on you to contribute to our effort to provide these products to our clients. Please bring donations to any worship service on Sunday, March 17. At FC North, you will find the Heart to Heart van in the parking lot, ready to take your donations. At FC South, you will see a volunteer waiting outside the Crane center!
As a reminder, these donation drives are set up during worship monthly to highlight a particular need at the food pantry. Heart to Heart can use feminine hygiene products and other items throughout the year! We still need things like soup, jelly, and oatmeal, even when that’s not the month’s theme. More info at h2h.FCchurch.com/donate
Read more about this topic in the March issue of On a Mission! newsletter.
Donations Needed
We are running low on these items, and could use your material donations to hold us over until the next order arrives on March 25!
All non-perishable donations are to be delivered directly to First Community South. Please leave them on the red cart marked for this purpose, which is in the alley across from the dumpsters, beneath the overhang, near the kitchen doors. This is the only area Heart to Heart can accept donations outside the building. Donations left elsewhere may not be received.
More information on donating, including a link to contribute online, can be found at h2h.FCchurch.com/donate.
Seasonal PUP Site
Franklinton Farms
From May through October, the PUP will serve at the South Park Apartments along with with Franklinton Farms. Franklinton Farms will provide fresh produce and a hot meal, while our Pop-Up Pantry provides groceries on the first Wednesday of each month. This seasonal distribution takes place outside in the afternoon, when many children are not in school.
Franklinton Farms is one of the three sites of South Side Family Farms organization. The organization’s goal is Planting Seeds of Progress through Cultivation, Collaboration, and Conversation. Through their Produce Package Program, South Side provides subscriptions of produce for the benefit of area food pantries/assistance programs. First Community’s Mission and Community Justice programs have been working closely with the director, Minister Aaron Hopkins on the development of the project over the past two years.
We are grateful for the growing partnership between our two organizations. The PUP team is able to provide dry goods to the South Park Apartments site once a month in cooperation with Franklinton Farms. In return, the Franklinton Farms project regularly provides produce to Heart to Heart’s drive-thru during the growing season. An opportunity to volunteer for their garden program is also available (see right).
Calling All Gardeners!
One Time Volunteer Opportunity
South Side Family Farms
Minister Aaron at Franklinton Farms needs 10 volunteers to help plant seedlings on March 28th from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. To sign up, email lavanya.watkins@franklintonfarms.org.
- Location: South Side Family Farms
- Contact: Minister Aaron Hopkins, Farm Manager
- Date: March 28, 2024
- Location: 1460 S. Champion Avenue 43206
- Time: 9:00 am-11:00 am
- Volunteers Needed: 10
- Tasks: Planting seedlings
Long-term Volunteer Opportunity
First Community Share & Learn Garden
The Share & Learn Garden at First Community North is seeking volunteers for the upcoming growing season. This group of gardeners manages several raised beds that grow fresh produce for the food pantry. This is a great opportunity for those who want to contribute to the success of Heart to Heart in a unique way! Master Gardeners Cheryl and Loren Van Deusen will teach you everything you need to know, no experience required. If you want to learn more about the opportunity, the group’s first meeting is coming up soon.
Social Media
Here’s what you may have missed this week! To see regular updates, follow us on
- Instagram @heart_to_heart_food_pantry
- Facebook @hearttoheartpantry
Annual UAHS PTO Shred Day & Food Drive
Jumpstart your Spring Cleaning April 6 from 10 am to 1 pm at Jones Middle School. We will be on site collected non-perishable food items and cash donations. For an additional donation to the PTO, you can bring up to 3 boxes of paper ($5 each) to be confidentially shredded.
Volunteer Training Opportunities
Mid-Ohio Food Collective Trainings
The Mid-Ohio Food Collective offers regular training opportunities for food pantry staff and volunteers. Trainings on FreshTrak and Food Safety will help you learn more about pantry operations and make you an even more effective volunteer! They also occasionally offer training on advocacy, and other topics that may be of interest to you.
For most trainings, volunteers will need to register with an agency name and number: Heart to Heart Agency #1042
Advocacy 101
Join the Conversation
MOFC’s Government Relations Team- Tim White and Hallie Carrino-Lee will host an open forum to discuss the State Budget and its effects on essential programs and benefits for your customers.
Explore ways to push back and advocate against the continued assault on SNAP and othe Hinger/Feeding issues and what’s happening on Capitol Hill.
Bring your questions and prepare to engage! Registration is required. This session of Advocacy will be held via ZOOM.
- Thu, Jun 13 at 10 am
FreshTrak Basic Training
(FKA PantryTrak)
This online via zoom workshop will provide the fundamentals to get started with FreshTrak at your agency. Participants with learn how to administer the intake process using FreshTrak and will be guided on best practices for developing an efficient process in registering your clients. For agencies already using FreshTrak, this workshop will be helpful as a refresher of the basics.
Questions? Contact Ann Miller-Tobin at amillertobin@mofc.org
The following dates and times are available:
- Tue, Apr 2 at 10 am
MOFC Food Safety Training
Level 1 Person In Charge
This training was developed by Feeding America and ServSafe for those who partner with foodbanks and is relevant to the work you are doing in your communities.
The course is online, at no-cost to your agency and once taken and successfully passed, the certification never expires for the person who takes the training!
Questions? Contact Ann Miller-Tobin at amillertobin@mofc.org
The following dates and times are available:
- Mon, Apr 29, 10 am – 12:30 pm
3-Part Learning Journey
Facilitator Daniel Juday, will explore inclusion, culture, barriers and obstacles in the work that we do while learning tools for building better relationships with our customers, co-workers, and volunteers.
All sessions will take place in-person at the Mid-Ohio Food Collective main campus: 3960 Brookham Dr. Grove City, OH. 43123.
- April 25 Part 1. Understanding Ourselves
- June 4 Part. 2 – Understanding Our World
- September 12 Part. 3 – Understanding Our Team
Questions? Contact Ann Miller-Tobin at amillertobin@mofc.org
For more information on this 3-Part training and a link to sign up, please click here.