February 6, 2021

We have been provided new PPE by Franklin County Emergency Management and Homeland Security. Volunteers will have access to these materials when working at Heart to Heart.

We are asking all volunteers to double mask as they are able. If you come to volunteer with a cloth face mask, we will provide a disposable mask to wear underneath it while you are here.

Alternatively, volunteers will have access to plastic face shields. These were received unassembled through the FCEMHS program. Directions for assembly and sterilization are available at volunteer check-in, and online here.

• The Direct Retail Pickups at Target, which were done daily Monday through Friday, have been discontinued. We were asked to pass along a note of “thanks” from both Mid-Ohio Foodbank and Ben at the Hilliard-Rome Target store. They wanted to make sure our volunteers know how much they are appreciated!
• As you may know, Rev. Kate Shaner soon plans to be out of the office for two weeks following knee surgery. Next week, we will provide a schedule for volunteer coverage in her absence.

Mid-Ohio Foodbank hosts free, online training sessions for volunteers through Agency 360. In February, they will host two PantryTrak training sessions and one Food Safety class. For more information about these opportunities and to sign up, please visit their website at midohiofoodbank.org/agency-360

PantryTrak is the online software used to log client visits and track our service statistics. Those who volunteer during client service hours may find these sessions useful.

Food Safety 101 is a certification required for all Heart to Heart employees and any volunteer that will be leading a stocking or shopping shift without an employee present.

Special thanks to Deb Linville and Sally Kriska who volunteered this past summer to get clients signed up to take the census.

You are eligible to enter the raffle if you have volunteered at Heart to Heart anytime in 2020 or 2021. For more information and a link to enter the raffle, click the button below.

Mark your calendars for Tuesday, February 16 at 7 pm to join us live online. Click the link below to join the meeting next Tuesday.

In January, our Pop-Up Pantry team delivered food directly to clients and their families at the following agency sites:

• January 6:    Commons at Livingston-40 clients
• January 13:   Hope Recovery Services-40 clients
• January 20:  Southpoint Village Apartments-34 clients
• January 27:  Commons at Grant-30 clients

January Total:      144

This month, the Pop-Up Pantry team conducted a survey of our agency site contacts to obtain feedback on the needs of their clients.  Among the responses, the need for personal hygiene and cleaning supplies was identified. From time to time, our team members have made personal donations of items such as shampoo and soaps to add to our delivering food from the pantry.  However, based on the survey results we are planning to explore ways to better address these needs for our clients on an ongoing basis.  We are grateful to our agency site coordinator, Kitty Rohrer, for gathering this feedback and forging positive working relationships with our agency contacts.

We continue to be blessed by the opportunity to serve clients in their local communities and for the ongoing support of the Heart to Heart leadership