Weekly Update
Statistics
Households Served
- 64 in Drive- Thru on Tuesday, May 14
- 41 at Pop-Up Pantry on Wednesday, May 15
- 66 in Drive-Thru on Thursday, May 16
- 25 total new families this week
- Families Served YTD: 3,481
Monday’s Delivery from MOFC
This is what we can expect to see on the truck with Monday’s order of roughly 9,000 pounds. Click “Sign Up to Volunteer” button to the right if you’re able to help with unloading that afternoon. Click the image below to enlarge.
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, May 20
- 8:30 am – 9:30 am Cold Stocking (2)
- 3:30 pm – 5:00 pm MOFC Truck Unload (6)
- 5:00 pm – 6:30 pm Shop & Stock (4)
Tuesday, May 21
- 8:30 am- 10:30 am Drive Thru (5)
- 10:00 am- 12:30 pm Drive-Thru (4)
Wednesday, May 22
- 1:00 pm- 2:00 pm MOFB Shop-Thru (1)
- 5:00 pm – 6:30 pm Shop & Stock (5)
Thursday, May 23
- 8:30 am- 10:30 am Drive Thru (4)
- 10:00 am- 12:30 pm Drive-Thru (1)
Friday, May 24
- 9:00 am- 10:00 am Direct Retail Pickup (1)
- 9:30 am- 10:30 am Cold Stocking (2)
- 11:00 am- 12:30 pm Shop & Stock (1)
Monday, May 27
- 10:00 am – 2:00 pm Mission Workday (10)
- Regular volunteer shifts canceled
News
Mission Volunteer Workday
Memorial Day, May 27
It’s been quite a few months since our last Missions Volunteer Workday. We take these opportunities on days off, when they align with personal schedules, to do cleaning, repairs and other necessary non-routine tasks. Our next session is scheduled for Memorial Day, when many people are off work and school. If your BBQs are scheduled for Saturday or Sunday, please consider joining Amy that Monday!, May 27, at 10am. Sign up at tinyurl.com/h2hvolunteersignup
Special Skills
We understand not everyone can or wants to volunteer during our regular weekly shifts, but may still want to contribute to our overall success. Heart to Heart is on the lookout for a few volunteers with specialized skills to help with projects from time to time. Please let us know if you have a particular interest or are skilled in:
- Woodworking, DIY, Building
- Social Media
- Community Advocacy
- Elementary Education
- One time assembly projects (eg. birthday bags)
While we may not have a related project in mind at the moment, these are some needs we have encountered over time and we would love to know who might be interested in helping with these things in the future. Have another skill or interest you think may be useful? Let us know!
Kroger Community Rewards
Through the Community Rewards program, Kroger makes a contribution to Heart to Heart every time you shop.
In the quarter beginning Feb 1 and ending Apr 30, 2024 we earned $924.01 from the 253 participating households.
Enroll your Kroger customer loyalty card in the program today. Visit kroger.com/i/community/community-rewards and choose Organization #TB926 (First Community Church).
You can also login to your account to see how much your participation earned for us last quarter!
Just A Note
- Heart to Heart t-shirts are now available in size 3XL in the First Community Church Merch store online and at First Community North.
- Look for First Community in the Heart to Heart cargo van at the Grandview Memorial Parade on Sat, May 25.
- Heart to Heart’s regular volunteer shifts are canceled on Mon, May 27 for Memorial Day. Alternatively, volunteers may wish to sign up for the Missions Workday! A complete calendar of 2024 closings for Heart to Heart is available online here..
- Our MOFC truck order schedule has changed to accommodate their inventory schedule, along with several upcoming holiday closings. Sign-Up Genius accurately reflects the updated volunteer shifts. The next three delivery dates are:
Mon Jun 3
Mon Jun 17
Mon Jun 26
Mon Jul 15
- Have you read First Community’s revised Privacy Policy? This policy is in use by all departments, including our ministry at Heart to Heart!
- Our next donation collection during FC worship services is for shaving supplies on Sun, Jun 16 (Father’s Day).
Food Safety Memo
Change in procedure!
MOFC recently notified us that these items need to be refrigerated:
- Asparagus
- Berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, etc.)
- Celery
- Cherries
- Grapes
- Salads, Spinach, Lettuce, Cabbage
- Root Vegetables (Carrots, Turnips, Radishes, Rutabagas, Parsnips, etc.)
- Walnuts
Produce items not listed can be stored at room temperature.
All dairy items, including eggs, must be refrigerated. Meat must be frozen.
Please use your best judgement. Better safe than sorry!
The memo below will be posted in food storage areas!
Social Media
Make sure you are following the Heart to Heart on both Facebook and Instagram. Social media is one of the best ways for the world to share information! Every time you like or comment on one of our posts, it promotes engagement across the platform. When you share our posts, the information is immediately visible to those in your circle! It quickly helps spread our message- whether it be resource information, a plea for donations, or a volunteer opportunity. Sharing on social media is an easy way to support our mission. Check out these posts from the past week to see what you may have missed.
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
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.
The following dates and times are available:
- Tue, May 21 at 2 pm
- Wed, Jun 13 at 2 pm
- Thu, Jul 25 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!
The following dates and times are available:
- Wed, May 29 at 2 pm
- Fri, Jun 14 at 10 am
- Mon, Jul 8 at 10 am
Strategic Storytelling
Erich Hiner, MOFC’s Communications Manager, will conduct the training.
In this interactive training, we will cover the “why,” the “what,” the “who,” and the “how” of customer storytelling for all Partner Agencies of Mid-Ohio Food Collective. Participants will learn the strategic value of storytelling; leave with practical, low-cost storytelling techniques; and get real story examples from their peers and the team at MOFC.
The following dates and times are available:
- Fri, May 24 at 10:30 am in Barnesville, Ohio
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
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.
For more information on this 3-Part training and a link to sign up, please click here.
- June 4 Part. 2 – Understanding Our World
- September 12 Part. 3 – Understanding Our Team
Save the Dates!
Grants 101 Workshop
Thu, Jun 20 9:30 am-11:30 am
Grants 102 Workshop
Tue, Jun 23 9:30 am-11:30 am
More information coming soon. To stay informed, please click here.