Pupdate

PUPdate

In April, the Pop Up Pantry, delivered to the following sites:

• April 3:          Commons at Livingston – 42
• April 10:        Hope Resource Center – 40
• April 17:        Southpoint – 41
• April 24:        Grant – 43
• April 25:        Riverview International Center –  40

Pop Up 2024 Monthly totals: 

• January:     238
• February:   205
• March:        201
• April:           206

YTD:  Individuals/families served:  850

” May happiness touch your life today as warmly as you have touched the lives of others.” Rebecca Forsythe

~Rose and Kathleen

The Pop Up Team was hoping to begin our seasonal delivery site alongside Franklinton Farms (FF) at Southpark Apartments in Franklinton April through October.  This site is now at a new time and day from what we did last year.  We were hoping to try this site alongside FF again this year.  They are providing their fresh produce and also a food truck with a meal for families at Southpark.

Kathleen, Mark, and Rose were able to get everything bagged and loaded into the van.  We were lucky most of the day with the rainy weather.  However, on our way to the site there was a hailstorm.  We received a call from Franklinton Farms and we all agreed to postpone our delivery until May.

Once again, Kevin Orsini received from MOFC 800 free microwavable containers and lids for the Pop Up Pantry.  We delivered these to Hope along with bags of clothing from the Trading Post.

The Director of Riverview International Center (RIC), Emelia Sheeley, spoke at the All Missions Meeting on April 23rd.  Please refer back to Yohan’s Heart to Heart Happenings dated April 27th and the article in the Dispatch with the news of RIC having to relocate 80+ families.  The Pop Up Pantry plans to continue to deliver to RIC until we hear otherwise.  Their new office location will be at 1520 Old Henderson Rd. beginning May 4th.

We couldn’t begin to do our outreach without our volunteers and donors.  We are so thankful for their dedication.

PUPdate

In March, the Pop Up Pantry, delivered to the following sites:

• March 6:          Commons at Livingston – 42
• March 13:        Hope Resource Center – 40
• March 20:        Southpoint – 42
• March 27:        Grant – 37
• March 28:        Riverview International Center –  40

Pop Up 2024 Monthly totals: 

• January:     238
• February:   205
• March:       201

YTD:  Individuals/families served:  644

Anyone who volunteers at First Community knows many individuals who give their time to more than one mission. In our Pop-Up Pantry group, we have people serving with Heart to Heart’s Drive-Thru and Stock & Shop, First Community’s Refugee Ministry Team, Tri-Village Trading Post, Share & Learn Garden, with Deep Griha and other churches or community organizations.

One PUP volunteer actually continues serving at All Faiths Food Bank in Sarasota, Florida while wintering there. Katie explains what her duties are at the food bank.

“I work the drive through at 4 different locations and stock/backpack at the warehouse.  Backpacking is making bags of approximately 8 snacks for kids to take home from school for the weekends.  The drive through locations I work serve between 75-160 families.” 

Kathleen and I rejoice in recognizing all our devoted donors, volunteers and drivers this month:  Neal Snyder and his dog Oreo, Richard Jacob, Pat Porterfield, the Trading Post, the Mat Makers, Bobbie Doak, Carla Edlefson, Kitty and Dick Rohrer, Janice Rook, Melody Smiley, Bruce & Ellen Crouthamel, Peg Roberts, Nancy Donaldson, Cathy Wheaton, Pam and Tom Dobies, Glenn Zook, John Oberlin, Mark Tucker, Boyce Lancaster and Les Sauer!!

We couldn’t begin to do our outreach without our volunteers and donors.  We are so thankful for their dedication.

“It’s time for some HEART work.”

~Rose and Kathleen

In February, the Pop Up Pantry, delivered to the following sites:

• February 7:          Commons at Livingston – 43
• February 14:        Hope Resource Center – 42
• February 21:        Southpoint – 44
• February 22:        Riverview International Center – 40
• February 28:        Grant – 36

Pop Up 2024 Monthly totals: 

• January:     238
• February:   205

YTD:  Individuals/families served:  443

National Church Residences
Commons at Grant

Travelers from all over come to join our team!  Even if it is just for a week or two!  We enjoyed having Lynn (close friend of Peg Roberts) help us bag two weeks in a row.  She traveled up from Houston, TX!!  We also welcomed Bill (Peg’s husband) who gave a welcomed strong hand with our heavy lifting!

Kevin Orsini received from MOFC 800 free microwavable containers and lids for the Pop Up Pantry.  We will be delivering them to Hope Resource Center in March.

Kathleen and I want to again recognize all our devoted donors, volunteers and drivers this month:  Neal Snyder and his dog Oreo, Richard Jacob, Pat Porterfield, the Trading Post, the Mat Makers, Bobbie Doak, Carla Edlefson, Kitty and Dick Rohrer, Melody Smiley, Bruce & Ellen Crouthamel, Peg and Bill Roberts, Nancy Donaldson, Pam and Tom Dobies, Glenn Zook, Mark Tucker, Boyce Lancaster and Les Sauer!!

We couldn’t begin to do our outreach without our volunteers.  We are so thankful for their dedication.

~Rose and Kathleen

In January, the Pop Up Pantry, delivered to the following sites:

• January 3:          Commons at Livingston – 40
• January 10:        Hope Resource Center – 40
• January 17:        Southpoint – 42
• January 24:        Grant – 36
• January 25:        Riverview International Center – 40
• January 31:        Hope Resource Center – 40

Pop Up 2024 Monthly totals: 

January:     238

YTD:  Individuals/families served:  238

We have had a busy start to our 2024. We had a fun adventure serving families at Southpoint this month.  The weather was especially cold that day.  We were bundled up and delivered door to door.  We were thankful the sun was shining which helped us out quite a bit.

The winter is hard on our friends at Hope Resource Center.  The center welcomes its neighbors in for a warm place to sit for a while and serves meals and provides clothing, and lends guidance and support to all who enter.  We are thankful for all the warm clothing donations we receive.  We take many bags of donated clothes and mats out to the site along with our many bags of food and toiletries.  This truly is a center filled with “HOPE”!  This is our favorite place to meet with our neighbors.  We are blessed beyond measure.

Kathleen and I know we couldn’t do what we do without our dedicated volunteers.  They consistently show up with positive attitudes and willingness to pitch in wherever there is a need.  Volunteering is so important to our team.  We want to give our neighbors a feeling of ‘hope’ and to feel ‘seen’ and ‘loved’.  In return, we are humbled.

We would like to recognize all our devoted donors, volunteers and drivers this month:  Neal Snyder and his dog Oreo, Richard Jacob, Pat Porterfield, the Trading Post, the Mat Makers, Tom and Pam Dobies, Peg Roberts, Bruce and Ellen Crouthamel, Carla Edlefson, Kitty and Dick Rohrer, Janice Rook, Melody Smiley, Glenn Zook, John Oberlin, Mark Tucker, Boyce Lancaster and Les Sauer!

We are so thankful for their dedication and we have made lasting friendships along the way.

~Rose and Kathleen

In December, the Pop-Up Pantry delivered to the following sites:

• December 6:          Commons at Livingston – 39
• December 13:        Hope Resource Center – 43
• December 20:        Southpoint – 40
• December 21:        Riverview International Center – 40
• December 27:        Grant – 36

Pop Up 2023 Monthly totals: 

• January:         153
• February:       161
• March:            190
• April:               171
• May:                226
• June:              190
• July:                188
• August:           237
• September:     215
• October:          181
• November:      254
• December:      198

Totals for 2023 per site:

• Livingston: 400
• Hope: 608
• Southpoint: 475
• Grant: 338
• Riverview International Center: 358
• Southpark: 185

YTD:  Individuals/families served:  2,364

Our Pop Up Team was able to deliver Christmas presents to 27 Southpoint families.  There were 82 children and 145 gifts total.  We thank Wickliffe Progressive Elementary School students, families and staff for their generous help as well as many church members, groups and families with this project.  It is their generosity that brings joy to so many in such heartwarming ways.

As we end 2023, we are looking ahead to 2024.  We will continue to serve the current sites. Our many sites have grown in number and we are thankful for Heart to Heart in supporting the Pop Up Team.

Our Pop Up Team is also continuing to grow and lead in many different ways. Melody Smiley has been involved with Heart to Heart for many years. Melody has been a driving force for our Pop Up Team.  Her years of service to Heart to Heart and her giving heart has made working with her an honor.  I have been blessed to Co-Lead with her for the past two years.  Melody will be stepping down from the Co-Lead position but not leaving the Pop Up Team.  She will continue to be a presence each week.  Another longtime Heart to Heart Volunteer, Kathleen Hatcher, has agreed to step into Melody Smiley’s Co-Lead position beginning in January.

We are continually blessed and grateful for everyone who contributes to Heart to Heart and the Pop Up Pantry with their continued donations and service.  We couldn’t do all this without the dedicated individuals who give so freely to our community in need.

~Rose and Melody