Weekly Update

Benefit Concert

2023 Calendar

Narcan Training

FreshTrak Training

This 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.

Benefit Concert

2023 Calendar

Food Safety Training

FreshTrak Training

This 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.

Weekly Numbers

Households served via Drive-Thru

• 61 on Tuesday, October 18
• 52 on Thursday, October 20
• 60 on Tuesday, October 25
• 56 on Thursday, October 27

Households served via Pop-Up

• 37 on Wednesday, October 19
• 20 on Wednesday, October 26
• 28 on Thursday, October 27

Volunteers

Monday, October 31
8:30 – 9:30 am Cold Stocking (1)
3:30 – 5:00 pm MOFB Truck Unload (7)
5:00 – 6:30 pm Stock & Shop (4)

Tuesday, November 1
8:30 – 10:30 am Drive-Thru (3)
10:00 am – 12:30 pm Drive -Thru (4)

Wednesday, November 2
1:00 – 2:00 pm MOFB Shop Thru (1)

Thursday, November 3
8:30 – 10:20 am Drive- Thru (3)
10:00 am – 12:30 pm Drive-Thru (1)

Friday, November 4
9:00 – 10:00 am Direct Retail Pickup (1)
9:30 – 10:30 am Cold Stocking (1)

PUPdate

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

• Oct 5:         Commons at Livingston – 35
• Oct 12:       Hope Resource Center – 34
• Oct 17:       South Park Apartment w/Franklinton Farms – 21
• Oct 19:       Southpoint – 37
• Oct 26:       Commons at Grant – 20
• Oct 27:       Riverview International Center – 30

Total served for the month of Oct:  177 

Pop Up 2022 Monthly Totals:

• January:        161
• February:      159
• March:           154
• April:              162
• May:              162
• June:             225
• July:              187
• August:          210
• September:    174
• October:         177

YTD:            1,771  Individuals/families served 

We are excited to report our Southpoint Christmas is off to a great start.  We received ‘Wish List’ requests from 27 families with 82 children. Each child will receive two gifts totaling 164 gifts. We are thankful to have Wickliffe Progressive Elementary School, FCC congregation and our friends all help in making the wishes of Southpoint children come true.

The 4th and 5th graders from Sarah Oberlin and Amy Millers’ classes at Wickliffe Progressive Elementary School came to learn about Heart to Heart and the Pop Up Pantry.  They came with bags filled with donations – 469 lbs of goods!  Yohan gave a tour of the pantry.  He answered questions and explained how the pantry is such an important part of our community.  Melody and Rose talked about why the Pop Up Pantry was formed and the upcoming Southpoint Christmas Gift Project with Wickliffe.

The Pop Up Team constantly experiences goodness all around us.  We are so grateful and send a big shout out to Rob, the store manager at ALDI’s in Upper Arlington.  Kathleen Hatcher generously has been purchasing plastic ALDI bags with handles to distribute groceries to our neighbors who walk to our sites at Hope, Southpark and Riverview.  Once he heard how we use them, he paid for our last box of 250 bags.  Kindness is everywhere!

Heart to Heart and the Pop Up Pantry were represented and given a big shout out at the Riverview Fundraiser on October 18 at Mozart Cafe’. Carla Edlefson, Rose Kandel, Kitty Rohrer and Melody Smiley were there to represent our Team and show support to Riverview and the wonderful work they do to welcome and support the refugees coming to Columbus.

We welcomed our newest volunteers to our team:  Carol Bramschreiber, John Oberlin and Beth Simeon.  John is our newest sub driver willing to pick up the task to get our bags to the sites.  Beth and Carol come with caring hearts and lots of energy!  Welcome!

Melody and I are continually blessed to have the support of First Community/Heart to Heart staff and all the dedicated volunteers who give so much of their time and energy.

Serving in Faith,

Rose Kandel and Melody Smiley

Benefit Concert

Holiday Help

Groups, families, and individuals are welcome to sponsor a family or families that request holiday assistance this year through the purchase of gifts for them. Sponsors will be asked to contact their sponsored family directly to get ideas for Christmas gifts and make arrangements for delivery or pick-up. Anyone interested in the program should notify Heart to Heart by phone at x102 or email to hearttoheart@fcchurch.com.

Our dedicated volunteer and social worker extraordinaire, Kitty Rohrer, will get contact information and family make up from the clients, then match inquiring families with those looking to sponsor them. We will accept requests October 20 through December 9. After that date, all inquiries, both clients and sponsors, will be referred to other programs by our team of resource volunteers.

Donation Match

All financial contributions made to Heart to Heart from November 1 through December 31 will be matched up to $20,000. With the increase in both demand and cost of food in recent months, the food pantry needs additional financial resources more than ever. Please know that your doubled donation will be doubly appreciated this year!

For the eighth year running, Jill and Duke Thomas have graciously made this pledge to support our mission to respond to God’s commandment to love one another. Heart to heart began serving the community in 1986, and still exists today thanks to the foundation laid by its task force and early leaders, including Jill. We are eternally grateful for the Thomas family’s ongoing support of our mission.

Thanksgiving Food Drive

A food collection will take place during all worship services on Sunday, November 13. The deacons will then help pack these donations for clients to be distributed prior to Thanksgiving.

2023 Calendar

Click the image to view all holiday hours and closings for Heart to Heart next year.

Food Safety Training

FreshTrak Training

This 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.

This Week’s Numbers

Households served via Drive-Thru

• 62 on Tuesday, October 11
• 50 on Thursday, October 13

Households served via Pop-Up

• 34 on Wednesday, October 12

Volunteers

Monday, October 17
8:30 – 9:30 am Cold Stocking (1)
3:30 – 5:00 pm MOFB Truck Unload (5)
5:00 – 6:30 pm Stock & Shop (3)

Tuesday, October 18
8:30 – 10:30 am Drive-Thru (3)
10:00 am – 12:30 pm Drive -Thru (4)

Wednesday, October 19
1:00 – 2:00 pm MOFB Shop Thru (1)

Thursday, October 20
8:00 – 9:00 am MOFB Shop Thru (1)
8:30 – 10:20 am Drive- Thru (3)
10:00 am – 12:30 pm Drive-Thru (1)

Friday, October 21
9:30 – 10:30 am Cold Stocking (2)

Monday’s Order

click image to enlarge

Benefit Concert

Holiday Help

Groups, families, and individuals are welcome to sponsor a family or families that request holiday assistance this year through the purchase of gifts for them. Sponsors will be asked to contact their sponsored family directly to get ideas for Christmas gifts and make arrangements for delivery or pick-up. Anyone interested in the program should notify Heart to Heart by phone at x102 or email to hearttoheart@fcchurch.com.

Our dedicated volunteer and social worker extraordinaire, Kitty Rohrer, will get contact information and family make up from the clients, then match inquiring families with those looking to sponsor them. We will accept requests October 20 through December 9. After that date, all inquiries, both clients and sponsors, will be referred to other programs by our team of resource volunteers.

Donation Match

All financial contributions made to Heart to Heart from November 1 through December 31 will be matched up to $20,000. With the increase in both demand and cost of food in recent months, the food pantry needs additional financial resources more than ever. Please know that your doubled donation will be doubly appreciated this year!

For the eighth year running, Jill and Duke Thomas have graciously made this pledge to support our mission to respond to God’s commandment to love one another. Heart to heart began serving the community in 1986, and still exists today thanks to the foundation laid by its task force and early leaders, including Jill. We are eternally grateful for the Thomas family’s ongoing support of our mission.

Thanksgiving Food Drive

A food collection will take place during all worship services on Sunday, November 13. The deacons will then help pack these donations for clients to be distributed prior to Thanksgiving.

2023 Calendar

Click the image to view all holiday hours and closings for Heart to Heart next year.

FreshTrak Training

This 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.

Food Safety Training

Advocacy 101

Register today and join the conversation. Mid-Ohio Food Collective’s Tim White- Director, Government Relations and Advocacy, and Hallie Carirno – Grassroots Government Relations Specialist will lead the  open forum discussion as you-

• Explore ways to push back and advocate against the continued assault on the SNAP program.
• Dive into the issues both state and federal which impact foodbanks and pantries; from funding to regulatory oversight.

FreshTrak Training

This 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.

This Week’s Numbers

Households served via Drive-Thru

• 76 on Tuesday, September 27
• 52 on Thursday, September 29
• 59 on Tuesday, October 4
• 32 on Thursday, October 6

Households served via Pop-Up

• 20 on Wednesday, September 28
• 35 on Wednesday, October 5

September 2022

Service Statistics

• Households Served: 575
• Seniors Served: 283
• Adults Served: 1,022
• Children Served: 745
• Individuals Served: 2,050
• Meals Served: 18,450
• Families Served by Drive-Thru Pantry: 401
• Families Served by Pop-Up Pantry: 174

Food Received
(in pounds)

• First Community Church: 5,496
• Giant Eagle: 480
• Marc’s: 304
• Penzey’s Spices: 231
• Mid-Ohio Foodbank: 14,972
  • Order: 11,631 ($6,645.16)
  • Shop Thru: 3,341

Click here to view Statistics by Month

Announcements

Next week we will share plans for our holiday assistance program. We will also share an announcement about financial donations!

Volunteers

Monday, October 10
8:30 – 9:30 am Cold Stocking (1)
5:00 – 6:30 pm Stock & Shop (2)

Tuesday, October 11
8:30 – 10:30 am Drive-Thru (3)
10:00 am – 12:30 pm Drive -Thru (5)

Wednesday, October 12
1:00 – 2:00 pm MOFB Shop Thru (1)

Thursday, October 13
8:00 – 9:00 am MOFB Shop Thru (1)
8:30 – 10:20 am Drive- Thru (4)
10:00 am – 12:30 pm Drive-Thru (2)

Friday, October 14
9:30 – 10:30 am Cold Stocking (1)

November Sign-Up Genius has been published, as well. 

Message to the Staff

FCC Team:

It is with great pleasure and gratitude that I announce two promotions:

Amy Caskie has been promoted to Director of Missions and Yohan Kim has been promoted to Heart to Heart Food Pantry Manager. Yohan will now be reporting to Amy. This re-alignment simply makes sense organizationally and acknowledges the level at which both Amy and Yohan have been performing for some time now.

Please join me in congratulating them!

Seth Stearns | Executive Director of Operations
First Community | Where Everyone is Accepted
1320 Cambridge Boulevard, Columbus, Ohio 43212
(614) 488-0681, Ext. 287
sstearns@fcchurch.com | FCchurch.com

Social Media

Pop UPdate

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

• Sept 7:       Commons at Livingston – 35
• Sept 14:     Hope Resource Center – 35
• Sept 19:     South Park Apartment/Franklinton Farms – 20
• Sept 21:     Southpoint – 37
• Sept 22:     Riverview International Center – 27
• Sept 28:     Commons at Grant – 20

Total served for the month of September:  174 

Pop Up 2022 Monthly Totals:

• January:        161
• February:      159
• March:           154
• April:              162
• May:              162
• June:             225
• July:              187
• August:          210
• September:   174

1,594  Households served Year to Date  

Plans are underway for our Pop Up Team to bring some joy to the children at Southpoint. Once again we are joining forces with Upper Arlington’s Wickliffe Progressive Elementary School.  This will be our third year giving the children at Southpoint a special Christmas.  More details to come in our October/November Report.

Our numbers have gone down at The Commons at Grant.  Some of the residents have said they are receiving the same items from other pantries.  It’s too much of the same and they have extras.  We explained to Grant that Mid-Ohio Food Collective plus all the pantries have a food shortage which makes supplies short and not as varied.  Many are still very grateful for our continued help.  We plan to continue even with the numbers being lower.  We told them we would still serve those residents that are counting on us for help.

Hope Resource Center has been in the news recently.  They are working on fixing some issues to better serve their neighborhood.   We are grateful to continue to be a part of their mission and serve those in need.

We welcome our recent and newest volunteers:  Katie Halley, Marcy Miller and Cathy Wheaton.  The Team is blessed to have the help.  They are a wonderful addition to our Pop Up Team.

Melody and I are continually blessed to have the support of First Community and Heart to Heart staff and all the dedicated volunteers who give so much of their time and energy.

Serving in Faith,
Rose Kandel and Melody Smiley

FreshTrak Training

This 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.

Food Safety Training

Advocacy 101

Register today and join the conversation. Mid-Ohio Food Collective’s Tim White- Director, Government Relations and Advocacy, and Hallie Carirno – Grassroots Government Relations Specialist will lead the  open forum discussion as you-

• Explore ways to push back and advocate against the continued assault on the SNAP program.
• Dive into the issues both state and federal which impact foodbanks and pantries; from funding to regulatory oversight.

FreshTrak Training

This 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.

Statistics

Households served via Drive-Thru

• 65 on Tuesday, September 20
• 52 on Thursday, September 22

Households served via Pop-Up

• 35 on Wednesday, September 14
• 37 on Wednesday, September 21

Donations

Increasing demand makes it more difficult to keep certain items on our shelves. Please consider making a donation of these items to the food pantry: peanut butter and jelly, spaghetti noodles and sauce, pancake mix and syrup, cereal and shelf-stable milk. More info on how to make donations at h2h.fcchurch.com/donate

Volunteers

Monday, September 26
8:30 – 9:30 am Cold Stocking (2)
9:00 – 10:00 am MOFB Shop Thru (1)
9:30 – 11:00 am Dry Stocking (4)

Tuesday, September 27
8:30 – 10:30 am Drive-Thru (4)
10:00 am – 12:30 pm Drive -Thru (1)

Wednesday, September 28
1:00 – 2:00 pm MOFB Shop Thru (1)

Thursday, September 29
8:00 – 9:00 am MOFB Shop Thru (1)
8:30 – 10:20 am Drive- Thru (3)
10:00 am – 12:30 pm Drive-Thru (1)

Friday, September 30
9:30 – 10:30 am Cold Stocking (2)
10:30 am – 12:00 pm Preshop (1)

Olivia Montgomery

Equity Practitioner

Ohio Benefits Training

• Participants will discuss ways to connect clients to social Benefits such as SNAP/Medicaid/ and OWF.
• Participants will take away how to submit SNAP/ Medicaid/ OWF benefits using Ohio Benefits Self Service Portal.
• Best tips and tricks in navigating common barriers to assisting individuals.

FreshTrak Training

This 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.

Advocacy 101

Register today and join the conversation. Mid-Ohio Food Collective’s Tim White- Director, Government Relations and Advocacy, and Hallie Carirno – Grassroots Government Relations Specialist will lead the  open forum discussion as you-

• Explore ways to push back and advocate against the continued assault on the SNAP program.
• Dive into the issues both state and federal which impact foodbanks and pantries; from funding to regulatory oversight.

FreshTrak Training

This 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.

Sunday, October 9

Statistics

Households served via Drive-Thru

• 57 on Tuesday, September 6
• 50 on Thursday, September 8

Households served via Pop-Up

• 35 on Wednesday, September 7

Donations

Increasing demand makes it more difficult to keep certain items on our shelves. Please consider making a donation of these items to the food pantry: peanut butter and jelly, spaghetti noodles and sauce, pancake mix and syrup, cereal and shelf-stable milk. More info on how to make donations at h2h.fcchurch.com/donate

Volunteers

As students return to the classroom in the fall, we find ourselves in need of more volunteers. We especially need help during our drive-thru hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9am to noon.

A volunteer shift has been added to Thursday, September 15, 12:00-4:00pm. This shift will entail several projects led by Amy Caskie, as outlined in yesterday’s Upcoming Events email. If you’re interested, be prepared for physical labor, indoors and outdoors, across three buildings at First Community South. You can volunteer for any amount of time you’re willing and able. Just sign up and indicate your preference and availability in the comment field. If you’re coming for outdoor labor, we can provide tools, but you should bring gloves and be prepared to get dirty.

Thursday, September 15
12:00 pm – 4:00 pm (20)

FreshTrak Training

This 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.

Ohio Benefits Training

• Participants will discuss ways to connect clients to social Benefits such as SNAP/Medicaid/ and OWF.
• Participants will take away how to submit SNAP/ Medicaid/ OWF benefits using Ohio Benefits Self Service Portal.
• Best tips and tricks in navigating common barriers to assisting individuals.

Volunteer of the Month

PUPdate

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

• Aug 3:        Commons at Livingston – 35
• Aug 10:      Hope Resource Center – 33
• Aug 15:      South Park Apartment w/Franklinton Farms – 18
• Aug 17:      Southpoint – 37
• Aug 24:      Commons at Grant – 21
• Aug 25:      Riverview International Center – 31
• August 31:  Hope Resource Center – 35

Total served for the month of August:  210

2022 Monthly Totals:

• January:      161
• February:     159
• March:         154
• April:            162
• May:             162
• June:            225
• July:             187
• August:         210

YTD: 1,420 individuals/families served

This past month, Heart to Heart asked for 50+ filled backpacks, and to our surprise, we collected 148 filled backpacks.  We thank all the individuals who contributed to this Backpack Project!  The Pop Up Pantry delivered them to Riverview International Center.  Within a few days, all 148 backpacks were distributed.  As we were delivering the backpacks, several children were running to the van all smiles and excited!  It was heartwarming to see their joy!  Blessings all the way around!

Our Team would like to acknowledge our devoted van drivers:  Boyce Lancaster, Les Sauer, Mark Tucker, Steve Young and Glenn Zook.  They are all so willing to give of their time loading the van and driving all around Columbus to help us deliver to our many sites. They step in to help each other out driving when others need a week off, which is a big help to us.  We are forever grateful for their time, dedication and service.

We are so grateful to all our regular volunteers who continue to show up week after week.  With this said, we are still looking for more individuals who would like to come join our Pop Up Team.  We typically begin Wednesdays at 11:00.  We end around 12:45 if just bagging; 2:00 if traveling to the site.  Heart to Heart and the Pop Up Team are always open to more volunteers.

Melody and I are continually blessed to have the support of First Community/Heart to Heart staff and all the dedicated volunteers who give so much of their time and energy.

Serving in Faith,
Rose Kandel and Melody Smiley
Volunteer Co-Leads
Pop Up Pantry, Heart to Heart

Upcoming Closures

Heart to Heart will be closed on Monday, September 5 for Labor Day.

Volunteers

As students return to the classroom in the fall, we find ourselves in need of more volunteers. We especially need help during our drive-thru hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9am to noon.

Donations

Increasing demand makes it more difficult to keep certain items on our shelves. Please consider making a donation of these items to the food pantry: peanut butter and jelly, spaghetti noodles and sauce, pancake mix and syrup, cereal and shelf-stable milk. More info on how to make donations at h2h.fcchurch.com/donate

Upcoming Closures

Heart to Heart will be closed on Monday, September 5 for Labor Day.

Volunteers

As students return to the classroom in the fall, we find ourselves in need of more volunteers. We especially need help during our drive-thru hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9am to noon.

Donations

Increasing demand makes it more difficult to keep certain items on our shelves. Please consider making a donation of these items to the food pantry: peanut butter and jelly, spaghetti noodles and sauce, pancake mix and syrup, cereal and shelf-stable milk. More info on how to make donations at h2h.fcchurch.com/donate

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