From Jackie:
I’ll keep this short and sweet. I knew helping with the drive-thru food pantry would feed my soul. However, I didn’t realize how much working with the other volunteers would. The people I work with on Tuesdays are all amazing, interesting, kind, and funny. I love hearing the stories of their lives. They truly feed my soul and make me a better volunteer.
From Lindsey:
Volunteering at Heart to Heart food pantry has been a meaningful experience. Every shift has reminded me how important community support is, and how collective effort can make a lasting impact on food security in our community.
From Yohan:
Our Volunteers of the Month are a Semester of Service trio from OSU who helped prep Crane Welcome Center for Tuesday’s Drive-Thru, reorganized an entire wall of canned goods, co-led the Shop & Stock, and in the case of Jessina, masterfully led the Drive-Thru while checking in our neighbors.
From Mary:
I’ve found myself having more free time as my kids are getting older, or maybe just wanted to do something that felt more meaningful with my time. Hearing and understanding me, my friend Alissa recommended and went with me my first time volunteering at Heart to Heart, and it’s been such a perfect fit. I love volunteering during the afternoon shifts, knowing it is one part of a greater team effort – that I get to keep up to speed with Yohan’s weekly emails or hear about from other volunteers. Truly look forward to volunteering each week.
From Yohan:
Our Volunteer of the Month has been a steadfast stocker since the busiest holiday season we’ve had in my time (last year), helping us receive thousands of pounds of food. She even helped us move a very heavy freezer recently! And now the family has gotten involved, a spirit of service spreading through the roots of the home
From Bella:
I first started volunteering at Heart to Heart in fifth grade, when my teacher would bring us once a month to help unload the delivery truck. In August of 2025, I began going to Crossroads, and when I heard about the chance to volunteer again, I was very excited. I volunteer most Wednesdays, helping pack bags and restock shelves. Heart to Heart has always been a welcoming place and somewhere where I feel completely comfortable being myself. I look forward to Wednesdays every week, not only because I get to help out my community, but because I love getting to volunteer with the people at Heart to Heart. I’ve made some fantastic friends through volunteering, who I probably wouldn’t have met otherwise.
[Bella is pictured with Will Bertke, First Community Youth Ministry Program Coordinator]
From Evan:
I have been going to Heart to Heart since middle school and I have loved helping out and meeting new people!
[Evan is pictured with Will Bertke, First Community Youth Ministry Program Coordinator]
From Yohan:
Roop and Gavin have been outstanding volunteers brought to us through our Semester of Service partnership at OSU. Roop tirelessly helped stock donations, shop, stock, and set up tables and traffic cones around Crane Welcome Center. Gavin gave us a new Shift Lead, still doing so beyond the obligated term, in addition to coming in clutch to help Roop out. We’re lucky to have them on our roster!
From Roop & Gavin:
Being named Volunteers of the Month is a privilege that drives us to do even more. We are dedicated to the fight against food insecurity, and we promise to continue serving our pantry and our patrons with the same passion that brought us here on day one.
December 2025 Volunteer of the Month, Asher, is pictured above [left] with older brother, Isaiah [right], June 2024’s Volunteer of the Month
From Asher:
I started volunteering about a year ago. I went to the Shop & Stock on Wednesdays with the Youth Ministry. After doing it the first time, I thought it was a really great way to spend my time. So I kept doing it. Once I got old enough, I started going to the Drive-Thru on Thursdays. It felt great finally being able to see the families that received the food. Now it feels like going to Heart to Heart is basically part of my life. I can’t even remember what I did before volunteering at Heart to Heart.
I feel that volunteering has helped me with my social skills. I used to be super shy and I did not like talking to new people. But since I’ve started going to the food pantry, I have gotten a lot better at talking to people. So I’ve been able to make new friends through volunteering. I also think that volunteering has let my creativity flow freely. I have made at least a dozen spirals out of cardboard.
My favorite part of volunteering is probably seeing how happy the families are when they leave the Drive-Thru. It makes all the hard work feel worth it.
I am very grateful to receive this Volunteer of the Month award. (My quote was written while listening to sea shanties.)
From Yohan:
Courtney joined us this summer, quickly becoming an all-star by putting a hand up to help lead the Drive-Thru, bringing new volunteers, and completing a variety of training opportunities. We are made better by her service, which is carried out with warmth and a self-deprecating desire to improve.
From Courtney:
Volunteering at Heart to Heart has been such a wonderful experience. I love the good feeling that comes from giving back to our community, especially during this time of greater need. When it seems like the world is in a darker place, I love coming to Heart to Heart to see us all coming together in a positive way. The volunteers are always so friendly and helpful, and I am so inspired by Yohan and his weekly newsletter messages. I also greatly enjoy the opportunities to speak to the folks who come through, hearing their stories, and hopefully sharing a smile or laugh to brighten each other’s day.
Over the summer, I also brought my two daughters along to volunteer with me. They loved helping out, and I know it made an important impact on their perspectives that will hopefully drive their ongoing desire to give back to the community. I have told others about Heart to Heart, as well, and hope to continue to bring friends and family going forward. It is such an amazing group of people doing vital work, and I am honored to be a part of it. Thank you so much for this nomination!
From Doug:
I am honored to receive this award. The opportunity to help others gets me out of bed in the morning. At the food pantry, I see plenty of courage, patience, and kindness on a daily basis. The experience is both humbling and moving. Our volunteers provide plenty of smiles, laughter, and encouragement. The Spirit of God is infectious here, and it can be powerful. Like the parable of Jesus with the fish, everyone can be fed here.
I come away tired, but more complete and more whole. I hunger for this and am so very grateful. Thank you.
From Yohan:
Erin started volunteering this summer, quickly rising with enthusiasm to become a Shift Lead. She has been an instrumental part of conducting the symphony that is the opening shift of the Drive-Thru. Not only has Erin been a smooth operator, but so are the friends who have tagged along with her.
From Erin:
Volunteering at the food pantry has been one of the most meaningful experiences of my life. Every smile, every thank you, and every moment of connection reminds me that giving my time is not just about serving meals — it’s about serving hope, dignity, and community. Being recognized as Volunteer of the Month is an honor, but the real reward is knowing I’ve made a difference in someone’s day.
