Have you seen our Amazon Wish List? Somebody has, because we have been getting amaz-(on)-ing gifts for the past couple of weeks! Toothpaste–soap–razors–pads–all perfect choices for our customers. We can rarely acquire these products through our channels. When we can, they are rarely at a price point that we can afford. Making these hygiene products available to customers is like putting money back in their pockets. Even for customers who are eligible for SNAP (Food Stamps), those benefits don’t cover these purchases. 

Paper AND plastic–wow!!! It’s a bag bonanza! We go through thousands of bags every week, so we spend a pretty good amount of money on these supplies to make transporting groceries easy for our customers. When you shop our wish list, you are saving us valuable money–and time. When these supplies show up on our  doorstep, we don’t have to pay for them AND we don’t have to find an hour in our day to go pick them up. Which is great, because there is plenty of other work to do around here!

We can’t thank our donors enough–sending these supplies is good for the goose and the gander! If you can pitch in right now, we would be grateful for the extra support. Find out how you can help by clicking this link.

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THANK YOU FOR YOUR EXTRA HELP PITCHING IN DURING THIS TIME OF CRISIS! WE APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT!

The coronavirus pandemic has featured no shortage of bitter ironies. Add one more to the list. Our annual Volunteer Appreication Luncheon, scheduled each year in April, has been postponed. Although a new date has not been set, we are tentatively planning to celebrate the exceptional work of our volunteer staff in September. At a time when we owe so much to our dedicated volunteers, we are extremely disappointed that we have to reschedule this afternoon of hard-earned and much deserved recognition. We are looking forward to our best event ever in the fall!

The late Fred Rogers’s direction to “look for people who are helping” in times of crisis has come up a lot lately. And with good reason. This is certainly an unusual time, and certainly a crisis. We have found the helpers–and in some cases, the helpers found us.

We cannot tell you how grateful we are to have so many incredible people helping us.

We have lost jobs. We have lost hours. We have lost. A lot. Despite all that, the helpers are present.

*There’s Zaftig Brewers, who donated 200 pounds of fresh produce after having to close their (awesome) Italian Village location.

*Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers gave 250 free kids combo coupons to distribute to our customers.

*Nayked Apparel is donating 10 percent of sales of their We Care line of Men’s and Women’s clothing to NNEMAP Food Pantry.

A dedicated cast of volunteers has stepped up–Victoria, Richard, Judy, Valerie, Madonna, Cathy, Sharon–all working tirelessly to make sure customers get served. Because we can’t do this without volunteers.

Pantry Manager Jim Hamberg, Pantry Services Coordinator Ali Dojki, and Executive Director Roy Clark have continuously refined the operation to ensure volunteers have a safe work environment and customers get plenty of healthy and safe food choices.

If you are reading this, I know YOU are a helper, too. If you can’t get out to help, you can help from the safety and comfort of your own home. Please consider donating money or materials to help us continue to serve customers. There are many ways to help–click below to find out more.

I WANT TO HELP!!!

2020 Household income qualifications

If you lost your job, saw your hours cut back or had to take time off without pay due to the orders of the government, you may be eligible for emergency food assistance. If your gross monthly income falls below 200 percent of the federal poverty level, even temporarily, you are eligible to shop at a food pantry or free produce market until your income recovers.

For guidance on income thresholds, please click on the link at the top of this post. Not sure if you qualify? Give us a call at the number below and we can help you figure it out.

If you are eligible for assistance, you will be required to present a photo ID and may be required to show proof of residence (we require a piece of mail or other documentation showing that you live in one of our service area ZIP Codes: 43201, 43211, 43215, 43219 or 43224). You are NOT required to present pay stubs, tax returns or other proof of income.

If you or someone you know is struggling to purchase food or can’t afford vital medication due to the cost of groceries, PLEASE contact a food pantry for assistance.

Call us at 614-297-0533  *** E-mail us at info@nnemappantry.org

WE ARE HERE TO HELP!!!

Things are happening fast these days. Travel restrictions, school and business closings, inexplicable runs on toilet paper….it can be a little overwhelming. Now is not the time to recoil in the face of calamity. As my typing class primer implored instead–“Now is the time for all good [people]* to come to the aid of their country.”

*-edited to use more inclusive language!

NNEMAP Food Pantry could use your help. Here are 3 easy ways for you to pitch in and make an immediate difference:

1: VOLUNTEER  Monday through Friday mornings from 8:30am to 12:00pm, needed to help manage our temporary service model and also “deep clean” the pantry. To schedule volunteer days/times, please contact Executive Director Roy Clark at director@nnemappantry.org.

2: DONATE STUFF  Bars of soap would be awesome. We would like to make sure every household gets at least one full-size bar of soap every visit. Toothpaste, toothbrushes, razors, and feminine hygiene products are always good products to donate as well. For additional donation ideas, please contact Pantry Manager Jim Hamberg at jim@nnemappantry.org.

3: DONATE MONEY  We expect service numbers to increase greatly over time as the impact of this event comes to bear on our customers. The “downstream” effects of school closures, job layoffs and wage losses will devastate our customer base. It costs about $16 per customer visit and around $1,200 a day on average to operate the pantry. Contributions now will go a long way to keeping us ahead of what will almost certainly be a wave of increased need in the weeks and months to come. To make secure online donations, sign up for the new Givevia “Shop to Give” platform, or learn about other ways to contribute financially, please visit or direct others to visit our website at www.nnemappantry.org/give.

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While discussing another matter of worldwide concern once, a volunteer assured me, “We’ve survived since the days of living in caves–we’ll surely survive this.” When we all work together, we work best.

Thank you for your continued support of our mission!