The blustery autumn months are upon us. Before you know it, those holidays are going to be blowing down the street, right toward us. 

YIPES!

For NNEMAP Food Pantry customers, holiday gifts can be out of reach. That’s why we try to brighten up those days by offering toys and gifts to our youngest customers. Last year NNEMAP Food Pantry served 4,675 children aged 17 or younger. Nearly 1,000 of them received holiday gifts. That put a lot of smiles on little faces!

The Holiday Gift Shoppe is back for 2020–and we fear it may be needed more than ever. We can only offer this special service with your help. Can you donate a gift–or your gifts–to put a smile on a child’s face this holiday season? 

Here’s how you can help:

*Donate new, unwrapped gifts: here are some great GIFT IDEAS

*Donate funds on our DONATION PAGE

*Donate your time by volunteering! Here’s how YOU CAN HELP!

*Print and share a copy of our informational flyer: PRINT A COPY NOW! 

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THANK YOU FOR HELPING MAKE THE HOLIDAYS A SPECIAL TIME FOR OUR YOUNGEST CUSTOMERS!!!

Are you and Ohio State employee? Do you participate in the Bucks for Charity program? So do we! NNEMAP Food Pantry would be honored if you designated us as the recipient of your charitable donation. Our Bucks for Charity code number is 19043.

Do you work for another city, county, state or federal government entity? Do you participate in the “Combined Charitable Campaign” as well? Then don’t feel left out–you can also use NNEMAP Food Pantry’s code number 19043 to direct your payroll contributions to our cause.

Thank you for your support!

If you are looking for other ways to help support our mission, please CLICK HERE!

Did you feel that? Nope–not those recent 90-degree days. Those couple of nights in the high 50s–did you feel that? 

We did. Sure, the frost ain’t quite on the pumpkin yet, but we felt that little bit of cool creeping in. And it can only mean one thing: fall is near! And you know what rhymes with “fall is near”?!? Yes: VOL-UN-TEER!!! You read my mind! Read on for some fun new ways (and old) to help out around the best pantry in Columbus!

STUDENT SERVICE HOURS  School is back in session in one way or another. If you or someone you know needs to complete service hours as a course or graduation requirement, let us know! Please note that anyone under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or responsible adult.

DRIVERS NEEDED  Do you like to stay on the move? We can help! We need volunteers to deliver groceries to customers and pick up donations from area stores and restaurants. Come join our fleet!

NEW SHIFTS  Looking for after school/work activity? We’ve got you covered. We are now open Thursday afternoon from 3pm-7pm. Need to fill those college football-free Saturdays? Come in for our 10am-1pm shift. Join our team and help us win the big game against food insecurity!

WE CAN’T WAIT TO SEE YOU! Hurry up and get in here–we’ve got work to do!

CONTACT US TODAY!!!

Hey friends! The Kiwanis Club of Columbus is hosting its 22nd annual Charity Regatta. Due to ongoing pandemic-related concerns, this year’s event has gone virtual. Hey–whatever floats your boat, right?!? Our winning watercraft was expertly adorned by our friends at Blue Marlin Graphics.

Nothing fishy about that design–it’s a real schooner swooner!

Kiwanis is a longtime supporter of NNEMAP Food Pantry. North Columbus Kiwanis members are frequent donors and volunteers at the pantry. They recently stepped up to help us kick off our new Thursday afternoon hours of operation. A generous grant from Kiwanis Club of Columbus helped us launch our “Full Bellies-Clean Bottoms“ initiative to keep baby and toddler supplies stocked for our pint-sized patrons.

Now Kiwanis is offering a $1,000 First Prize for the winner of the 2020 Charity Regatta! Here’s how it works:

GO to the Charity Regatta website.

FIND the NNEMAP Food Pantry entry photo above.

CLICK on the photo to donate! Every $1 gets us closer to the win! And winning is fun!

If you want to cut to the chase, CLICK HERE TO VOTE FOR NNEMAP FOOD PANTRY!

Voting ends August 31. Our goal is 5,000 votes. Will it be enough?!? Stay tuned for updates!

NOTE: NNEMAP Food Pantry gets 60 percent of donations linked to its entry. Kiwanis Columbus receives the remaining 40 percent. You will receive a donation tax receipt from Kiwanis.

QUESTIONS? Contact Sean Becker, Director of Development & Marketing: sean@nnemappantry.org or 614-297-9935.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

I just delivered groceries to this customer. She lives pretty close to me, so with a slightly alternate route, I drove right by her street on my way home. Just a few minutes out of my way at most. But probably hours of time saved for our customer. “Oh, thank you so much,” she said as she helped me carry in the groceries. “You have no idea what this means to us!”

Actually, we kinda do–and that’s exactly why we are doing it.

NNEMAP Food Pantry isn’t revolutionary. When you get right down to it, we are just a grocery store. If we’re a grocery store, shouldn’t we offer delivery service? For-profit grocers deliver. It’s a great service for people who are short on time.

Our customers are often short on time, money, and other critical items as well. Limited or no transportation options. No childcare. Medical challenges. Personal mobility challenges. Throw in a pandemic and you have a whole new level of challenges. Transportation and childcare vanished, and the threat to personal health skyrocketed. 

I don’t know about you, but I’d rather just be short on time.

For customers who can’t get out, are afraid to get out or are quarantined and not supposed to go out, NNEMAP Food Pantry is bringing home the bacon. And the eggs, milk, bread, produce, pasta…well, you get the idea.

Delivery isn’t easy. Delivery isn’t cheap. But it is indispensable service for our customers right now. We all pitch in on deliveries when we can. Volunteers, staff, and our partner Gimme the Dirt, Ltd. 

Why do it? Because if I’m busy, I can pick up the phone or hop online and order up a grocery delivery to make my life easier. And I believe NNEMAP Food Pantry customers deserve the exact same convenient access to fresh, healthy foods that I enjoy. Don’t you?

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To find out how you can pitch in and help NNEMAP Food Pantry, please CONTACT US to learn more, CLICK HERE to volunteer, or MAKE A DONATION TODAY!