Housing Opportunities Food Pantry Supporters

Housing-Opportunity-Food-Pantry-North-CoastHousing Opportunities has seen a great increase in number of food pantry shoppers which has lead to an increase of items needed. Thanks to this wonderful community we have also seen an increase of donations five to ten times the amount it has been in the past. Though the number of items that shoppers could receive increased for public users in the months of November & December, the percentage of items taken from supplied goods is around 68%.

North Coast raised the bar for donations as they supplied over 2,700 pounds of food and paper products in the month of October. Heartland Christian Center doubled that amount in canned goods for November, supplying over 7,000 pounds. The food pantry has definitely been blessed.

So far, around seven donors ranging from individuals to schools that had given to Spring Valley will continue to contribute to HO. Horizon, Wiseway, and County Market grocery have given generous cash donations to buy goods and paper products for 2011. A pantry goal is to continue to have a steady supply of paper and cleaning products available for everyone that shops at the pantry. One of the highlights of HO’s pantry, stated by a food pantry shopper, is the variety of food and paper/cleaning items made available.

A huge thanks to everyone that has generously donated to the HO pantry. We are able to provide for over 300 families that shop at the pantry.

Housing-Opportunity-Food-Pantry-HeartlandIn the fall of 2010, Heartland Christian Center, led by Pastor and Mrs. Willingham, collected over 7000 lbs of non-perishable items for the Food Pantry. Heartland Christian Cener’s 600 members, and 150 youth partici-pants, led by Matt Willingham, were invited to partake in the Food Drive.

What started as a gloomy rainy day quickly was brightened with the sight of such blessings when the truck came to deliver the items for the pantry. The members of Heartland that delivered the items also helped staff of HO unload the truck in the rain with a smile on their face.

Housing Opportunities currently serves over 450 people each month, including the 91 children who are a part of our homeless and low income par-ticipants. The pantry shoppers and staff at HO would like to extend our gratitude to the men, women, and students who participated in the food drive!

AmeriCorps members thought long and hard about what they could do to show care for the community in honor of MLK Day. The AmeriCorps members of the Porter County United Way decided to sponsor a nonfood product drive to help stock the food pantry of Housing Opportunities, which helps equip the low-income and homeless with necessities of life. Many projects were undertaken to collect donations, such as volunteering by gift wrapping at Bass Pro Shop. A total of $600.00 was accumulated to buy paper and cleaning products. In addition, hundreds of dollars worth of food pantry items were gathered by each member, either through personal donation or friends and family from the community. The members kept the pledge of the AmeriCorps in their hearts as they served to honor this MLK Day 2011. “I will get things done for America—to make our people safer, smarter, and healthier. I will bring Americans together to strengthen our communities… I am an AmeriCorps member, and I will get things done.” ~ The AmeriCorps pledge.