ThisWeek CW 09/10/2015

http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/canalwinchester/news/2015/09/04/football-for-food-drive-supports-local-pantry.html

With the changing of the seasons, the Canal Winchester Community Food Pantry is making some changes and kicking off the annual Football for Food fall campaign.

Last year’s effort brought in more than 11,000 items that Canal Winchester Human Services Administrator Penny Miller said helped keep the pantry shelves stocked until the holiday contributions came in.

The Football for Food fall food drive will begin once again with a Pizza for Food competition starting Monday, Sept. 14. All students from kindergarten through high school are asked to consider bringing in donations of food and household items.

On Thursday, Sept. 17, a food parade will be set up for students attending Indian Trail and Winchester Trail elementary schools, followed by a final collection of food at the middle school and high school on Friday, Sept. 18. The classes that collect the most donations in each building will be rewarded with a pizza party.

The Football for Food campaign will culminate at the Sept. 18 CWHS football game vs. Westerville. Fans who bring a food or household item to donate at the game will be admitted free.

Attendees without food donations will be required to buy a ticket for the game, with a portion of the proceeds to be shared with the pantry. Anyone wishing to make a tax-deductible cash donation should make checks payable to Canal Winchester Human Services.

“The food pantry statistics confirm that hunger instability continues to be an issue in our community,” Miller said. “We currently have more than 1,300 clients and the Feeding our Future program served over 250 students during the last school year. Collectively, more than 109,000 meals were distributed to our hungry neighbors in the last fiscal year, which ended June 30.”

Distribution hours

Miller said Community Food Pantry distribution days changed permanently this month to Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

“We believe this change will be of benefit not only for the clients but will also help the organization minimize operating expenses and be more efficient with staff hours,” she said. “As a nonprofit that relies on charitable contributions to survive, it is very important to pinch pennies and watch the bottom line, and that is what we do continuously.”

Food pantry distribution hours will continue to be from 1 to 3 p.m., with later hours from 4 to 6 p.m. on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month.

In preparation for the busy fall and winter months, Miller said Kate Fox is now on board as a program coordinator to help oversee scheduling for the pantry and senior transportation programs.

“Kate had been one of our trustees and comes with a wonderful connection to the students and families of our school district where she recently retired,” Miller said. “She was also one of the Feeding our Future coordinators on the school side of the program, so working together was already a relationship we enjoyed.”

In addition to Canal Winchester, the food pantry also serves Lithopolis and underserved areas of Fairfield County in the Bloom Carroll school district.

The Canal Winchester Community Food Pantry is available by appointment only; to schedule call 614-834-4700.

Additional information about supporting any of the programs administered by Canal Winchester Human Services is available by emailing penny.cwhs@gmail.com, or by calling 614-834-4700.