Donor Spotlight: Jo Welsh from Bottoms Up

The New Albany Food Pantry loves to sing the praises of all of the amazing people who help us meet the needs of our clients.  This week we want to spotlight Jo Welsh from Bottoms Up.  Mrs. Welsh got a call from NAFP in February 2019, and has been delivering diapers to the pantry ever since. 

 We were able to interview Mrs. Welsh last month to find out more about Bottoms Up and how she and her husband started such a remarkable organization.

1.  Why did you get involved with The New Albany Food Pantry in the first place, and what has your involvement been?

“ We started two years ago, and since then, have grown to have two wearhouses and two trucks. We delivered over 60,000 diapers this month!” Serving five counties in central Ohio, Jo and her husband help provide much needed diapers to families in need. 

2.  Why is this organization important to you?  

“ I co-founded Bottoms Up, a 501ck3 organization, with my husband when we realized diapers were a huge need among families. Since then, we respond to calls all around when our services are needed. We have grown so big and so fast, and are glad we can help families with infants.” 

3. Why is diaper supply such a special issue?  What was your “call to action” or inspiration behind Bottoms Up? 

“ Young mothers and younger families are especially in need of diapers, and don’t always have the resources to have them. My husband, who used to work with a pregnancy clinic, realized that diaper supply is an area that needed continued support. And so, even after his involvement with that organization, we decided to carry on diaper drives and donations.” 

4. Some fun facts about Bottoms Up

“This year, we have delivered 339,217 diapers in Central Ohio -- 14513 have gone to the New Albany Food Pantry this year. Pretty big numbers when I thought 5,000 a month was big and we are over 60,000 per month! We are grateful for our supporters that allow us to serve more moms and babies!”

Thank you for all that you do, Bottoms Up!

To learn more about Bottoms Up, visit https://bottomsup.life/

How to Make Simple Italian Vinaigrette

No need for store-bought salad dressings once you’ve learned this simple technique for creating simple and healthy flavorful and light versions to complement your greens and more.

BASIC METHOD:  60% OIL  Any of your choice 

                                   30% ACID in the form of vinegar or citric acids-lemon, lime, etc

                                   10% FLAVORINGS any of your choice and a sweetener for balance

  Emulsifier- mustard, honey, egg yolk, mayonnaise

*this is the ingredient that holds it all together 

Adapted by EPEWITT NAFP-Aug.2020, epicurious.com

PREPARATION OF INGREDIENTS

¼ cup Vinegar

2-3 Garlic Cloves Minced

1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard

2 Tablespoons chopped Fresh Oregano, Basil  or 2 teaspoons of Dried Italian Seasoning

¾ cup Oil 

Kosher Salt and Ground Pepper

EQUIPMENT NEEDED

Canning Jar or small  bowl for mixing

Measuring cups and Measuring spoons

Cutting board and knife or scissors for cutting fresh herbs

Whisk

INSTRUCTIONS FOR MAKING THE SALAD DRESSING/MARINADE

CLEAN AND PREPARE YOUR WORK SURFACE AND WASH YOUR HANDS BEFORE YOU BEGIN.

1. In your canning jar or small bowl combine together the vinegar, garlic, mustard, and fresh or dried herbs.

2. Add the oil to the jar if using and Shake vigorously to blend ingredients.

3. If using a bowl, slowly whisk in the oil to blend ingredients.

4. Finish by seasoning with salt and pepper to help the  balance tart/sweet flavors.
   

This dressing will last in the refrigerator 1-2 weeks.

It can be used as a marinade for Roasted Vegetables or Grilled Proteins too!

It goes well to top a simple salad or as an ingredient in a salad of White Beans, Spinach and Tomatoes:

Recipe adapted from: https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/tuscan-white-bean-salad-with-spinach-olives-and-sun-dried-tomatoes-106538

Donor Spotlight: 643SPIRIT

We are delighted to present our next Donor Spotlight: 643SPIRIT, who donated over $1600 to us during the pandemic. Owner, Megan Lindholm, shared the following:

643SPIRIT opened in 2017 to support the connection people feel when wearing community branded apparel. We were incredibly lucky to have amazing support from our New Albany community and business was great!  Just as we moved out of the basement and into a REAL space in March of 2020, COVID happened!  

COVID put a strain on our business as we mainly support schools and sports teams. Although we were worried about business, we were fortunate enough to have food on our tables and our families did not have to worry.  The thought of kids who depend on school lunches for their nutrition or families who lost their only source of income weighed heavily on us. 

 We realized that even during these “unprecedented times”, we could do something to both "save" our business and help the community! Most of our business involves fundraising of some sort, so this spring was the perfect time to put this element into action with a new spin.  We launched the "NEW ALBANY STRONG" tee campaign and committed to donating some of the proceeds to families in our own community experiencing food insecurity, heightened by the pandemic. Once again our amazing community stepped up and supported this mission in a big way.  We were able to donate over $1600 to the NA food pantry through the support of the New Albany Community and remain in our new store.  

We are so thankful to have such an active Food Pantry in our town.  It was very rewarding to support them because they are so good at sharing what they are able to do with their donations.

Thank you for your support, 643SPIRIT!

Volunteer of the Month: August 2020

We are so excited to share our Volunteer of the Month from August 2020.

Hannah is a NAPLS student who volunteered with us over the summer and did such an amazing job helping out around the Pantry and serving our clients.

In Hannah's own words:

Why do I volunteer with the pantry?

I volunteer with the pantry because it gives me a chance to do something hands-on to help my own community.

What do I like about volunteering at NAFP?

The NAFP is a smaller food pantry, but that’s what I love about it. I have gotten acquainted with a lot of the volunteers there in a short period of time, and they have all been super nice, welcoming, and fun to volunteer with. Thank you for all of your help, Hannah! Have a spectacular school year!

For more information on how you can support the Pantry through volunteering, please visit our Volunteer page.

Donor Spotlight: New Albany Community Playhouse

A huge thank you to our friends at The New Albany Community Playhouse for their generous donation of $1660 to the New Albany Food Pantry.

The NACP produced a magical performance of Into the Woods @five14church last month. All proceeds were donated to the NAFP and we couldn’t be more grateful.

To learn more about the New Albany Community Playhouse, visit them online at: newalbanycommunityplayhouse.org.

Plan a Fun Evening Activity While Supporting NAFP

Empty Bowls

We are so excited to announce that the New Albany Parks & Recreation is hosting another date night event including painting Empty Bowls this Saturday, September 26th.  

All proceeds will benefit the NAFP.  

Not interested in making it a date night or watching the movie?  No problem!  This family-friendly event is a fun, socially-distanced activity to do with friends or children.  

What is the Empty Bowls program?

Empty Bowls is a grassroots movement by artists and craftspeople in towns all over the world to care for and feed the hungry in their communities.  The Empty Bowls events were created to support food-related charitable organizations around the world, just like the New Albany Food Pantry.  

How does it work?

When you attend an Empty Bowls event, you purchase a ceramic bowl on site (aprox. $10). Paints and brushes will be provided for your use during the event.  Social distancing and masks are required.  Once you’ve painted your bowl(s), you will leave the bowls to be fired in the kiln.  The finished bowls will be available for pickup in approximately one week.  Details for pickup will be provided to you when you purchase a bowl.

FAQ

When and where is the next Empty Bowls event in New Albany?

Empty Bowls will be at Bevelhymer Park on Saturday, September 26th from 6-7 PM.

Do I have to register for the movie event to paint a bowl?

No, you do not need to attend the movie in order to paint bowls.  The Empty Bowls event will be completed before the movie begins.

Do I need to make a reservation?

Reservations are encouraged, but walk-ups are accepted as well.  

Will I take the painted bowl with me when I’m done?

No.  The bowls are fired in a kiln after the painting event and will be available for pickup the following week.

For more details about the Empty Bowls event please visit New Albany Parks & Recreation’s website.

No Charge for Meals at NAPLS Begins Today

We received an exciting update from New Albany-Plain Local Schools Food Services:

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has issued a nationwide waiver giving school districts the option to offer breakfast and lunch to ALL students. This action will enable New Albany-Plain Local Schools to extend this opportunity both for students in-person as well as our students enrolled in the Virtual Learning Program (VLP). This unprecedented opportunity will help ensure – no matter what the situation is on-the-ground – children have access to nutritious food as the country recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic.   

Beginning Monday, September 21, 2020 ALL STUDENTS attending in-person at NAPLS will receive breakfast and lunch at no charge. Please note: any additional lunches or a la carte items (grades 7-12) will be at the regular pricing level. For the safety of all, to reduce contact, please access payschoolscentral.com to add money to your child’s account for extra items not included in the breakfast or lunch program.   

For further information or questions, please contact NAPLS Food Services.

NEW! Conversation Partners Program

The New Albany Food Pantry is initiating a new program called Conversation Partners.

Conversation Partners is a program that matches English speaking volunteers with English Language Learners (ELL) from our pantry community. 

The ELL partners have sufficient basic English to converse. In addition to assisting new residents to become linguistically self-sufficient, the program provides a potential friend with whom all manners of topics can be discussed.

Both partners have the opportunity to learn about each other’s culture & life experiences, and there is no fee to participate.

Due to COVID-19, Conversation Partners will take place online using WhatsApp, FaceTime or Zoom; each pair will have the opportunity to choose the platform that works best for them.

We will give out both hard & digital copies of “Tips for Success for Conversation Partners” & “Something to Talk About.” These information packets are for tips & suggestions, but they are not scripts! We truly want this to be a free-flowing conversation: think of it as “having coffee with a neighbor.”

The ELL Partner will know that the English Speaker is not a teacher & that this program is just two people conversing.

How it will work- 

• Volunteers will fill out this form to be an English Speaking Conversation Partner.

• Partners will be matched up by the ELL Committee at NAFP. 

• A brief (socially distanced) training session will be offered on September 17th at the Philip Heit Center for Healthy New Albany from 2:00 - 4:00 PM and again 5:00-7:30 PM.  You may arrive at any time during those two windows.  However, if you are unable to attend in person, the training information will be available digitally as well.

• You will receive contact information about your Partner, the Partners will also receive your information. You will reach out to the Partner & set up a schedule that is convenient to both of you.

• Conversations will be taking place for 30-60 minutes weekly for 3 months. We will reassess after three months.

If this seems like something you would be interested in, please fill out the form below!

Conversation Partners Form

Have questions? Please contact Angie Ojeda-Kreiman at 614.397.6999.

Rise 'N Shine Food Drive

On Monday, September 14th the NAFP Truck will be parked at the Philip Heit Center for Healthy New Albany from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM to collect Breakfast Food Items during our Rise ‘N Shine Food Drive.

Most Needed Breakfast Items:

• boxed cereal

• oatmeal (regular or instant)

• pancake mix

• jelly (grape or strawberry)

• muffin mix

• canned fruit

• quick bread mix

As always, your contributions are what make the Food Pantry possible. Thank you, New Albany!

September is Hunger Action Month

Hunger Action Month was established by Feeding America back in 2008, when it decided it was time for a nationwide push to get involved in helping end hunger in the USA.

Throughout the month of September, the New Albany Food Pantry will be sharing facts about hunger and it’s impact right here in New Albany as well as many ideas on how you can help us in the fight against food insecurity.

To help you get started, we’ve created a handy list of 30 Ways to Give in 30 Days which is jam-packed with ideas on how you and your family can get involved. You can download the list here.

Don’t forget to tag us on Instagram or Facebook if you post about your efforts to help end hunger and raise awareness in the community.

Get the List

Welcome Our New Volunteer Coordinator Rachel Jaffy

The New Albany Food Pantry is so pleased to announce our new Volunteer Coordinator, Rachel Jaffy.

Rachel has helped during Open Pantry quite a bit in the past and became a lead volunteer at the end of February.

When asked why she felt drawn to helping out at the Pantry, she said, “I've always been passionate about helping people both in my career and in my free time. I became involved with the NAFP because I wanted to help with the problem of food insecurity in our community. I'm excited to be the volunteer coordinator  and work to engage volunteers in helping our community.”

We are so excited to have Rachel join the NAFP Leadership team!

Welcome, Rachel!

Donor Spotlight: Mic Gordon

This week’s Donor Spotlight is shining on Mic Gordon.

There are some items that the Pantry is always in need of. Boxed cereal just happens to be one of those things. You can imagine our delight and surprise when Mic donated ONE HUNDRED boxes of cereal to the Pantry this summer.

Thank you for your generous donation, Mic! Support from members of the community like you are what helps sustain our efforts to make sure that no child in New Albany goes hungry.

Summer Meals 2020

The New Albany Food Pantry Summer Meals program officially wrapped up for 2020 last week.

While Summer 2020 presented some challenges we hadn't seen in previous years, we couldn't be more proud of the work we accomplished.

From May 10th to August 16th, the New Albany Food Pantry provided meals to the families of NAPLS students who qualify for Free & Reduced Lunch.

This summer we were able to provide:

12,898 Meals to 78 Families including 138 Children

Your generous donations helped make that possible.

Thank you, New Albany!

NAFP Spotlight: Renee Orozco - NAPLS Coordinator

Each week, we like to shine a spotlight on our amazing volunteers, donors, & New Albany Pantry Leadership team so that we can give our community a glimpse of what it is like to work at a non-profit such as the New Albany Food Pantry.

This week we are featuring a Q&A Session with our NAPLS Coordinator, Renee Orozco.

Q: How long have you been in this role? / How long have you been at the NAFP? 

A: Five years.

Q:  What made you choose to do this role? 

A: I truly enjoy working with students. I enjoy teaching them about food insecurity in Suburbia. In addition I enjoy guiding them through the process of learning about the various populations that use NAFP's services and support systems.

Q:  What do you wish people knew about the pantry? / about your position at the pantry?

A: I wish people understood that food insecurity is growing at an alarming rate in suburbs. And that the stereotypes of hunger and need are no longer true or relevant. I want folks to understand that stigma and stereotypes keeps folks from getting the support they need. I want folks to understand that food pantries are not always long term needs and that folks may need us for ER situations, medical, DV situations and more - there is NO ONE way of seeking support at the pantry. 

Q:  What is your favorite thing about your position?

A: Working with people of all cultures and life experiences - working to make their lives easier, more equitable and more just through support and validation. Working with volunteers whose hearts are as big as the sky and who's own personal stories inform their dedication. Working with students who are interested in furthering social justice in our community. 

Q:  What is the most fulfilling part of your job at the pantry? 

A: Making a difference in our community by bringing awareness of the realities of food insecurity to our affluent community. Working to dispel myths and stereotypes - by smashing stigma through dignity and open hearts. 

Q:  What do you spend the majority of your time doing for your role?

A: Outreach, community relations, talking with students, food drives, Speaking spanish to our neighbors in need, planning and assessing pantry needs. 

Q:  What have you learned from this position?

A: That need is situational and that need can be-fall anyone of us at any time. To keep an open mind and open heart always. That everyone has a personal journey and that coming to a food pantry is an act of strength and dignity! Asking for support is about community building - we are all our brothers and sister's keepers!

Q: What was the hardest thing/project that you’ve had to do?

A: The Hardest project is ....as yet unknown. Every project has its pluses and minuses but if they work to build up the pantry...then I am all in! 

Q: On a scale from 1-10 how much do you enjoy your role?

A: A solid 10! I love everything about the important work we do at NAFP! I love the community building we create and I love our clients! 

Through this interview, we hope that we can provide a little bit of a deeper understanding of what goes into working at our food pantry.

Be sure to check back here for next week’s behind the scenes look at the Pantry.

Donor Spotlight: Athena Johnson

Each week we like to feature a Donor Spotlight. This week's spotlight shines on Athena Johnson. Athena has graciously donated several pounds of fresh produce from her garden to the Pantry multiple times over the past couple of years.

According to Athena, "We’re very happy to donate to the pantry and glad that you’ve been able to make use of our veggies!”

“I began my gardening adventure a few years ago with a small plot at the New Albany Community Garden. My enjoyment and interest in growing my own food for my family continued to expand. Last year I was given the opportunity to use a piece of land which was graciously provided by the New Albany Motorplex. With a large and bountiful garden, I’m able to grow an abundance of healthy, organic vegetables to preserve for use throughout the year, with plenty of extra produce to share with others in the community."

Here at the Pantry, it is our goal to provide healthy, nutritious foods to our clients and you’ve helped make that possible. Thank you for your donations, Athena! Keep up the great work on the garden.