Upper Arlington Progressive Action, Organizing for Upper Arlington, and Columbus NW Blues are collecting food for the Smokey Row Food Pantry.

In addition to canned goods and other shelf-stable items, the food pantry requests baby wipes and diapers (especially sized 4 and 5).
Drop off your contributions at the following addresses between January 17th and February 4th:

5055 Francisco Place
2280 Canterbury Road – Side door porch
2000 Malvern Road
4347 Castleton Road
4284 Braunton Road

On February 5th, we will have a drive through food drop off in the Tremont Library parking lot from 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm. Join us in helping our neighbors!

Dear Org4UA Friends,

Although we may be seeing the other side of the Pandemic, there are many people in our community who still need assistance for a variety of reasons. Fortunately, Org4UA is ready to help. Here’s where you come in.

History: Last year, many of our team contributed items to be delivered to the food pantry Neighborhood Services, Inc. We were able to load up the trunks of 3 cars and deliver much needed and appreciated goods to NSI.

This year: We are partnering with Smokey Row Food Pantry — a small but important Pantry that relies solely on community donations (e.g. no help from Mid-Ohio Food Bank). One recent example of its service has been door delivery of needed goods to Hilltop residents who have been unable to get out. This Pantry is a “choice” style pantry where clients can “shop” at the Pantry to choose items they and their families need.

Items identified as needed for the summer: Peanut butter, juice boxes (for kids), granola bars, ketchup/mustard

Non-food items always needed: Diapers (size 2, 3, 4) & wipes, laundry detergent, kitchen cleaning items (we understand diapers especially are always in great need)

Other: We are told that anything you can provide will be happily accepted and utilized.

IF YOU CAN HELP…..please drop off your donations June 5 – 8 (Sat.- Tues.) at these two locations (open bins out front):

2280 Canterbury Road (home of Jack Guttenberg)

4347 Castleton Road (home of Wanda Carter)

Let’s shoot for another 3 trunks filled to take to the Pantry!
Your friends at Org4UA

Hello, Friends of Organizing4UA—

Join local area groups in a MLK Day of Service Low Contact Food and Petition Drive at the Upper Arlington Library from 11am to 2pm on Monday, January 18th in the Upper Arlington Public Library parking lot (2800 Tremont Rd.). Candidate petitions may also be available to be signed.

Bring canned and shelf-stable foods for donation to Clintonville Resource Center (CRC). CRC provides food for people in zip codes 43214, 43220, 43221, and 43235. If you can’t make it on the 18th, you can drop off your donation at one of these convenient porch bins on Saturday or Sunday:

• 5055 Francisco Pl., Columbus, 43220
• 2491 Lane Rd., Upper Arlington, 43220
• 4347 Castleton Rd., Upper Arlington 43220
• 4284 Braunton Rd., Upper Arlington 43220

Volunteers are needed to take bags and boxes from donors. Contact Cheryl at 614-402-7830 if you can volunteer or if you want to get candidate petitions signed at the event. Masks, gloves and social distancing will be expected.

Sponsored by: Upper Arlington Progressive Action in conjunction with Organizing for UA and NW Columbus, Columbus NW Blues, the Coalition of Democratic and Progressive Organizations of Central Ohio, and Indivisible District 12.

Thanks so much! – and stay safe.

Your friends at Organizing4UA

Greetings, Friends of Organizing4UA!

Today, Org4UA fulfilled a promise to partnership with a local food bank, Neighborhood Services, Inc. (NSI).

We write to THANK ALL OF YOU WHO WERE ABLE TO HELP OUT BY DONATING ITEMS NEEDED BY NSI FAMILIES—at this time personal hygiene items.

This morning we dropped off nearly 25 boxes of donated items. The NSI team was very appreciative to receive these items that NSI too often is not able to provide to their families.

We are looking into making this a quarterly project for 2021. So we may be partnering again in March 2021. Stay tuned! And we’d appreciate any thoughts/suggestions you might have.

THANKS AGAIN!

Now that we’ve all had some time to take a deep breath and contemplate the political successes of 2020, this is a good time for us to switch gears and, as a group, contribute directly to our community. As you know, poverty and food insecurity in America are at an all-time high. Those trying to combat both need all the assistance they can get. This is an opportune time for our groups to help provide that assistance.

THE PLAN: partner with a local food pantry, NeighborhoodServices, Inc. (NSI), to contribute specific items for their families–items needed now.

ABOUT NSI: NSI is a food pantry located on N. 4th St. near the OSU campus district and the Ohio State Fairgrounds, in existence since 1965. In 2019, over 10,000 families visited the pantry for food assistance. It will surely be more this year. Zip codes serviced are 43201, 43202, 43210 43211, and 43221 and 43220, (that’s right – our neighbors). Areas include, Linden, Weinland Park, the OSU area, Upper Arlington, parts of Northwest Columbus, and South Clintonville. NSI’S MISSION is to put healthy meals on the tables of those in need in the Columbus community.

In addition to providing a regular supply of groceries, NSI strives to improve the quality of life in the Columbus community by compassionately and respectfully serving the needs of our neighbors in other ways. NSI typically offers a Back to School Program, Holiday Food programs, Christmas Gift Adoptions, a venue for free Tax Preparation with AARP, and the processing of Rental Assistance applications. The two holiday programs are in process right now, with over 500 families signed up for receipt of a Thanksgiving holiday dinner and/or Christmas gifts for children under 12 years old.

HOW CAN WE HELP? We often take for granted the simplest needs in our lives, for example having shampoo, tooth paste and deodorant regularly on hand. But for some of our neighbors, it is a choice between having food on the table or a supply of personal hygiene items in the closet. At NSI, neighbors often ask about the availability of these items, but most often they are not in supply. The pantry can buy food from Mid-Ohio Foodbank at greatly reduced prices, but shampoo, deodorant and the like must be obtained elsewhere. Because of the connection between NSI, UA and NW Columbus, we are sponsoring a drive to donate a meaningful supply of personal hygiene items for distribution to families served by Neighborhood Services during this holiday season. If we all participate, the impact on those less fortunate in our community will be significant.

➢ PLEASE JOIN US IN MAKING A DIFFERENCE!

ITEMS NEEDED (for both women and men) (standard sizes):

• Shampoo
• Conditioner
• Deodorant
• Disposable razors
• Shaving cream
• Toothpaste & Toothbrushes
• (NO SOAP please. NSI can readily obtain)

COLLECTION DATES:
Tuesday, December 1 through Tuesday, December 8

DROP-OFF LOCATIONS: any of these 3 locations (each will have box on porch)

• 1178 Francisco Rd.
• 4347 Castleton Rd.
• 2280 Canterbury Rd. (porch on Mountview side)

ITEMS TO BE DELIVERED TO NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES:
Thursday, December 10

Please help us make a generous, meaningful contribution!Best wishes to you and your family!

Your Friends at Organizing4UA & Columbus NW Blues