We were blessed with a wonderful turnout at our Volunteer Appreciation Bonfire on April 23, 2010.
We would like to thank all of the dedicated volunteers who were able to join us as well as those who were not. The evening featured an extravagent menu of hot dogs, chips, dessert and Kool-Aid. We would like to thank our friends at Churchill’s for donating the dogs. There’s nothing like the smell of roasted hot dogs over the grill! Thank you to our grillmasters for the evening as well-Scott Millsap, Gary Shartell and Steve North.
Board members Tana Schiewer, Sue Magdich and Amanda Aldrich provided a variety of desserts including peanut butter and jelly cupcakes (with real pb frosting!), cakes shaped like pb sandwiches (the moistest cake ever!) and s’more fixings. A big thank you to one of our stationary pantry volunteers, Linda B., for acquiring a donation of condiments, as well as chips and buns for the dogs. How awesome is she?
Now onto the fire! We were able to build a bonfire on the grounds of New Harvest Christian Church. They graciously donate a large portion of their building to provide space for our stationary pantry. We cannot thank them enough! Fortunately, even though the flames reached the ten foot high mark, no one was hurt. We even had some genius teenagers attach the hot dog roasters to boards in order to keep their faces from burning off by the heat of the flames.
As a small token of our gratitude, we asked many of our unhoused friends downtown to sign a quote of appreciation. We distributed these to each of our volunteers to remind them that their actions and thoughtfulness do not go unnoticed. A copy of this message is on the front page of our site.
Following the meal, we were blessed with a moving speech by Gary Bond, a regular passionate volunteer:
“Well, what is it?
“It’s at the library man…They give away a lotta sh-stuff… They don’t like it when you swear.”
“Well, what do they give away?”
“Buncha sh-stuff. You goin’ or not?”
“I ain’t never been to that thing. I walked by there once and there was a bunch of kids playin’ in the snow. Almost got clipped by a snowball. I went back into the library.”
“I’m out of here. I’m going to Food For Thought.”
“Food For Thought? Thought you said they give away sh**?”
“They do—“
“Well, what do they give away?”
“EVERYTHING!!”
Well, of course they don’t give everything away, but I’m thinking that they give away everything that you need… And maybe it’s just me, but…well, when I go there, I feel better about me. My…self. And I feel cared for. Like there’s hope for me. I feel like I matter to somebody.
You must be thinking that I’m a few cents short of a dollar, huh?
How am I getting all this “stuff” outta some peanut butter and jelly sandwiches? Well, I don’t. The sandwiches ARE just peanut butter and jelly. But, I got in that snowball fight. I had fun. I have not let go like that in years. It has been years since I’ve known laughter. I feel like Tom Hanks at the movies. You know, “Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gona get.” And in Cast Away, “I have made fire!” So, for the record: “I HAVE MADE FRIENDS!!”
What can I say to those that have been so kind to me? How can I let them know what they have done for me? The truth is, I had become so invisible, that people had begun bumping into me. It was as if I were not even there. I had lost the ability to remain upright.
And it’s still a struggle to feel good about myself on a daily basis but, I am far better for my friends at Food For Thought.
“Well, what is it?”
“It’s just people man. Just good people.”
I think that sums us (and our volunteers) up in a nutshell. We are just good people. Good people with a purpose and a drive to change our community and impact the lives of the impoverished one meal and relationship at a time. I’m very grateful to be part of this humble, grassroots organization. If it weren’t for our volunteers, then we wouldn’t be able to do much of anything. We have two paid staff members. TWO. As unbelievably hardworking and resourceful as Tana and Matt are–they can’t do it all. That’s where people like me come in. And Marianne, our pantry manager. And Mary Ames, our go-to Administrative diva. And literally hundreds of other people that I couldn’t possibly mention.
Every time I tell people I meet about Food For Thought and what we do, they are blown away by the fact that we do it on such a small budget and with so few paid staff. In a way, I’m almost glad that we don’t have a full paid staff. Because that means everyone is doing and helping and loving because they want to…not because they have to. It also amplifies the fact that one person can truly make a difference. One person working with another, and another, and dozens more….
So again, thank you to everyone that has helped our organization in one way or another. We truly wouldn’t be where we are now without you. And we certainly can’ t be where we need to go.
Our mobile pantry serves multiple cities and neighborhoods throughout Lucas County by providing three to four bags of groceries to low-income families. The 17-foot trailer (and our new SUV!) stop at four regular locations each month: Monclova Community Center, Lake Township Fire Department, NuVizion Church and Cedar Creek Church-Toledo Campus. We cannot thank our partners at these locations enough for providing volunteers, space and resources to provide food and relationships to their neighbors.
We also participate in the CARE (Community Asset and Resource Engagement) Team, created by Commissioner Tina Skeldon Wozniak, United Way of Greater Toledo, Lucas County Job and Family Services and other agencies, to provide a variety of services to different neighborhoods each month.
We met with Senator Teresa Fedor and were announced during a Point of Personal Privilege at the Ohio Senate Session! Senator Fedor expressed her appreciation for our efforts. 
