In-Kind Donations for Assistance Programs:
NonFood Pantry
Most people have no idea that Food Stamps cannot be used to purchase nonfood items. So what does a person do when they need these things? Here are a few reactions from clients at Servant’s Heart NonFood Pantry:
A man in his mid-thirties dropped to his knees and sobbed when he was asked to select the brand of toilet paper he wanted for him and his sons.
An older woman had her own little party, jumping up and down and twirling around in the bleach area stating, “I can finally clean my floors”.
A single mom’s eyes filled with tears knowing that her teenage daughter will have shampoo and conditioner to wash her hair and lotion for her dry skin.
Oh, the things we take for granted! Clients select a 1-month supply of nonfood items. A family of 4 leaves with a minimum of $185 in product.
♥ $258,946 of nonfood items were given to 5,536 people over the past 7 years.
Non-Food Pantry Donations are accepted Monday-Friday from 10:00 to 4:30 through our front doors.
Emergency Food Pantry
There is little to no food in the house and the money that was expected simply didn’t come. The Food Stamp EBT card is exhausted and it will be another week or so before the next allotment. Children are irritated and unfocused because they are hungry and cannot sleep. Adults give their portion of food to their children, falsely assuring them that they ate at the office or that they’re just not hungry. When WE say we are “out of food”, that typically means we don’t have our “go to favorite foods” in the pantry. When clients say they are out of food, there is literally no food in the house.
Many moms have requested clothing for themselves because of the extreme weight loss due to lack of food in their home.
A single mom gathered all electronic devices in her home that could be pawned so she would have money for groceries.
In America, how does this happen? Here’s what we do to help:
Clients select groceries from among mostly nonperishable food items. There is no reason clients and their families should be hungry. Our pantry supplies enough food for 4-7 days, depending on their situation.
♥ $101,562 of food items fed 4,105 people over the past 7 years.
Food Pantry Donations are accepted Monday-Friday from 10:00 to 4:30 through our front doors.
Back2School
One way to change the trajectory of a child’s future is to give them the proper tools today. None of us can perform our responsibilities very well without the right supplies. Let’s make sure all kids have what they need for academic success. Program planning begins in May of each year.
New book bags filled with new school supplies are distributed to students and schools along with classroom and administrative provisions to all 10 Mint Hill schools.
♥ $136,728 was given over the past 6 years to help boost our local academic standing and give our children the right tools for the job.
We Need:
Individuals or groups to adopt book bags and fill with the list of supplies — need fully stocked book bag returned by August 7th.
Individuals or groups to purchase classroom/administrative list of supplies (Classroom Supply List) — needed by September 4th.
Turkey Tuesday
A holiday that requires one gift: A thankful heart. Let the abundance of your thankful heart help someone realize that they, too, have many reasons in life to be thankful.
Clients receive groceries for a traditional Thanksgiving meal to prepare the way they like to eat it based on the number of people who reside in their home. Each family also receives an additional $40 grocery gift card to complete their feast. Planning for this program begins in September.
♥ $123,466 fed 4,039 people Thanksgiving dinner since 2016.
We Need:
$20 or $40 Food Lion gift cards
Christmas Assistance
Christmas is “the most wonderful time of the year”, but for most of our clients, it’s a most desperate time of the year. It’s every parent’s hope to see their children filled with excitement on Christmas morning as they rush to see their gifts beneath the tree. It is our wish that every child will feel valued, special and loved.
Our qualified clients select up to $100 in new toys for each child in their home up to 12 years of age. Because teenagers like to select their own gifts (and we seldom get their choices right), clients are given $75 Walmart gift cards per teenager/college student in their home. That $75 gift card will spend far more than its face value when they commence their shopping trip after Christmas day!
Will you be a hero to our parents and their children this Christmas? Though they may not know your name, they will never forget what you did.
This program is initiated in September for execution in December.
♥ $265,211 of new toys and clothes were given to 2,960 children over the past 7 years. In 2023, about $12,000 were gift cards.
We Need:
New toys/items age appropriate for children 0-12 years of age (most needed 0-12 months and 8-12 years of age).Please leave price tags or sales receipts attached to items.
$25 or $75 Walmart gift cards – a lot of them!