December & January Food Pantry Requests

In Advent, we prepare our hearts and minds to receive God’s perfect gift to us, His Son Jesus. The excitement and busyness of the season, with all the shopping, baking, cleaning, decorating, singing, wrapping, and traveling, may cause us to lose focus on God’s life-changing gift. As our hearts overflow with thanks and joy and love, may we find room in our hearts for those of God’s children who need a helping hand at Christmas, giving gifts to others and serving as Christ’s heart and hands and feet in the world. When we share our gifts, we are sharing the love of Immanuel, God with us. May we reach out with joyful and generous sharing in our December and January contributions to our two Food Pantries.

• You and your family may have fun creating a Food Pantry Advent Calendar – see page 7 for a great way to observe Advent and help a Food Pantry family. You may bring your completed boxes to the atrium any time from Christmas Eve through January 5, and they will be delivered to the Worthington and Gladden pantries early in January.
• You and your family may have fun creating a Food Pantry Advent Calendar – see page 7 for a great way to observe Advent and help a Food Pantry family. You may bring your completed boxes to the atrium any time from Christmas Eve through January 5, and they will be delivered to the Worthington and Gladden pantries early in January.
• If you will be hosting a party during the holidays, consider inviting your guests to bring a Food Pantry donation to the party. You can then bring the donations to the Food Pantry baskets at church or deliver them to a Food Pantry of your choice.
• If you would like to help our pantries in preparing hundreds of Christmas dinner baskets, please consider augmenting your regular Food Pantry donations with an extra “Christmas Dinner” donation each week before Christmas. You can help make these baskets possible with your contributions of canned fruit, canned corn, green beans, sweet potatoes, stuffing mix, spices (sage, nutmeg, thyme, cinnamon), flour, sugar, gravy, chicken broth, cornbread or hot roll mix, cranberry sauce, canned pumpkin or other pie filling, evaporated milk, pie crust mix or pie shells, nuts, mashed potato mix, gingerbread mix, Christmas cookies or candy. Even things like turkey cooking bags, aluminum foil, and freezer bags are helpful.
• A turkey or ham and some perishable items will need to be purchased for each of the Christmas baskets, so monetary donations are also gratefully received and wisely spent. Both the Worthington Resource Pantry and the Gladden Food Pantry can amplify the impact of every dollar donated, as they can purchase $4 worth of food for every $1 donated. You can donate financially to the Worthington Resource Pantry at www.worthingtonresourcepantry.org/donate or you can send a check to PO Box 27; Worthington, OH 43085. You can donate to the Gladden Pantry in Franklinton at www.gladdenhouse.org/food-pantry or send a check to Gladden Food Pantry, 318 S. Glenwood Ave., Columbus OH 43223.

Your own Christmas celebration will be more meaningful when you know you have helped others enjoy a festive holiday dinner and healthy meals in December and January as well.

December 1 – rice, toothpaste & a Christmas dinner item
December 8 – granola bars, shampoo & a Christmas dinner item
December 15 – chunky soup, deodorant & a Christmas dinner item
December 22 – canned fruit, toilet paper & a Christmas dinner item
December 29 – baby food, formula, large diapers (3-4-5-6)

January 5 – oatmeal, cereal, pet food
January12 – peanut butter, facial tissues
January19 – spaghetti sauce, baby wipes
January 26 – applesauce, feminine pads