#TakeAction to Fight Hunger with HOPE Helps Inc.

September is Hunger Action Month. This is a nationwide campaign, organized by Feeding America and its nationwide network of food banks, which mobilizes the public to #TakeAction on the issue of hunger.

How HOPE Fights Hunger

At HOPE Helps Inc., we are playing a huge part in fighting hunger in Seminole County. Every week, more than 5000 pounds of food is given out to individuals and families in need via HOPE’s Food Pantry. HOPE’s Food Pantry relies on grants and donations. Food donations come from individual donors, community food drives and community gardens. Financial donations are used to purchase food at very low prices from Feeding Hunger partner food banks such as Second Harvest of Central Florida.

Hunger and Children

One major segment of the food insecure population is children under the age of 18. HOPE has established the KIDS of HOPE Enrichment program which provides healthy lunches to school age children who usually received free or reduced lunch at school, for every week that they are on school break. A donation of just $7.50 will provide one child with lunch for an entire week. HOPE currently has over 900 students registered for this program.

HOPE Delivers to Clients Who Cannot Come to the Pantry 

HOPE also serves another demographic that is in dire need of food assistance with our HOPE Emergency Network System – those who are home-bound; elderly, disabled or who have temporary medical issues and cannot access HOPE’s Food Pantry. Food is delivered to these clients on a weekly basis by dedicated volunteers. Many of these clients have medical issues such as diabetes that require them to eat only certain foods and HOPE has identified a need for more donations of these specialty food items.

3 Easy Ways You Can Take Action and Fight Hunger 

For Hunger Action Month, you are encouraged to #TakeAction to fight hunger in your community. Here are three easy ways that you can get involved.

1. Donate Food especially non-perishable goods, to your local food bank or food pantry such as HOPE’s Food Pantry. A great way to collect a significant quantity of food is by organizing a Food Drive in your neighborhood or at your workplace. Click here to contact fooddrives@hopehelps.org to organize a food drive for HOPE.
2. Make a financial donation. Just $30 can feed a child lunch for an entire month! Click here to make a financial donation to HOPE's Food Pantry.
3. Volunteer in a food bank or food pantry near you. HOPE’s Food Pantry is almost entirely run by a team of volunteers. Volunteers check in clients and guide them around the pantry as they “shop” for their household. The kindness and smiles of volunteers brighten the day for someone in need. Click here to learn more about volunteering at HOPE’s Food Pantry.

Bonus: You can #TakeAction by simply sharing this message with your family and friends! Thank you for fighting hunger in your community! 

Charles Schwab Foundation Donates to HOPE Helps Inc.

                    

OVIEDO, FL. (June 5, 2014) – HOPE Helps, Inc. announces receipt of a grant from the Charles Schwab Foundation. HOPE Helps, Inc. will direct these funds to their Resource Center and Food Pantry programs. In addition, during Schwab Volunteer Week, Charles Schwab Volunteers spent a day at HOPE Helps Inc. learning about HOPE’s programs and meeting and helping the families served by HOPE’s Food Pantry. The Charles Schwab volunteers also presented a check to HOPE’s CEO, Joan Faulkner, on behalf of the Charles Schwab Foundation.

Charles Schwab Volunteer helps a client at the HOPE Food Pantry
during Schwab Volunteer Week in May 2014

"We are extremely grateful for the generous donations from the Charles Schwab Foundation,” said Joan Faulkner, CEO of HOPE Helps, Inc., “In addition to providing food, these funds will help provide direct services for those in need, such as utility and rental assistance, helping prevent families from losing their homes. We are also very appreciative of the Charles Schwab volunteer group who came out to learn more about what we do, and work hands-on for a full day in the Food Pantry.”

Charles Schwab Volunteers present a check to CEO of HOPE Helps, Inc.,
Joan Faulkner, on bahelf of the Charles Schwab Foundation

“It’s fantastic to see the positive impact that Charles Schwab makes in Central Florida by supporting HOPE Helps Inc. and other non-profit organizations at the local community level. These are the types of things that make working for Schwab so rewarding,” says Cameron Parker, Senior Manager of Advisor Services Complex Account Solutions at Charles Schwab.

About HOPE Helps, Inc.

HOPE Helps Inc. prevents and reduces hunger and homelessness in Central Florida by assisting individuals and families in times of crisis and by equipping them to become self-sufficient through Housing, Outreach, Prevention and Education. HOPE’s services include a Food Pantry, Resource Center and Thrift Store. For more information, please visit www.hopehelps.org.

About Charles Schwab Foundation

Charles Schwab Foundation is a private, nonprofit organization funded by The Charles Schwab Corporation. Its mission is to create positive change through financial education, philanthropy, and volunteerism. More information is available at www.aboutschwab.com/community.

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Orlando Sentinel Family Fund, A McCormick Foundation Fund, Donates to HOPE Helps, Inc.

OVIEDO, FL. (April 30, 2014) – HOPE Helps, Inc. announces receipt of a $20,000 grant through the Orlando Sentinel Family Fund, a McCormick Foundation fund. HOPE Helps, Inc. will direct these funds toward the Kids of HOPE Enrichment Program, specifically School Lunch Break Program, which feeds children from low-income families during all school breaks throughout the year. These students typically receive free or reduced lunch when school is in session and they are able to pick up free, healthy lunches at HOPE’s Food Pantry during each school break throughout the year! Additionally, the parents receive access to other resources, as part of HOPE’s effort to help them get their family back on its feet.

“The support through the Orlando Sentinel Family Fund, a McCormick Foundation Fund, allows us to continue our efforts in alleviating hunger for children in our community, said Joan Faulkner, CEO of HOPE Helps, Inc. “Now in its 6^th year, Kids of HOPE has been extremely successful in tracking progress of families in need and helping them to self-sufficiency. When parents register their children, they are able to meet with a case manager to help them with a personalized plan to get them back on their feet. We’re into the month of May and already have 554 school children registered for the program”, Faulkner said. “Our client families will then be invited to register for the annual Back to School Bash, which provides everything a child needs to start school. The Orlando Sentinel Family Fund, a McCormick Foundation Fund, has been extremely instrumental in their support in funding this program.” 

HOPE Helps, Inc. Board of Directors receives a check from Lisa Jacobsen,
Corporate Giving and Communications Manager of the Orlando Sentinel Family Fund.

“The Orlando Sentinel Family Fund is proud to support HOPE Helps and their Kids of Hope program. Feeding hungry children during the school vacations and summer is critical and the need in our community is high. HOPE Helps is able to provide measurable outcomes that show an impact in helping to move these children and their families to be more self-sufficient,” said Lisa Jacobsen, Charitable Giving and Communications Manager, Orlando Sentinel Family Fund.

About HOPE Helps, Inc.

HOPE Helps Inc. prevents and reduces hunger and homelessness in Central Florida by assisting individuals and families in times of crisis and by equipping them to become self-sufficient through Housing, Outreach, Prevention and Education. HOPE’s services include a Food Pantry, Resource Center and Thrift Store. For more information, please visit www.hopehelps.org.

About Orlando Sentinel Family Fund

The Orlando Sentinel Family Fund, a fund of the Robert R. McCormick Foundation, is committed to supporting programs that move low-income children and families to self-sufficiency. Since 1990, through the Fund, more than 870 grants totaling more than $35 million have been awarded to local nonprofit organizations serving Orange, Seminole, Osceola, Lake and W. Volusia Counties. To learn more about the Orlando Sentinel Children’s Fund, visit www.orlandosentinelfamilyfund.org.

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BJ’S Charitable Foundation Grants Donates To HOPE Helps, Inc.

 

BJ’S CHARITABLE FOUNDATION GRANTS

DONATES TO HOPE HELPS INC.

Oviedo, FL  – HOPE Helps, Inc. announces receipt of a grant from the BJ’s Charitable Foundation.  HOPE Helps, Inc. uses this grant for the Kids of HOPE program, which feeds children from low-income families during the school breaks throughout the year. These students typically receive free or reduced lunch when school is in session and they are able to pick up free, healthy lunches at HOPE’s Food Pantry during each school break throughout the year! Additionally, the parents receive access to other resources, as part of HOPE’s effort to help them get their family back on its feet.

“HOPE is extremely grateful for the support of the Kids of HOPE program in alleviating hunger for children in our community,” said Joan Faulkner, CEO of HOPE Helps, Inc. “BJ’s support once again, allows us to continue our mission in serving those in need and providing the tools to bring them to self-sufficiency.”

Volunteers from St. Luke's Lutheran Church in Oviedo
pack lunch bags for HOPE Helps, Inc.'s
Kids of HOPE Program

“The BJ’s Charitable Foundation is dedicated to supporting hunger prevention, self-sufficiency, healthcare and education in the communities surrounding our Clubs,” said Jessica Newman, Executive Director of the BJ’s Charitable Foundation. “BJ’s Charitable Foundation donated a total of $569,160 to 92 nonprofit charitable organizations across our footprint during this grant cycle, and we hope these donations benefit the incredible efforts of our partners working to impact the lives of individuals and families and enable them to continue to provide crucial services to those in need.”

About HOPE Helps, Inc.

HOPE Helps Inc. prevents and reduces hunger and homelessness in Central Florida by assisting individuals and families in times of crisis and by equipping them to become self-sufficient through Housing, Outreach, Prevention and Education. HOPE’s services include a Food Pantry, Resource Center and Thrift Store. For more information, please visit www.hopehelps.org

About BJ’s Charitable Foundation

BJ’s Charitable Foundation was established with the mission to enrich every community BJ’s Wholesale Clubs serve. The Foundation supports nonprofit organizations that primarily benefit the underprivileged in the area of basic needs (hunger prevention, self-sufficiency, education and health). For more information about BJ’s Charitable Foundation, please visit, www.bjs.com/charity

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HOPE Helps Inc receives Disney Grant 2014

HOPE Helps, Inc. is proud to be among the recipients of this year's Disney Grants. CEO, Joan Faulkner and Director of Finance, Janis Williams, attended the ceremony at the Orlando Science Center last Thursday, March 26th 2014 to receive the grant along with the prestigious Mousecar Award. 

  

Walt Disney World has awarded $3.8 million in Disney Grants this year and over $9 million during the past 5 years. The company selects community groups that will positively impact the lives of children in Central Florida. In this press release, Disney states that "through the support provided by this signature giving program, Disney Grants will help Central Florida organizations build brighter futures for children in a variety of ways, such as securing food and shelter for families in need, empowering students to write their stories, and kindling a love of music and the arts throughout Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Lake and Polk counties."

This is the fourth time that HOPE Helps, Inc. has received a Disney Grant. The continued funding has allowed HOPE to continue its Kids of HOPE program, which alleviates hunger for children who typically receive free or reduced lunch while in school; HOPE Helps, Inc. provides a healthy lunch for each day they are out of school for every break throughout the year, as well as provides their parents case management and other services to help bring them to self-sufficiency. 

Last year, HOPE's Food Pantry distributed 250,000 pounds of food to those in need in Oviedo and other parts of southern Seminole County, and served over 9000 lunches to kids in need during the school breaks. Thank you to Walt Disney World for your continued support of non-profit organizations in your community and your commitment to helping families in crisis in Central Florida.