Category: Food Assistance

Community Service Hours: Teen Manages Pantry’s Social Media

Joan Koehne
Hope Center teen volunteers earns community service by managing Facebook

Hope Center Pantry would like to thank Bella, a Mukwonago High School student who jumped at the opportunity to manage the pantry’s Facebook page. Bella plays JV Girls Volleyball and has a part-time job, so she likes the flexibility of being able to post to Facebook from home when she has free time. Not only is Bella helping promote the pantry on social media, she’s also earning community service hours required by her school. She’s doing a fantastic job, which helps Hope Center Pantry reach a broader audience.

Engaging with the Pantry’s Facebook Page

The Pantry Board recognized the need to expand the pantry’s social media presence, so the Pantry launched a Facebook page earlier this year. Prior to 2023, a Facebook Page for the pantry didn’t exist at all! Please help the pantry expand its reach by following, liking, commenting and sharing our social media posts. It doesn’t cost you a dime, and social media engagement helps the pantry share its message. Hope Center Pantry serves 350-500 clients a month who represent over 1,000 family members. To feed so many in Green Bay, we rely on food and monetary donations from the community. Social media helps us reach donors and clients, too.

Making Community Service Work for Students

Fitting community service hours into a student’s busy life can be challenging. During the school year, it’s hard to engage students in community service when the pantry is open, 1-3pm Monday through Thursday. Plus, it’s almost impossible to work around students’ extracurricular activities, like drama, sports, and music. That’s why the pantry has creative ways to get high school students involved in volunteerism for community service hours.

Helping High Schoolers Do Community Service

High school students are encouraged to contact Hope Center Pantry for more information about community service opportunities. We’re happy to work with you to find creative, enjoyable ways to fulfill your school’s community service requirements. Help us to help others!

So Handy: Baycare Clinic Donation Makes Food Transport Easy

Joan Koehne

On July 12, 2023, BayCare Clinic donated 500 sturdy canvas bags to Hope Center Pantry. Pantry volunteers use the bags to pack food items for single clients. The bags fit enough food for clients who are the only one in a household. Not only are the bags convenient for transporting food, clients keep the canvas bags and can reuse them as needed.

Reusable Bag Donation Supports Pantry Clients

The canvas bags are really handy for clients to carry food, especially if they walk or bike to Hope Center Pantry, 505 Clinton Street, Green Bay. Balancing a paper grocery bag filled with food on a bike is a challenge! Plus, paper grocery bags tear easily and are difficult to carry, even a short distance.

Consider Donating to Hope Center Pantry

Thanks to Baycare Clinic for the donation of canvas bags! If your business or nonprofit is interested in organizing a food drive or donating miscellaneous items to Hope Center Pantry, contact us. View our Wish List on the How You Can Help page.

Food Donation: Stranger’s Act of Kindness Fills Pantry Shelves

Joan Koehne
food donation to Hope Center Pantry from Green Bay man

The kindness of strangers sometimes stops us in our tracks. On July 20, 2023, we received a call from someone who wanted to donate some food for a good cause on behalf of his mom. He had called several agencies before reaching out to us because no one seemed to take his food donation request seriously. He asked us several questions about what we do at the pantry (hours we’re open, number of clients we serve, etc.). Then he asked us what our greatest current needs were at the pantry. We told him we were in need of food donations of pasta, canned chicken, mac-n-cheese, peanut butter and taco seasoning for our summer taco kits.

Surprise Call Unearths Extraordinary Generosity

He said he’d like to buy all of those items to help out the pantry, but he would need some assistance. So, the following day, we met him at the service desk as Woodman’s. After showing him our credentials for the pantry, we shopped at his direction. It took almost two hours as we eventually had several carts to maneuver. While shopping, we got to hear more of his story. He moved back to the area 40 years ago to be near his mom and help take care of her. They had a special relationship.

774 Pounds of Food Fill Pantry Shelves

When it was time to check-out, the total bill was $1,707.94. He purchased 774 pounds of food to be donated to the pantry, which filled an entire minivan! We had no words to thank him enough for the food donation and his unexpected generosity. We invited him to tour the pantry so he could see where his substantial food donation was going to be used. He said that he was sure that the food would be well-used, and off he went.

Goosebumps of Gratitude

We still get goosebumps recalling this extraordinary generosity and are beyond grateful for his kindness. Although he chooses to remain anonymous, he most definitely is no longer a stranger.

Hunger on the Rise: Pantry Serves 2,319 Individuals in May

Joan Koehne
Janice and Chris Clemens sort donations at Hope Center Pantry
Hope Center Pantry Directors Chris and Janice Clemens
Photo by Timothy Mayer Artworks

Just when we thought our number of clients coming to Hope Center Pantry reached a high, the month of May 2023 really surprised us. We served 593 clients for a total of 2,319 family members! Compare this to our January 2023 outreach to 471 clients and 1,774 family members. Hunger is on the rise in Green Bay, Wisconsin!

Reduction in Food Shares/Food Stamps

Our clients tell us time and time again how much they appreciate the assistance they receive from the Hope Center Pantry. The food donations we provide allow them to feed their family nutritious meals. They are definitely feeling the recent reduction in their Food Shares/Food Stamps monies.

Thanks to Hope Center Pantry Volunteers

We are so grateful to have dedicated volunteers that show up day after day with such eagerness and understanding to give our clients a helping hand. Contact us to donate, volunteer, or request food assistance. Hope Center Pantry is open from 1-3pm Monday through Thursday at 505 Clinton St. Green Bay. Additionally, military veterans and active-duty personnel can pick up free food from 3-5pm on the second and third Tuesdays of the month.

2 Champions of the Poor: Hope Center Pantry & St. Vincent de Paul

Joan Koehne
A toy garage built from a box that contained food delivered by St. Vincent de Paul volunteer.

Give a boy a box, and his imagination will do the rest! We’d like to share this heartwarming story of two charitable organizations working hand-in-hand to make a difference in the life of a family in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

St. Vincent DePaul Answers the Call

Several volunteers at Hope Center Pantry also volunteer at St. Vincent de Paul (SVDP), Green Bay, Wisconsin. Recently, a SVDP volunteer took a call from a mother with two children. She was between jobs, her car broke down, she received an eviction notice, and her family was low on food. That’s a lot for anyone to handle.

Free Food from Hope Center Pantry

The St. Vincent de Paul volunteer scheduled to meet with her the following day for a full assessment, but it was obvious that she needed free food, immediately. It was 2:45pm on a Thursday (Hope Center Pantry closes at 3pm), and the SVDP volunteer offered to get her some food from Hope Center Pantry to help the mother and her children through the weekend. Hope Center Pantry volunteers promptly delivered a box of food to the family, and the mother was quietly surprised at the generous amount of food. Her little boy carried the gallon of milk into the apartment and came back to help some more. His eyes lit up when he saw the pizza and juice. The volunteer smiled and said she hoped they would enjoy it. He enthusiastically responded, “I’m going to enjoy ALL of it!”

St. Vincent de Paul In-Home Visit

When the St. Vincent de Paul in-home visit team went to the family’s apartment the next morning, the mother was making omelets with the eggs from the pantry. That was wonderful to see, but that’s not all that made the SVDP team happy. They noticed that the boy made a play garage for his toy cars from the Hope Center Pantry food box. Together, St. Vincent DePaul and Hope Center Pantry gave this mother and her son some much-needed support in a difficult time. What a blessing to spread a little bit of hope by helping others.

Help Others by Volunteering at Hope Center Pantry

Want to make a difference in the community by helping others as a Hope Center Pantry volunteer? Contact us about volunteer opportunities or to schedule a visit to the pantry to experience volunteerism first-hand. The pantry is open 1-3pm Monday through Thursday at 505 Clinton St. Green Bay. Read the How We You Help information to learn more. Volunteers provide an essential service to those in need in the Green Bay, Wisconsin, area. Thank you to all of the volunteers at St. Vincent de Paul and Hope Center Pantry.

Letter Carriers Food Drive Yields 6,000 Pounds of Food for the Hungry

Joan Koehne
volunteers at Hope Center Pantry sort donations from the Letter Carrier Food Drive

After a three-year hiatus because of COVID-19, the Letter Carriers Food Drive returned on May 13, 2023, to Brown County, Wisconsin. Green Bay-area residents were encouraged to leave a bag of food by their mailbox to help fight hunger.

Food Drive Collects 6,000 Pounds of Nonperishables

As a result of the Letter Carriers Food Drive, Hope Center Pantry received 10 totes of food, totaling about 6,000 pounds. What a busy day for letter carriers and pantry volunteers! Some Hope Center Pantry volunteers drove the mail carrier routes to collect the food donations. Other volunteers unloaded the nonperishable food at the Post Office and loaded it into totes. Many other volunteers sorted and stored the food at the pantry. What a tremendous effort by so many dedicated pantry volunteers.

Largest One-Day Food Drive in the Country

This food drive is sponsored by the National Association of Letter Carriers and is the largest one-day food drive in the country. Letter carriers give back to the community by collecting millions of pounds of food, all which stays in the area where it was collected. The 2023 food drive was the 31st event.

Organize a Food Drive at Your School or Business

Thanks to the National Association of Letter Carriers for helping address food insecurity in Brown County, Wisconsin, by organizing the Letter Carriers Food Drive. Hope Center Pantry was honored to receive and distribute the donated food to pantry clients. If your school, business, or nonprofit is interested in organizing a food drive or collection drive for Hope Center Pantry, please contact us. Help us serve and guide those who are in need in the Green Bay area.

Hope Center Pantry Opens Late for Veterans & Active Military

Joan Koehne
man in a military uniform to represent extended food pantry hours for veterans

Starting in May 2023, Hope Center Pantry, Green Bay, Wisconsin, extended its pantry hours to specifically serve military veterans. Military veterans and active-duty personnel can visit Hope Center Pantry to pick up free food from 3-4pm on the second and third Tuesdays of the month. Volunteers, who are veterans also, serve their fellow veterans during these extended food pantry hours. Hope Center Pantry is located at 505 Clinton Street on the West Side of Green Bay, Wisconsin.

Hunger Impacts Lives of Military Veterans

Hunger affects many military veterans and their families every day. According to Feeding America, 1 in 9 working-age veterans live in a food insecure household, and 24 percent of active-duty service members were food insecure in 2020. Hope Center Pantry is doing something about it, by extending pantry hours and staffing the pantry with military veterans’ needs in mind.

Extended Pantry Hours to Feed Hungry Veterans

Hope Center Pantry is giving back to veterans and active military members who serve our country now or in the past. The extended food pantry hours for veterans are designed to help military families make ends meet. If you or someone you know is active military or a military veteran in need of food assistance, visit Hope Center Pantry for free food during regular pantry hours or the military-only hours.

Veterans Encouraged to Volunteer at Food Pantry

Additionally, if you’re a military veteran looking to give back to the community and other veterans, consider becoming a food pantry volunteer. Contact us about volunteer opportunities or to schedule a visit to the pantry to experience volunteerism first-hand. The pantry is open 1-3pm Monday through Thursday at 505 Clinton St. Green Bay. Read the How Can We Help information to learn more. Volunteers provide an essential service to those in need in Green Bay, Wisconsin, including active military and veterans.

Brown Co. Community Woman’s Club Shows Generosity

Joan Koehne
Brown County Community Woman’s Club at Hope Center Pantry with donations

When this group of women set out to do good, they surpass all expectations! In April, the Hope Center Pantry was fortunate to be the recipients of a monetary donation and a plethora of food items from the Brown County Community Woman’s Club (BCCWC). What a nice surprise when these women delivered these gifts to Hope Center Pantry!

BCCWC Brightens Kids’ Birthdays

BCCWC also donated six birthday bags. Birthday bags are given to Hope Center Pantry clients who have a child 10 or under in their household. In the child’s birthday month, he or she receives a bag containing a cake mix, frosting, candles and a toy. The majority of these birthday bags are donated by two local high school girls’ soccer teams, Notre Dame Academy and Southwest High School. Read more in this article about Birthday Bags and Christmas gift bags.

14,500+ Volunteer Service Hours Annually

The Brown County Community Woman’s Club is a nonprofit organization that provides charitable services and funding to the community. Eight women established BCCWC in 2008 as a nonsectarian, nonpolitical organization that supports the community while promoting social and personal growth of its members. BCCWC logs more than 14,500 hours of volunteer service annually in Brown County, Wisconsin. To date, the BCCWC has donated more than $478,000 in community awards, all in Brown County.

Thank you, Brown County Community Woman’s Club

Thanks to the Brown County Community Woman’s Club for helping address food insecurity in Brown County, Wisconsin. Hope Center Pantry was honored to receive and distribute the donated food to pantry clients. If your school, business, or nonprofit is interested in organizing a food drive or collection drive for Hope Center Pantry, please contact us. Help us serve and guide those who are in need in the Green Bay, Wisconsin, area.

Youth Hockey Teams Rally to Feed Those in Need

Joan Koehne
Hockey players from the Green Bay Youth Hockey Association pose with food drive donations.

What do hockey players and food pantry volunteers have in common? In February, both were helping feed the hungry of Green Bay, Wisconsin. On Feb. 20, several boys wearing hockey jerseys showed up at the Hope Center Pantry delivery door. They represented the Green Bay Area Youth Hockey Association and donated five huge totes of food.

Green Bay Youth Hockey Association Food Collection

The Green Bay Youth Hockey Association collected the nonperishable food donations at Chaos at Cornerstone. The Cornerstone Community Center, 1640 Fernando Drive in Ashwaubenon, offers hockey programs for all ages, including youth and adult hockey leagues, skill classes, and instruction. Forty-two teams of players 8 years old or younger participated in Chaos at Cornerstone.

Raising Awareness About Hunger

Not only did the food collection stock the shelves at Hope Center Pantry, it also raised awareness about hunger in the community. The youth hockey community took action to share their food with their neighbors in need. Imagine the lessons about generosity and compassion that the young hockey players learned by participating in this food drive.

Organize a Food Drive for Hope Center Pantry

Interested in organizing a food drive for Hope Center Pantry? Check out this helpful 5-step guide to a successful food drive published by Feeding America. Feeding America partners with Hope Center Pantry to help feed the hungry of Brown County, Wisconsin. Businesses and organizations can organize a nonperishable food drive to collect canned food and boxed goods. Alternatively, they can organize a virtual fundraiser to collect monetary donations instead of food. Hope Center Pantry uses monetary donations to purchase items that clients need the most. Both types of food drives help keep the Hope Center Pantry shelves stocked and feed the hungry of Brown County, Wisconsin.

Thanks to GBYHA for Hosting a Food Drive

Thanks to the Green Bay Youth Hockey Association for helping address the food insecurity needs here in Brown County, Wisconsin. Hope Center Pantry was honored to receive the items that were collected at this food drive and distribute the food to Hope Center Pantry clients.

Pantry Offers High School Community Service Opportunities

Joan Koehne 1 Comment
Bayport High School students earn community service hours at Hope Center Pantry

Students who volunteer at nonprofits like Hope Center Pantry aren’t just helping others. They’re helping themselves! Student volunteers learn valuable skills like accountability, responsibility, and punctuality. They have opportunities to engage with others, some who are much different than themselves. Plus, they gain the satisfaction of personally making an impact on the community.

Earning Community Service Hours

The pantry relies on volunteers to operate, so even short-term volunteerism is appreciated. That’s why Hope Center Pantry was excited to have two Bay Port High School students, Ellie and Olivia, perform community service at the Pantry. Pantry leaders found creative ways to engage these high school students, because the students are in school when the Pantry is open. Pantry hours are 1-3pm Monday-Thursday, and pantry is located on the West Side of Green Bay at 505 Clinton St.

Volunteering Enthusiastically

Ellie and Olivia helped gather and pack the meal kit ingredients for Jackson Elementary and also assembled homemade thank you cards. They were such a huge help, and their enthusiasm is contagious!

Seeking High School Volunteers

f you are a high school student or parent of a high school student who needs community service hours before graduation, please consider volunteering at Hope Center Pantry. Contact us. Let the Hope Center Pantry know:

  • Your availability – we have after-hours projects
  • Your skills and interests
  • What will make your volunteer experience more enjoyable
  • Number of community service hours you need

Contact the Pantry to Volunteer

Since Hope Center Pantry is a nonprofit organization, schools and other organization requiring community service honor pantry volunteer hours. We’re happy to sign your community service form. High school students, contact us today for community service hours at Hope Center Pantry, Green Bay.