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Kohl’s Helps Madison Food Center “Go Green”
Through their Associates in Action program, Kohl’s of Mentor provided the Center with $1,000 to purchase reusable shopping bags. Tuesday, July 13th, the Kohl’s volunteer team, led by captain Pat Cobbs, was at the Center from 4:30 p.m. through 6:30 p.m. stuffing bags with vinegar and baking soda along with a list of how to use these products as household cleaners.
Also provided will be 156 copies of The Green Book. According to Cobb, The Green Book offers hundreds of ideas for living in a more environmentally friendly manner. Each client will receive the stuffed bag while supplies last. “Kohl’s has a commitment to helping and requires each Associate to volunteer at least three hours,” said Cobb. “Five associates sign up to volunteer at the Center every month.” Along with their time, Kohl’s makes a financial donation.
Kohl’s Associates have been volunteering at the Madison Food Center since 2006. “It is wonderful to offer our clients these environmentally friendly items,” said co-director Chris Van Dusen. “Not only will they have a bag that they can reuse each time they shop, but they will get tips for helping the environment using cleaning items that can also save them money.” By distributing the reusable bags, the Center will also be limiting the number of plastic bags being used, another “green” benefit.
During the month of June, the Madison Food Center served 281 households, 18 of those were new families who had never received food from the Center.
Madison Food Center Benefits from Local Food Drives
The Madison Food Center is growing in response to more families in need and Madison residents are rising to the occasion. “Curves in Madison and Northwest Bank along with four local schools had food and cash drives for the Center in April. The Postal workers led by letter carrier Cindy Lutz brought in 4,500 pounds of food from their drive on May 9th,” said Chris Van Dusen, co-director. “We will be getting more food from the United Way of Lake County’s Harvest for Hunger and Pike’s Carstar Collision next month.”
While cash donations allow the Center to purchase staples, food drives bring in special items to help clients round out their menus. “We can certainly order a good deal more food with cash donations because we can purchase food from the Cleveland Food Bank for around 14 cents a pound,” said Laura Keeney, the Center’s inventory purchaser, “but food drives bring in more specialty items like crackers, baking mixes, and box meals.” Those participating in food drives are encouraged to donate canned fruit, spaghetti sauce, egg noodles, cereal, condiments, dish soap, toothpaste, deodorant, and laundry detergent. These items are in high demand.
One thing that Van Dusen and co-director Pat Cz-Stafford have both learned since volunteering with the Madison Food Center five years ago is that people in Madison will go the extra mile. “If you live in this town count yourself among the lucky,” said Cz-Stafford, “you have the best neighbors and most caring businesses around.”
In March, the Center served 255 households, with 16 new families who had never received food from the Center. In April, that number increased to 299 families including 27 new households.
Madison Food Center Announces New Volunteers
The Madison Food Center is growing in response to more families in need. As a result, we have created a few new programs and volunteer positions. Joining us this month is Dick Turkenburg. Dick was appointed to the Advisory Board of Directors and will serve as a Community Liaison, keeping businesses informed about the Center. Dick is a retired Madison business owner who donated his time to building the accessibility ramp at the new location
Also joining our team is Shelly Damm. Shelly is a Madison resident with a lifelong commitment to improving the quality of life for her neighbors. She will coordinate a food delivery program serving Madison's homebound elderly. Stacey Marlow will serve as the Volunteer Coordinator, scheduling groups to help with food distribution as well as filling other volunteer needs. She is a Madison resident and a busy stay at home mom.
Aimee Orogvany, a member of Chapel United Methodist Church, will be heading up efforts to provide food recipients with economical and healthy recipes that make the best use of the food items distributed by the Center. The Madison Food Center is grateful to have these new volunteers as well as the over 150 others who volunteer their time to keep Madison's families from going hungry.
In the months of January and February, the Madison Food Center served 1505 Madison residents living in 478 households. Each received an emergency supply of food. There were 35 new households served.
MFC Receives Heritage Award from MPACC
On March 11th at the Madison Country Club the Madison Food Center will receive the Heritage Award from the Madison Perry Area Chamber of Commerce, for "demonstrated superior commitment and achieving positive results in partnership with the community."
Everyone is invited to attend the Madison-Perry Area Chamber of Commerce Annual Awards Dinner at the Madison Country Club. For details see the MPACC February 2010 newsletter.
Record-Setting Month for Clients and Donations
During the month of October, the Madison Food Center served a total of 1,136 Madison residents living in 334 households, an increase of 151 over the number served during the same month last year. Twenty-five of the households were new to the Madison Food Center.
To meet the growing demand, the Center is conducting an annual fundraising drive by sending more than 350 letters out to Madison residents. Community members and businesses are encouraged to send donations. You can send donations by check directly to the food center or through the secure PayPal link here on the website.
“When you donate to us, your dollars stay right here in the community helping your friends and neighbors,” said Co-director Pat Cz-Stafford. “We are a Madison-based food pantry serving Madison residents.”
Central Congregational Church will be hosting "Bowls for Hungry Hearts," a benefit for the Madison Food Center, on Saturday October 10, 2009 from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
This one-of-a-kind fundraiser will offer guests the chance to select a specially donated bowl to fill with a soup of their choice along with a salad, roll, beverage and dessert for a donation of $5 for adults and seniors and $3 for children ages 3 to 11. Dinner will be served from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. and feature an array of local talent including traditional bluegrass music by Young-n-Blue at 4:00 p.m., Lacus Venti (Winds of the Lake), a recorder group directed by B.J. Green at 5:00 p.m. and Vic Swanson and Jan Pavlinak on the hammered dulcimer at 6:00 p.m.
Guests will be invited to take home their soup bowls to remind them of their Madison neighbors in need.
Tickets will be available at the door or can be purchased in advance by calling the Central Congregational Church office, Mon. thru Thurs. 9:00 am to 1:00 pm @ (440)428-3802. All proceeds benefit the Madison Food Center.
Central Congregational Church is located on the Madison Village Square at 71 Park Street.
Monday July 27, 2009 - Story in News-Herald
New Madison Food Center Helps Record Numbers
The Madison Food Center is serving record numbers of people since it relocated in May to the back entrance of the Phoenix Professional Center at 1954 Hubbard Road in Madison Township...
Read the Entire Article at the News-Herald.com.
Moving Day at Madison Food Center
After closing on Friday April 17, volunteers arrived at the Madison Food
Center to dismantle operations and move the entire operation to the new
location in the Phoenix Professional Building at 1954
Hubbard Road (Rte 528) in North Madison. The new Center
will offer a "client choice" style of food distribution and be set up
like a grocery store.
Special thanks goes to JBI Painting for donating labor to paint the rooms, Sherwin Williams for donating the paint, Bill Hoffman for his carpentry skills, the Wagon Wheel crew for all the heavy lifting, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Perry for all the shelf stocking, The Crockett Team of Howard Hanna Realty for use of your community truck, and all of our dedicated volunteers who show up whenever we need them without hesitation. Thanks to everyone, the Food Center is ready to open it's new doors on schedule.
Article from News-Herald
The Madison Food Center Awarded Innovative Program of the Year By the Cleveland Food Bank
The Madison Food Center received the Innovative Program of the Year Award at the Cleveland Food Bank's Annual Agency Recognition Event held at Windows on the River in Cleveland on Monday, November 10, 2008.
"The Madison Food Center is one of our Lake County agencies that is truly committed to their cause," said Deb Beckwith, the director of Agency Programs and Services. "They serve over 750 people each month with the help of more than 100 volunteers from ten churches and the community, a true collaboration."
The Madison Food Center provides qualified Madison residents with an emergency supply of food once a month. "We were chosen from among 400 programs in six counties which included church food pantries, children's programs, senior centers and hot lunch sites," said Chris Van Dusen, co-director of the Madison Food Center. "It's great to be recognized among so many people and programs who are trying to feed families that have fallen on tough times."
Beckwith said the Madison Food Center was selected because they went the extra mile be involving other community groups in their efforts. "The Madison Food Center has taken healthy eating directly to their clients by having a nutritionist on site to provide cooking demonstrations," Beckwith said. "This past spring, they brought in a Master Gardener to instruct their clients on garden planting and to distribute free plants and seeds." As a result of winning the award, the Madison Food Center will receive a $250 grant for products from the Cleveland Food Bank.
In October, 985 Madison residents in 300 households received an emergency food supply from the Madison Food Center. Thirty-nine of those families had never been to the Food Center before. "From one day to the next we are seeing an increase in the number of people needing emergency food," said Co-Director Pat Cz-Stafford. "Being recognized for our hard work and for trying to meet the growing need is an honor."
Contact Information
Pat Cz-Stafford, Co-Director
Chris Van Dusen, Co- Director
1954 Hubbard Road
Madison, OH 44057-0461
(440)428-9601
info@madisonfoodcenter.org
Hours
Tuesdays
1:00 to 3:00 P.M.
5:00 to 7:00 P.M.
Fridays
10:00 A.M. to Noon
Volunteer Advisory
Board of Directors
Frank Ashton
Fred Close
Pastor Stephen Fisher
Jaime Lutes
Cindy Illig-Lum
Maureen O'Toole
Gwen Szabo
Dick Turkenburg