February News from Barnabas

Connecting People, Help and Hope

Stephanie Wortman and Trent Roffler from the Omni Amelia Island Plantation Resort sort through donated produce at Barnabas' Food Pantry.

SnackPack Program Continues to Feed

Nassau's Hungry School Children

After being awarded funding grants from The Walmart Foundation and Bank of America, in 2016, Barnabas and our partners at Feeding Northeast Florida and Nassau County school system continue to identify and provide SnackPacks to 200 food insecure children. Sadly, childhood hunger and food insecurity remain a crisis in Nassau County and a threat both to our children's health and their cognitive development.

These 200 children represent the most vulnerable and economically challenged students in the Nassau County school system. Some are homeless and others are risking homelessness on top of doing without enough food to eat each day. Each SnackPack contains 5 pounds of child-friendly packaged food including pop-top canned fruits and meats, peanut butter, healthy trail mix bars, low sodium crackers, soups and a piece of fresh fruit.

Once a week, the SnackPacks are delivered to a centralized location in the Nassau County School system and our partners disseminate them to the affected children. On the Fridays before a school break, such as spring or Christmas holidays, a larger SnackPack, averaging 8 lbs, is provided to sustain the students through the days where there are no school meals available.

Barnabas Center Annual Meeting is Right Around the Corner!

SAVE THE DATE! We invite you to attend Barnabas Center's Annual Meeting on Monday, February 20, at 4 p.m. at the Martin Luther King Jr. Center, 1200 Elm Street in Fernandina Beach. We'll be celebrating our 30th Anniversary, so please join us for food by The Picnic Basket and a performance by The Peck Community Ensemble. There will also be a special presentation in honor of our dear friend and volunteer Dr. Tom Washburn.

For more information, contact Tania R. Yount, Chief Development Officer,

at (904) 261-7000 ext. 107.

Students Wanted for Cooking Matters Program

Cooking Matters Program Coordinator Robert Peck, Jr from the Barnabas Center held a cooking demonstration at the agency's resale shop, New to You, recently. This demonstration was aimed at promoting the ongoing program, "Cooking Matters".

The demonstration caught the attention of the resale store's shoppers.

"I'm hoping to encourage some of our visitors to sign up and take part in the no-cost program," Peck explained.

Cooking Matters is designed to educate individuals to the importance of healthy eating habits to maintain weight and offset medical conditions such as hypertension and diabetes, both of which are associated with unhealthy diets. During the classes, which are held throughout the year at Barnabas' Weaver Center and Southside Elementary, participants are taught the advantages of food prepared at home and the importance of a varied diet, including low-fat options, to maintain a healthy lifestyle and budget.

For information about the "Cooking Matters" program, please call Robert Peck Jr. at 261-7000 ext 121.

Speaking of New to You, visit our Facebook page and request a copy of our Sale Calendar the next time you are in the store. Thanks for your support of New To You! Your donations, contributions and volunteer time help to support all Barnabas programs.

Did you know New to You has its own newsletter? Stay up to date with all things New to You by signing up here.

Your Monthly Donation Could Help Fulfill

Daily Needs in Our Community

Every day in our community, our Nassau County neighbors struggle to make decisions about putting food on their tables, paying rent or utility bills, and purchasing medications or gas for transportation. Consequently, these individuals and families seek help from Barnabas for a range of services, including food, emergency rent and utility payments, medical and dental care, and much more. The daily need for services never ends, so would you please consider helping our neighbors by establishing a recurring, monthly donation to help us provide these essentials? Your monthly gift allows you to spread the payments across the year, lessening your larger, one-time financial impact. Plus, your recurring donation helps Barnabas improve its long-range planning and decision-making. Please visit Barnabas' secure online donation page to set up your recurring donation. Or click on "Donate Now" below. Thank you, in advance, for your consideration and willingness to help our neighbors in need.

Help & Hope Report July-January 2017

New To You resale store aided 148 households in need of clothing and home goods
Barnabas helped stabilize 237 households with rent, mortgage & utility payments and provided 21 bikes through the Bikes for Barnabas program
Barnabas provided 140,250 pounds of food to 1,632 households
Barnabas instructed 16 households with cooking & nutrition classes through our Cooking Matters program
Barnabas Health Services treated 1,280 patients with medical, dental and mental health services
Barnabas provided crisis intervention services and counseling to 81 women through the Women's Health Initiative Nassau grant program