Minute for Mission

Mat Makers and

Warm Welcome Knitters

by Rick Greene

MISSION FINANCE TEAM

In March 2013, Joan Talmage helped start the Mat Makers project at First Community when she and others at the church were searching for a volunteer project. At that time, they encountered the mat ministry at Worthington United Methodist Church.

Members of the Mat Makers at First Community Church make and provide 3-by-6-foot mats to clients of its Heart to Heart food pantry and the Near Northside Emergency Material Assistance Program food pantry in the Short North. The clients who receive the mats often sleep under bridges and are grateful to have the warm, water- and bug-resistant cushions. Otherwise, clients would sleep on cardboard or old clothing.

The members of this ministry collect grocery store-type plastic bags to make plarn (plastic yarn). There are collection sites at both North and South FC. Currently, plastic bags are not accepted in home recycling bins because they jam up machines at recycling plants. According to the Oceans Campaign Director for Greenpeace, only about 9% of all plastics ever produced are actually recycled. 

Making mats is a good way to recycle plastic bags. It takes about 1,000 plastic grocery bags and up to 50 hours to make one mat with most of the time to prepare the plarn. The volunteers flatten, cut, plan, and crochet/knit bags and mats. As an added benefit, mats repel bags, are water resistant, and insulating.

The Mat Makers create a sleeping mat that is comfortable and can also be used as a camping mat under a sleeping bag, used for catching some sun, etc. The best use for them, however, is to help a fellow human. As sleeping mats, they're more hygienic, easily transportable, and provide protection from the cold concrete. They're a welcome comfort to those living rough, while also keeping more plastic out of landfills and our marine systems. The mats have also been donated and used in orphanages in other countries.

Volunteers separate, smooth, and stack bags by color. Then they cut them into 3-inch wide strips that are looped together and rolled into balls. Volunteers take the balls home to crochet or knit the mats with large hooks or needles. They have found that they appreciate being able to help other volunteers as they bond with other church members. 

1272 Genesee Ave.

In March 2023, the Mission Finance Team approved a grant for $5,000 for Habitat for Humanity Mid-Ohio. This grant was used to cover a portion of the cost of the house built by the Northwest AAH & Mifflin Presbyterian partnership. The completed home was dedicated last week to the Lee family.

Click here to view photos

Heart to Heart

Monthly Update

by Yohan Kim

HEART TO HEART FOOD PANTRY MANAGER



We have been busy bees at the pantry. As of this writing, towards the end of August, the Drive-Thru served 273 families, 82 new. That includes successfully pulling off giving out food during an election, once again, which spawned quite a bit of buzz among voters who were interested in donating and volunteering. Our Pop-Up Pantry was also abuzz with activity, delivering over 131 backpacks with school supplies to Riverview International Center and serving at least 166 families across several sites.

Training and leadership standards, plus a volunteer handbook, continue to be developed. That is done in concert with our ministry team. We are thankful to those who attended Darkness to Light sexual abuse awareness and prevention training, which is important for the work we do, which involves volunteers who are minors and operating in the same location as a preschool. We hope that more opportunities will be available in the future, as allowed by Julie Richards’ schedule and the possibility of online training next year.

Our partnerships continue to blossom. We had 160 lbs. of spices from Penzeys, 451 lbs. of refrigerated food from Marc’s, 1,924 lbs. of frozen meat from Giant Eagle, approximately 13,843 lbs. of dry goods from the Mid-Ohio Foodbank, and 275 lbs. of food from Our Lady of Victory in Marble Cliff. We look forward to an upcoming food drive at Jones Middle School, the ongoing matchday drives by Grandview Heights Girls Soccer, and other potential partnerships. South Side Family Farms has also been providing a weekly assortment of produce, in addition to our shop-thru at the Mid-Ohio Foodbank and support from several gardens. 

Now that the kids are back in school, we need more help with our work, especially during our morning shifts. Signing up is an excellent way to assist our neighbors and discover what Heart to Heart is all about! 

Annual Volunteer

Education Event

September 28, 6pm

First Community South, Weist Room

Presentation and Guest Speaker TBA

RSVP will be required.

Refreshments provided.

We need volunteers on Wednesday and Thursday to help clean spaces used by the food pantry while we are closed. Please access the Sign Up Genius below to volunteer.

It’s that time of year again! Students are headed back to school and that means they can’t volunteer during the day. We are grateful for their service this summer and sorry to see them go. Can you help in their absence? We are looking for volunteers starting next week. Check out the link above to see where you might be able to help.

Sign up to Volunteer

Christmas Program

Heart to Heart's Christmas Assistance Program details will be announced October 1. Please stay tuned for details on how to participate. If you'd like to put yourself or your group on the list to be contacted as possible donors, please send an email to Kitty Rohrer.

Annual Report

Click the image to download the Heart to Heart 2022 Annual Report. In the report, you will find service and donation statistics and some other interesting facts!

In The Garden

Updates from the Share and Learn Gardens

The Share and Learn Garden at First Community North sits on the property behind the Mary Evans Child Development Center. All the produce grown in the garden comes directly to Heart to Heart. The garden is managed and harvested by a small but mighty and fun group of volunteers. Master Gardeners Cheryl and Loren VanDeusen, and their daughter, Kate Paulson, are the group's leaders. The group convenes on Tuesday mornings, weather permitting. We receive weekly updates from Kate Paulson during the growing season, including these excerpts below.

August 19, 2023

Hi all!

It is nearing the end of August, and the garden is producing away! Garden looking good! 

FYI, Erik Mars was out Thursday to make a few repairs and adjustments to our awesome irrigation system! 

Thank you to Janice for picking tomatoes 🍅 this morning. Don’t worry; more will be ready Tuesday! 😂

**This Tuesday there are scheduling conflicts for the VanDeusen / Paulson constituency. Harvesting produce and getting to the pantry are this week’s main objective. The white board for Tuesday will be updated beforehand. Please text me at 614-560-7923 with any questions.**

Have a restful weekend!

Kate 

August 11, 2023

Hi all,

Last week was very productive! Thanks you so much for all of the work!!!

The Growing to Green Coordinator at Franklin Park Conservatory, Sean McKay stopped by to deliver a new sign for us, and was extremely impressed. Sean said he could tell the garden was very loved and had dedicated help.

FYI, The Growing to Green Program helps support the garden both financially thru a competitive grant and product donation (soil and mulch) on an annual basis. 

Yesterday, I cleared out ALL of the infected leaves on the cucumber vines. Apparently it is necessary to get rid of the fungus leaves or the virus will spread to the rest of the healthy vines. The cucumbers look sad at present, but should perk up and have lots of flowers. 

This week we will:

- harvest tomatoes, peppers, collard greens, and okra 

- hang new sign 

- clean out and redo small bed beside daycare fence (see attached photo) 

- always weeding ! 

See you Tuesday!

Kate

August 6, 2023

Hi all!

First, A BIG thank you to everyone who showed up to harvest and weed. There was a lot of both 😂

This week we will:

- harvest cherry and 4th of July tomatoes 🍅 

- harvest collard greens 🥬 

- harvest okra 

- harvest peppers 🫑 

- maybe cucumbers 🥒 

- thin carrots 🥕 

- finish putting cages around the summer squash 

- weed around beds in the playground area

The cucumbers are struggling, but have blossoms, so now just be patient. I also re-seeded with (new) cucumber seeds. 

One of the teachers helped train the green beans onto the arch, so the okra wasn’t smothered. Some of the kiddos helped…very cute! 

Sean McKay, the growing to green coordinator at Franklin Park Conservatorywill be there at 9:30 to deliver our new sign (old sign literally rotted). He is excited to visit the garden! 

Additionally, there are a few irrigation repairs to happen this week. Erik Mars will be out this week to sort this. If you notice any irregularities with the irrigation while you are harvesting this Tuesday, let me know. 

Thanks and see you Tuesday !

Kate 

Monday Night Meals

Friends of the Homeless

The existing teams serving meals to Friends of the Homeless on the first, second, and fourth Mondays of each month are looking for additional volunteers. Seasoned members of these teams will guide you through the process. If you are interested in joining a team to serve the unhoused, please contact Pat Porterfield.