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Minute for Mission
South Side Family Farms
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by Rick Greene
MISSION GRANTS TEAM MEMBER
6 I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. 7 So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 8 The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. 9 For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.
1 Corinthians 3:6–9
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At the September meeting of the Mission teams, our guest speaker was Minister Aaron K. Hopkins of Family Missionary Baptist Church on Oakwood Avenue in Columbus. Many of you may know him from the Ministries 4 Movement marches against gun violence occurring the first Sunday of every month. He became interested in gardening through landscaping and has worked in agriculture for 28 years. At the meeting, he provided information about the South Side Family Farms and its impact on the community.
Founded in 2014 as a community garden, the church started the Farms--an urban farming mission. This organization works side-by-side with Columbus South Side neighbors to cultivate a community of wellness that heals bodies, souls, and minds. This program strives to address food insecurities and provide safe havens for discussion, learning, reflection, and encouragement to bring forth fruit and nourishment.
It is the passion of South Side Family Farms (https://southsidefamilyfarms.com/) to serve its community by Planting Seeds of Progress. It produces plants—fruit on the vine—as agents of change towards better food access, equity, quality, and fair food. It wants to sustain and equip generations going forward through knowledge transfer and learning to grow food and food systems.
Its guiding principles include organic farming, waste avoidance, regenerative farming, and water conservation through empowering neighbors in the community as the neighborhood experiences gentrification. It focuses on training youth to put these principles in action.
The South Side Family Farms features hands-on teaching in the gardens, interactive learning about proper nutrition, and how to cook delicious recipes with the harvest. The organization currently has two farms at both 1204 and 1269 Wilson Avenue. In addition, it has the Seedlings of Change Farmsite in Johnstown (a 1.25-acre plot of land) and has plants for seedlings and production.
The organization shares fruits of its labor with all in the community through the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program. In this, it participates with the CSA by bringing fresh food access to homes in the South Side community. Youth in the program participate in the growing and harvesting of the bounty and deliver it to homes in the community.
The garden has existing connections with FCC and its H2H food pantry. In addition, it has a relationship with Broad Street Presbyterian farmer’s market and the Lutheran Social Services food pantries on Champion Avenue.
This program has been operated solely on donations and is looking to sell food items for financial sustainability, including working and planning on branded pickles. Minister Aaron hopes to be able to provide seeds and instruction on growing plants to the neighborhood. He has begun discussions with the Columbus City Council about expansion in its capital budget with the goal of building an indoor space for education and four seasons of growing. In addition, he has been exploring a 4H Club for youth and agriculture.
If you would like more information about First Community Church and its involvement with the South Side Family Farms or are interested in joining the Mission teams, please email at Mission@FCchurch.com.
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Heart to Heart
Monthly Update
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The Christmas Kindness Project
by Amy Caskie
DIRECTOR OF MISSIONS
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In the "Before Times", as I like to call them, we had pretty solid program set up to serve Heart to Heart clients in cooperation with the Trading Post. The Christmas Presence project was great, but became impossible in 2020. As both ministries have expanded their services and evolved in their respective spaces, we have come up with different ideas to support our neighbors.
Over the past few years, a small contingent of volunteers and I have tried out several different programs. While each had value, none of them have worked out quite perfectly. Once again, we have created a new project this year in hopes we can make the process simple while providing exceptional support.
Read through the description below and consider participating this year. If this goes smoothly, and we have finally found the perfect format, we'll do it again next year. (Please let it go smoothly!)
The Christmas Kindness Project was created to ensure gifts under the tree for children of Heart to Heart food pantry’s clients. Once client questionnaires are completed, the children’s wish lists will be divided item-by-item and donors will be allowed to choose items to purchase and donate. Once all donor gifts have been collected, they will be provided to the clients.
The clients were identified by Heart to Heart staff, focusing on those regular clients with with more than one child over 2 years old. We are especially interested in helping larger families (lots of kiddos), since that makes Christmas feel even more expensive.
We are already working with the 20 families that were selected. A team of three volunteers is interviewing each family, collecting information about each of their children's wants and needs. That's where you come in!
How to participate
Donors
Mid-November, displays will be constructed outside worship spaces at both First Community locations. Beginning November 17, you may visit those displays to choose ornaments off the tree! These paper ornaments will include information about the child and one gift to be provided to them.
Don't throw away that ornament! When you have purchased the gift/gifts, you will return to the church with the gift, unwrapped, and with that ornament tag attached. Please make every effort to purchase items as close to description as possible and making sure the tag is attached. This is imperative for the volunteers picking up and sorting the gifts for each family. Imagine organizing 4 gifts for 4 kids in 20 families... this is a huge undertaking.
To participate you must visit one of the church locations to retrieve the information and return the donation. Please respect the time and effort of the volunteers dedicated to this project. We will not accept financial donations toward this project. If you would like suggestions for your financial donations, we suggest a contribution to Adopt-A-Family for the FC Youth Program, or directly to the operating funds for the food pantry.
Volunteers
Clients will be allowed to pickup the gifts for their families during three designated slots in the days before Christmas. A few volunteers will be needed during each of those shifts to help with organization, distribution, etc.
We will also need a few volunteers willing to meet clients that are unable to pickup gifts during our designated times at the church. Families may ask that you meet them somewhere in public, or invite you to meet them in their home with these gifts. Our goal is to make this as simple as possible, putting the needs of these families first.
Please note
That's a lot of info, but you don't have to remember any of it! All of this information will be available at the displays beginning November 17. You can read more about the project at h2h.FCchurch.com/ChristmasKindness. Information will be updated on that page as it becomes available over the next several weeks. You will also find a link to the volunteer sign-up on that page. If you have any questions, please contact Amy Caskie.
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Thanksgiving Food Drive
by Amy Caskie
DIRECTOR OF MISSIONS
Please see below for a list of items you can donate to support this joint food drive for Midweek Missions and Heart to Heart food pantry. We are accepting food donations and the final collection will occur during worship on November 10. We need a few volunteers to help move, sort, weigh and store donations after each worship service. Please sign up to volunteer here.
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$20,000 Matching Grant
Fundraiser in February
by Amy Caskie
DIRECTOR OF MISSIONS
For ten years, Jill and Duke Thomas have pledged a matching grant of $20,000 for Heart to Heart food pantry. If you remember this end-of-year effort, you may be wondering why you haven’t heard about the grant or matching period. With Duke’s blessing, we will continue this match for gifts in February and March of 2025, rather than the end of this year.
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Jill Thomas
Heart to Heart co-founder
Feb 14, 1941 - Aug 04, 2023
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During the holiday season, we can feel torn between the costs of our own Christmas plans and donating to the many worthy programs and projects. Our hope is that this provides potential donors with a greater opportunity to give since it is not during the holiday season.
February 14, Valentine’s Day, was Jill’s birthday. For her entire birthday month of February, we will celebrate in her memory. We will highlight her integral efforts in the early days of what is now the Heart to Heart food pantry. We look forward to celebrating with you and all those who help Heart to Heart serve the community.
More details will follow as they become available.
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Service Statistics
Households Served 732
- Families Served by Drive-Thru Pantry 530
- Families Served by Pop-Up Pantry 202
- New Families Served 143
Individuals Served 2,533
- Seniors Served 286
- Adults Served 1,301
- Children Served 946
Meals Served 22,797
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Incoming Materials
in pounds
First Community Church 2,058
Giant Eagle 2,156
Marc’s 155
Mid-Ohio Foodbank 28,633 (total weight)
- Shop Thru weight 10,362
- Order weight 18,271
- Total Cost $4,903.39
Penzey’s 30
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by Shirley Barney
REFUGEE MINISTRY TEAM LEAD
The new family from Venezuela are doing very well. The RMT (Refugee Ministry Team) helped the family move into their new apartment. With funds donated to the RMT mission, we were able to purchase food, household items, toiletries, bedding, pillows, comforters, warm seasonal clothing, shoes, etc. for the entire family. Thank you so much for donating funds and household items to the RMT mission. We could not assist these families without your support, donations and help from our volunteers.
See the pictures taken of the family at Boo at the zoo. They all had a wonderful time!
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We are looking for these donations:
- Washer & dryer
- Unused toiletries (soap, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, feminine products, etc)
If you are interested in volunteering or donating the items needed, please contact Shirley Barney.
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by Beth Hanson
TRADING POST VOLUNTEER TEAM LEAD
By the time you read this article, the Trading Post will have exploded with Christmas merchandise of all kinds. Our big “Christmas Reveal” is Monday, November 4. Volunteers will have spent the prior weekend transforming the store into a Christmas wonderland with ornaments, wreaths, Xmas clothing, dishes, décor, trees, Santas, elves, angels, nutcrackers, snowmen, jewelry, toys, dolls, games, puzzles, books, music, garlands………you name it! We collect holiday donations all year long, and so far, we have accrued around 100 large plastic tubs of all-things-Christmas which we have squirreled away in the basement of Lincoln Road Chapel. That doesn’t even include the trees, garlands, sleds, and other large décor. In September we start sorting and tagging our multitude of items so that we are ready to put it all out on display by the first week of November. (Our last day open is Wednesday, December 18.) You really should come over to see it. It’s over the top and will get you in the holiday mood in spite of all of the warm temperatures of late!
The point of all of this effort is to help our brothers and sisters at home and around the world who need the assistance we are able to provide with the money we raise. The recipients are chosen annually by the M Grants Team. None of us who work in the shop receive a salary, so the majority of our earnings go directly to those in need. In addition to supporting the church’s missions, we offer bargains to people of all ages in a time when so many are financially challenged. “Thrifting” has made a resurgence with young people, so we are seeing a lot more customers in their 20’s who really need to stretch their dollar.
At the Trading Post we post a list of all of the missions supported by our church so shoppers can see who they are helping with their purchases. One of our most loyal and frequent shoppers comes in weekly and buys things for herself and her entire extended family because she is in a position to help them out. She told me one day that she knows she has spent thousands of dollars at the Trading Post over the years. She recently showed her husband the list of organizations that are helped with the money we raise and once he realized what the Trading Post is all about, he said, “I will never complain about how much money you spend there ever again!”
The Trading Post is living the spirit and meaning of Christmas all year long, but of course, that’s what Christians do. If you need a jump start on the festivity of the Christmas season and would like some of your gift giving budget to go where it will provide aid and comfort to others, please pay us a visit! We are open Monday, Wednesday and Friday and the first Saturday of the month from 10 am to 4 pm and are located in the basement of the Annex Building at South Campus. We accept donations during business hours and they can be left on the racks on the first floor of the Annex Building.
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Want to dress up like a big polar bear?
←
Have some rubber parts
that are spare?
→
Check out the Trading Post.. you'll feel welcome there!
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An Invitation from the
Tandana Foundation
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Hope Taft has served as President of The Tandana Foundation’s Board of Trustees since her daughter founded the organization in 2006. Along with this role, Hope has held countless other informal positions from manager of Tandana’s “International Headquarters” to inimitable recruiter, marketer, and relationship builder. In doing so, she has provided immeasurable value and strategic leadership that has helped Tandana grow from an idea into a global nonprofit that has positively impacted the lives of many thousands of people in Ecuador and Mali as well as volunteers and supporters from around the world.
As Tandana approaches its 18th anniversary and “comes of age,” Hope is stepping back from her formal role as President and from most of her informal duties as she transitions to the title of "President Emerita." To recognize Hope’s enduring legacy at Tandana and beyond - and in celebration of her 80th birthday - Tandana is throwing a big party and inviting all its (and Hope’s) friends to attend.
Come join hands with us to celebrate Hope and honor her dedication and service while also supporting Tandana and ensuring its success well into the future. There will be dinner by the bite, a cash bar, great fellowship, music and merriment, and much more. Business casual attire. We look forward to seeing you there!
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Legacy of Hope Celebration | |
Date:
Friday, November 8
Time
6 pm to 9 pm
Location
Boat House at Confluence Park
679 West Spring Street
Columbus, Ohio 43215
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In The Garden
Updates from the Share & Learn Garden
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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. | |
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October 20
Hi all,
This week we are STILL at it 😝. Thank you to everyone’s hard work last week.
I believe we have arrived at the garlic planting, clean up and mulching over beds for the winter ahead stage. I would like to plant all of the garlic and shallots this week, as well as start clean up.
Clean up means (and will take a couple of weeks to complete!):
- Gathering up plant remnants (tomatoes, petunia plants, okra, bean vines)*
- Putting away tomato cages into the shed…this always requires a little finesse!
- Laying down cardboard onto the okra bed and covering with mulch. This will hopefully suffocate most of the weeds next year!!!! **
- Covering garlic and shallot beds with mulch. This will keep the bulbs happy over the winter.
I believe I will need to bring my trailer over later this week to gather the yard bags..we will have quite a few! I have plenty of cardboard I can bring Oct 29 for the Okra bed.
Erik Mars will winterize the water lines on Wednesday, October 23.
Hope to see you Tuesday!
Kate, Cheryl and Loren
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October 13
Hello all!
We are at it again!!!! While the weather has cooled, it is still warm for mid-October. Total as of October 8 is: 888 pounds! 👏🏻
This week the plan is:
- harvest remainder of carrots
- harvest remainder of collard greens (and pull plants)
- harvest tomatoes (check kids beds too!)
- cut and take home zinnia bouquets (if viable blooms) and enjoy at home!
Thank you last week to Joy, Sam, Isiah, Bob, Karyl, Dave and John for the hard work! John got the Garlic/Shallot beds prepped for me to plant Oct 22 and Oct 29.
Thanks much,
Kate, Loren, Cheryl
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October 5
Happy Saturday everyone!
Current poundage for the garden as of October 1 (adding in the tiny amount I donated), is 836 pounds.
Plan is to harvest:
- carrots
- okra
- remaining collards (and pull plants)
- any green beans/peppers
- pull pepper plants and cabbage plants
- prep garlic/shallots beds for planting
If Mike is available to help this week, I would like to rake back the mulch on the flower shaped bed as well as prep the bed where the peppers and cabbage currently are. Both beds will need some fresh soil and amendments in preparation for garlic and shallot planting in a couple of weeks.
Next week (October 15), I will NOT be at the garden, so I would like to take advantage of help this week to get the beds ready for the planting of the garlic/shallots - will happen over 2 weeks, October 22 and 29, as in addition to planting, food needs to be added to each garlic seed and mulch spread over both beds to keep the plants warm over the winter.
I hope to see everyone Tuesday!
Kate, Loren, Cheryl
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September 28
Hi all!
Well…believe it or not, Tuesday is October 1. In the next few weeks, we should have our first frost (average frost date now for Central Ohio is October 17). For now, we are still reaping the benefits of our collective efforts!
This week we will hopefully continue to have tomatoes, Okra, green peppers, collard greens, and of course….carrots! No big projects this week…those will come later in October with Garlic and shallot bed prep and planting.
Thanks to Hurricane Helene (not good there WAS a hurricane)…Ohio has received much needed rainfall. My personal rain gauge said 1.6” as of Saturday morning and counting. According to national weather statistics, summer 2024 was the worst drought ranking as the third driest behind only 1930 and 1933 (dustbowl era)! We need 9-10 of inches of rainfall just to catch up to normal for the year-to-date.
Dad and I attended Franklin Park Conservatory’s harvest awards for 2024 this past Thursday evening. It was a fun evening…meeting other fellow urban food producers and learning about all of the great work happening with the 200 urban gardens in central Ohio.
Year-to-date is at 800 pounds!!!
See you Tuesday!
Kate, Loren, Cheryl
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Update on Eyeglass Collection Project | | | |
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Update from Charlie Jacob
PROJECT COORDINATOR
We collect used eyeglasses. In the past we have bought new reader eyeglasses from Restoring Vision. Restoring Vision wants to ensure that the glasses will be distributed to people in need. As a result, we had the readers shipped to First Community on Dublin Rd.
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For the first two years of our collecting, we sent hundreds of readers to Kenney Washington at Back Bay Mission. It is illegal to dispense prescription glasses without a prescription. As a result, the prescription glasses are donated to the Ohio State College of Optometry. The College makes yearly trips to other countries. Optometrists and Ophthalmologists also provide much needed surgeries and services.
For the last three years, we attended the Good Neighbor Picnic. The Picnic is at Wolfe Park in Columbus. The Picnic organizers "get the word out." Plus, they bus people from Missions to the Picnic. The recent Good Neighbor Picnic was on September 28. The Picnic gave out many items, such as shoes, clothes, coats, blankets, sleeping bags, and toys (many children attend). Food is also served at the Picnic.
It sprinkled rain for most of the day. Picnic attendance was down from previous years. We gave out 179 reader glasses last year. This year we gave out 83 readers, 120 sunglasses, and over 200 glasses cases. People often donate glasses cases with the glasses. We made advance plans to donate the remaining readers, sunglasses, and glasses cases to Sonshine Mission on Barthman Ave. Mike Myers is the minister. He was pleased to get the "leftovers."
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Update on Pill Bottle Collection Project | |
So far, the new Pill Bottle collection project has collected 450 containers in less than two months! Think about the impact: That's 450 less bottles in a landfill, since most bottles cannot be recycled. We are grateful to Rick and Margaret for leading the project. Thanks also to their friend, Maryanne, who recently dropped off the first batch at Matthew 25 Ministries. If you or someone that would be willing to transport these donations, and regularly travel(s) to Cincinnati, please let us know. That will save us the potential shipping cost!
Contact Rick Greene or Margaret Mahood for more info. | |
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Abuse Prevention Training | Required for all Heart to Heart volunteers | | | | |
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In January 2016, First Community Church and Akita staff made a commitment to protecting all children from abuse by offering training in the nationally recognized sexual abuse prevention program, Darkness to Light. First Community staff, whether they work with children or not and volunteers who work with children are required to attend a Darkness to Light sexual abuse prevention training*. Re-certification for staff and volunteers who work with children is required every three years.
Training information
There are two training options currently available for staff and volunteers. If you have not been trained, please click the blue Registration button to sign up.
Wednesday, November 20, 10 am – 12:30 pm
Room 101, First Community North
Instructor: Julie Richards, Dir. K-5 Ministry
*If you or someone you supervise has been affected by abuse and is emotionally unable to take the training, please reach out to Rev. Mary Kate Buchanan.
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Monthly All Teams Meetings
A Standing Invitation
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Did you miss the last issue of On a Mission!? View it, and all past issues, by clicking the link below. | |
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Did you know Heart to Heart is on social media? Click the buttons below to follow us. We also have a blog! Read the weekly blog posts at h2h.FCchurch.com/blog | |
Did you know Trading Post is on Facebook? Click the button below to follow us. You can also sign up for the email list for occasional announcements, sales, and events. | |
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News from our Mission Partners | | | | |
