Pickerington Food Pantry - Making a Difference

We can use your help in meeting the needs of many during this time of emergency.

About Us

Did you know 11% of Pickerington live below the poverty line?

The Pickerington Food Pantry is governed by a Board of Trustees who volunteer their time along with 80+ people who also volunteer their time on a daily, weekly and/or monthly basis. Together, we successfully serve an average of over 500 people each month in the Pickerington Local School District (excluding zip code 43068) who need food assistance.

The Food Pantry’s clients are a diverse portrait of the Pickerington community, including young children, extended families and senior citizens. Many unforeseen scenarios, including job loss, sickness, or injury, can put a financial burden on households. It is with generous support that we can aid our neighbors in their time of need. Thank you for supporting the Pickerington Food Pantry and our mission of “Fighting Hunger, Feeding Hope.”

Food assistance is provided for households once every 30 days. The Food Pantry is a choice pantry, meaning that it operates much like a grocery store, where clients are given a list of categories from which they are free to choose whatever food they like to correspond with dietary restrictions and preferences. Each person in a household is given enough food to last the equivalent of five days, or 15 meals, to supplement the household’s food for the week. The Food Pantry makes an effort to provide nutritious food for clients, including fresh produce every week and provides a recipe book to help prepare food that clients are not familiar with. The vast majority of the food distributed from the Food Pantry is either purchased at a steep discount from the Mid-Ohio Foodbank using monetary funds donated to the Food Pantry, or donated by various sources around the community, including grocery stores, churches and schools.

Who We Are

Board of Trustees:

LaTashia Reedus, President
Erika Lomonico, Vice President
Desiree Youngblood, Treasurer
Darrin Monhollen, Member
Cheryl Ricketts, Member

Staff:

Vanessa Niekamp, Executive Director
Renee Roberts, Pantry Operations Coordinator
Ann Conley, Client Hours Supervisor
Diane Hare, Client Hours Supervisor
Anne Christley , Client Hours Supervisor
Laura Cunningham-Giomi, Client Hours Supervisor
Ann Spring, Client Hours Supervisor

and over 100 volunteers

Our Mission

The mission of the Pickerington Food Pantry is “Fighting Hunger, Feeding Hope.” The purpose of the organization is to provide emergency food assistance to income eligible clients (at or below 200% of Federal poverty guidelines) who reside within the boundaries of the Pickerington Local School District (excluding zip codes 43068 and 43110). The Food Pantry is organized exclusively for the charitable provision of food for the relief of the poor under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

Food Assistance

What you need to receive food assistance:

CALL INFORMATION AND REFERRAL

Clients are required to call Information and Referral at 740-687-0500 to make a reservation for food assistance. In an emergency, or if you cannot get to a phone during the times required, then you can email info@fairfieldcounty211.org to make a reservation. See When to Call below.

PROVIDE INFORMATION

Remember to always include: YOUR FIRST NAME, YOUR LAST NAME AND YOUR HOME ADDRESS.

WHEN TO CALL

Reservations should only be made between 8AM and 4PM on Wednesdays (for Thursday morning shopping) and between 8AM and 12PM on Fridays (for Saturday morning shopping). No calls or emails will be accepted at other times or more than 24 hours in advance.

DO NOT LEAVE A MESSAGE or SEND AN EMAIL

Please do not leave a message on the food pantry’s voicemail system or send emails to request a reservation to shop. If you do not have a reservation when you come in to shop, you will be asked to wait until the clients with reservations have been served, but we do reserve the right to refuse service if there is no room for more clients the day you come in without a reservation.

THERE IS NO COST TO THE CLIENT TO WEEKLY SHOP FOR FOOD

PROVIDE ID & CURRENT UTILITY BILL

Clients must provide a government issued ID for at least one member of the household (preferably the member who is present at the Food Pantry). A copy of a current utility bill must be provided when there has been a change of address or it’s the beginning of our new fiscal year (July). If you do not have this information when you come in, we have the right to refuse service. Paper copies or a picture of the required information on your cell phone are accepted, but we do not keep copies on file. You must bring required information each time you shop.

Once you are on the Food Pantry floor, a volunteer walks along with you and you will get a certain number of items per section (product, dairy, meats, vegetables, fruits, proteins, soups, grains, household, hygiene, baby, etc.) depending on the size of your family. We offer a Choice Pantry which means you pick the items you want to take home, the items you and your family are not allergic to and the items you like. You will take enough food home to make approximately three meals a day for every member of your household for five days. You are allowed to visit us for food once every week (seven day period).

The Pickerington Food Pantry is a choice Food Pantry serving residents of the Pickerington Local School District (excluding zip code 43068). We are located in the Olde Village of Pickerington, at 70 Cross Street, Suite B.

Clients must arrive for service between :

10:00 AM to 11:30 AM on Thursdays and Saturdays

If your household income is at or below the income listed above, you are eligible to receive food.