Our Pride and Joy~ The Community Food Pantry

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Since April, 2012, the Community Food Pantry has offered Market Day each week as an outreach to low-income senior citizens residing at David’s Way.  We are pleased to provide transportation to the pantry each Wednesday to enjoy the benefits of fresh dairy and produce to help supplement their incomes.  It has proven to be a weekly highlight, bringing people together to not only receive a helping hand but also to make connections and lasting friendships.

In the fall of 2012, we were privileged to have the opportunity to apply for two Walmart Golden Spark Awards to help establish the Feeding our Future project.  Feeding our Future is a hunger initiative that is available to students of the Canal Winchester who are income-eligible to participate in the free breakfast and/or lunch programs provided through their respective schools. The program will continue during the 2020-21  school year, generously funded by the Meijer SIMPLY GIVE program and those that contribute to it.

Each week, Feeding our Future provides a bag filled with the equivalent of at least one meal per every day that the student is not able to receive the free meals from the schools (weekends and during academic breaks throughout the school year).

In order to participate, the student’s parent/guardian must register.  

PLEASE SEE THE LINKS AT THE VERY BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE  for the parent letter and registration forms.

Since 2015, Canal Winchester Middle School 6th grade staff and students sponsor a food drive initiative where money is raised to partner with Canal Winchester Human Services. This initiative was inspired by Brooklyn Best, a 6th grader at that time, and her desire to honor the life of the late Brock Johnson, a peer and classmate.  Two important events culminate from the donations:  1) the students engage in a real-world budgeting and shopping experience at the local Kroger, filling the Pantry with needed items, and 2) The students distribute more than 3,000 plastic shopping bags throughout the School District and ask residents to fill them with food donations.  At this point, the community (volunteers, City workers, and School District staff) comes together to walk the neighborhoods of Canal Winchester, picking up donations.  Then all donations are then taken to the Food Pantry where they are sorted, counted, and stocked for distribution to Choice Pantry clients during the summer months.

Brock Walk has become a community effort, not only in remembrance of Brock’s life, but also sparking new and old relationships that collectively help those who need compassion and support.  In 2020, Brock Walk took in 22, 834 food pantry items---the Organization’s LARGEST donation on record!  This is an extraordinary result from an extraordinary community.  A huge thanks goes out to Kelly Best and the entire 6th grade team for continuing to make Brock Walk a heart-warming and ongoing success.