Gardeners Can Donate a Portion of the Fresh Fruits of their Labor to Area Food Pantries, Shelters and Soup Kitchens

On Saturday, the Stoddart Avenue Community Garden made its first (albeit small) food pantry donation for the 2014 season.  Even small donations can add up to hundreds of pounds after 22 weeks.     In addition, if all of the approximately 250 community gardeners in Central Ohio donated fresh produce every week, we could make a significant dent in the need for fresh produce.  As faithful readers know from posts in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013,  many Central Ohio food pantries, soup kitchens and shelters are thrilled to receive fresh garden produce to feed their clients. In fact, sometimes, I don’t even make it to the pantry door because I’m intercepted between my car and the pantry when their clients see fresh greens walking down the street.    In addition to my annual posts, and as I noted in 2010, the Ample Harvest website can also direct local gardeners to area food pantries that accept fresh produce donations.   

The federal Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act was enacted in 1996 and provides that donors of “apparently wholesome food or an apparently fit grocery product” cannot be held liable if the donation was made in good faith unless someone is hurt or dies from an action or omission that constitutes “gross negligence or intentional misconduct.” 42 U.S.C. § 1791. This includes gleaners or gardeners who donate fresh produce. It pre-empts any inconsistent state laws.

At the SACG, we encourage our gardeners to donate a portion of the produce they grow as a reflection of the blessing we have received, but other community gardens donate all of the food they raise.  Other community gardens do not have an organized donation program at all.   Any gardener can donate produce, whether they belong to a community garden or not.  Just scan the list below for the closest pantry, soup kitchen or shelter and drop off the produce during the listed hours. 

I tend to deliver produce to the closest pantry or shelter that is open while I’m harvesting on Saturday afternoons because I have no refrigerated place to store the produce until another day.  If I run late on Saturday, then I take the produce to Faith Mission, which is open until 5:30 every day.   Because I occasionally drop by the SACG on other days or due to anticipated bad weather on a Saturday, our produce sometimes makes it to other nearby pantries (as reflected by the chart of our 2013 donations).

Lutheran Social Services Food Pantry – South.  1460 South Champion Avenue. (There’s an automatic sliding door at the side of the building on the Frebis Avenue side where there will be less chance that you’ll be confused as a client and asked to wait in line by the constantly revolving volunteers who staff the pantry. I always go in the side door). They have refrigerators available to store any excess.
Hours: Monday – Friday 8:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. and Saturdays 11a.m.-3:00 pm. I do not recommend stopping by during the lunch hour because the paid staff may be gone and you could be told to wait until they return or to come back later for a receipt.  I generally make the SACG donations on Saturday afternoons, which is why this pantry gets most of our produce. 
Will take anything, but eggplant has not been particularly popular with their clients.
Sorting: Preferably sorted, but is not required. Is a good idea to weigh the produce beforehand if you want a receipt. They have a large scale on site in the back that you can use if you’re very nice about it.
Provides tax receipts. Please have it weighed and have the donor’s name and address available in writing. If they run out of receipts, you can have them sign your own. In that case, it's quicker if you bring two copies of your pre-prepared receipt so that they can keep one and you can take one. However, they have a copier there. They also like you to sign their donation book.
Distribution: Clients can help themselves to as much of each type of produce as is available.

For more information: Call Manager Dave Drom, Assistant Manager Amanda or Saturday Manager Gene at 443-5130.   Their voice mail is inoperable, though.  You can also reach Dave by email: ddrumm@lssco.org. They served 7000 families last month.  They are currently running short of personal care items, like shampoo, soap and toothpaste.

Faith Mission. Donations can be made at two locations.
1) 599 East 8th Avenue near the fairgrounds. Go to the front door.
2) Remember:  The downtown Shelter has moved from Long and Sixth Streets downtown to 245 North Grant Avenue. From Broad Street, turn north onto Grant Avenue from Broad.  Go through 3 lights (at Gay, Long and Spring).  Drive past the Hill’s Market, First Link n/k/a Hands On Central Ohio, and Buckeye Sanitation and into the next alley/driveway on the left (which then loops to the right -- i.e., around back) and park by the two dumpsters.  There is a loading dock with a door bell on the left.  This is the only place in town serving three free meals a day to anyone who walks in. 
Hours: Monday – Sunday 8:00 a.m. until 5:30 p.m.
Will take anything. 

Sorting: Preferably sorted. Is a good idea to weigh the produce beforehand if you want a receipt.
Provides tax receipts. Please have it weighed and have the donor’s name and address available in writing. They have their own forms that they will want to fill out while you wait. They sometimes (i.e., usually) run out of receipt forms, so it’s a good idea to bring your own to have them sign.
For more information: Ask for Mike Vell or any cook in the kitchen at 774-7726.   However, Mike’s voice mail is sometimes full.

Salvation Army. 966 East Main Street, Columbus, Ohio 43205. You should park on the west side and go to the front door. The pantry is just to the right of the front door. It is very, large, sparkling clean, and relatively empty.

Hours: 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday (except between noon and 1).
Will take anything.
Sorting: No need.
Provides tax receipts upon request at the front desk.
Distribution: Clients can help themselves to as much of each type of produce as is available.
For more information, call Case Worker Melissa 358-2626 at or Director Krista Ross at 437-2151 and leave a message, because no one ever seems to answer a phone there. kross@use.salvationarmy.org.

**Bishop Griffin Center---St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry, 2875 E. Livingston Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43209 -- one block west of James Rd. at the corner of Wellesley Rd. and Livingston. There is parking along Wellesley Road. This pantry is very, very small.

Hours: 9 a.m until noon on Wednesdays and 2 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Fridays
Will take anything
Sorting: Does not have to be sorted or bagged.
Provides tax receipts upon request.
For more information, contact Marge at rtelerski3318@wowway.com or at 237-0720.

***Community Kitchen. This is the first soup kitchen in Columbus. Donations can be made at the rear of the building at 640 South Ohio Street.
Hours: Monday – Friday 8:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. and on Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
Will take anything except eggplant, unusual herbs, peas, chard, and turnips. They prefer bulk amounts so that they can make a whole dish out of it.
Sorting: Preferably sorted, but need not be bagged.
Provides tax receipts.
For more information: Ask for Marilyn Oberting at 252-6428.

Holy Name Soup Kitchen. Donations can be made at 57 South Grubb Street (off West Broad Street). Go to the front door.

Hours: Monday – Friday 10:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. Call from the parking lot after 12:30 because that’s when the doors are locked.
Will take anything they can get.
Sorting:  Not necessary.
Provides tax receipts. Can be provided if you wait or it will be mailed to you (if you provide names and addresses).
For more information: Phone: Sharon Wing at 461-9444.  Serving 30 families each day in the food pantry (i.e., 150 people) and 400 people/day in the soup kitchen.

Mid-Ohio Food Bank. Donations can be made at its relatively new location at 3960 Brookham Drive in Grove City. Take I-71 South to the Stringtown Road/Exit 100 and take the very first right after you leave the exit onto Springtown Road onto Marlanne Drive. You will pass Brookham Drive to the left and then turn left past the large agency sign. Pull up to the four garage doors and go into the regular/entry door to the left of those doors to tell them that you have a produce donation. They will help you unload your car, weigh your produce and give you a receipt.

Hours: Monday – Friday 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.
Will take anything.
Sorting: Not necessary, but they prefer that the food be delivered in banana boxes (which you can get from your friendly local grocer) or empty copy paper boxes.
Provides tax receipts. MOFB will weigh your donation on the spot and give you a receipt.
For more information: Call main number at 274-7770.  MOFB serves 20 counties and over 550 partner agencies.

Kroger Community Food Pantry is physically attached to the Mid-Ohio Food Bank.   Donations can be made at the MOFB’s location at 3960 Brookham Drive in Grove City. Take I-71 South to the Stringtown Road/Exit 100 and take the very first right after you leave the exit onto Springtown Road onto Marlanne Drive. You will pass Brookham Drive to the left and then turn left past the large agency sign. Donations can made at the pantry entrance on Saturdays (through the fancy doors) when you ask for Jessica, but the rest of the week, you can deliver them to the garage doors as long as you tell the MOFB volunteers that the donation is for the Kroger Community Pantry instead of the MOFB.

Hours: Donations can be made 9-5 M-F and Saturdays 9-1.  The pantry is open Tuesdays 12-3 and 4-7:30; Fridays 9-2; Saturdays 9-1.
Will take anything.
Sorting: Not necessary.
Provides tax receipts. MOFB will weigh your donation on the spot and give you a receipt.
For more information: Call the main number at 274-7770 and ask for Jessica Wright. 

Lutheran Social Services West Side Food Pantry, 82 North Wilson Road.  This is in the Great Western Shopping Center.

Hours: Monday – Friday, 9:00 until 4:00 P.M.
Will take: anything and everything.  Could use some more jelly, hamburger and tuna helpers.
Sorting: Not necessary
Provides tax receipts: Yes
For more information: Call Jan at 279-4635.   They serve 60-75 families every day.

**NNEMAP Food Pantry. 1064 North High Street, Columbus, Ohio. (In the Short North. In an abandoned Church at the corner of High and Third). It is in the basement of the same building of Directions for Youth. When coming from the parking lot (which is on the north side of the building), you can take a door to the basement on the east side of the building which does not have a number or butterfly on it. There is a white bell on this door on the east side of the building which you can ring for assistance, but you should come down to the basement on the west side of the building).
Hours: Monthly 1st-19th: M-W-F 8:45 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. Monthly 20th-31st: M-F 8:45 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.
Will Take: anything. Eggplant moves slower than most items.  Corn, cucumbers, peppers, carrots and tomatoes move quickly.
Sorted: Not necessary, but it would be nice to have it bagged and sorted.
Provides tax receipts: Upon request. Please have value ready to be inserted.
For more information: Contact Roy Clark (an old friend) at 297-0533 or director@nnemappantry.org.

***Broad Street Presbyterian Food Pantry, 760 East Broad Street (at the corner of Broad and Garfield -- about 2 blocks east of I-71. There is parking in the back).
Hours: 9- noon Monday through Friday (but arrangements can be made to open at 8 a.m.) and on Saturdays from 8:30 - 11:30 a.m.
Will take: anything, especially greens and tomatoes
Sorted: not necessary
Provides tax receipts upon request
Distribution: Clients can help themselves to as much of each type of produce as is available.
For more information: call Kathy at 203-2544 or 461-4557.

Neighborhood Services, Inc. 1950 North Fourth Street (at the corner of 18th Avenue).

Hours: Monday – Thursday 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.  by appointment by calling Martin.  Martin is a square foot gardener and will try to make arrangements to be there for off-hour donations if you call his cell at 565-2399.
Will take: anything
Sorted: not necessary, but is helpful.  They’ll take anything that is edible.
Provides tax receipt: yes, but you should weigh it before you come because they do not have a scale.
For more information: Contact Martin Butler at 565-2399 or mbutler@neighborhoodservicesinc.org or info@neighborhoodservicesinc.org. This pantry served over 378 families last month.  Families can take as much fresh produce as they want.  

**Our Lady of Guadalupe Center. This is a food pantry at 441 Industry Drive, Columbus, Ohio 43204. This is a little tricky because there is no street sign. It is located in the Valley View Commerce Park of office buildings. It is a one-story, long white building across the street from the ODFJS West Opportunity Center.
Hours: Wednesday– Thursday 9:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Tuesdays: 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Will take anything.
Sorting: Preferably sorted and bagged separately.
Provides tax receipts. You’ll have to fill out the receipt yourself, so it would be a good idea to weigh your produce before dropping it off.
For more information or to schedule a drop-off: Call Alma Santos at 340-7061. The population served by the Center is mostly Latino and Hispanic.

**LifeCare Alliance a/k/a Meals on Wheels a/k/a Groceries To Go a/k/a Cancer Clinic a/k/a Project Open Hand. Donations can be made 670 Harmon Avenue. Use the pantry entrance between the two handicapped parking spaces. It’s best to call ahead.

Hours: Monday, Wednesday – Friday 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. (There are staff there on Tuesdays, but they are usually stocking shelves and unloading trucks).
Will take anything.
Sorting: Not necessary, but helpful and they prefer that it be washed
Provides tax receipts. Will mail receipts. At drop off, donations should be identified by donor's name and address, product being donated and weight of each product.
For more information: Contact Maurice Elder or Chuck Walters at 670 Harmon Avenue, Columbus, OH 43223 at 298-8334.

**R.J. Hairston Community Outreach Pantry. 1441 Brentnell Avenue.
Hours: 6:00-7:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on  second and fourth Saturdays.
Sorted: Not necessary.
Provides tax receipts upon request.
For more information, call Michelle Moody at 252-6228.

This list is not exhaustive and will be updated as additional information is provided. I attempted to reach all of the pantries near the SACG, but not all of them responded to my messages or emails.   Feel free to let me know if you have information about other organizations which take garden produce and I will add them.  You can also find additional Central Ohio pantries on the Ample Harvest website (although I do not know how often that information is updated).

 ** means I have not been able to reach anyone to update the information since 2013.

***means I have not reached anyone to update the information since 2012.