Every week, 1 or 2 people have been emptying that 1 cluttered drawer that everyone has which contains all the hotel soaps, shampoos, lotions & other various sample products we don't use but hang onto in an effort not to waste. Maybe it's the thought of zombie apocalypse that we think "just maybe I'll use all these products some day in case of emergency" that drives us to collect and hang onto toiletries we didn't want when we were given.

Well, we need those! Maybe you've been hanging onto to them by God's divine grace! If you're ready to reclaim your drawer (or closet shelf) and help God's people, grab a rather large sack and gather any unused toiletries you've been hanging onto and drop them by the pantry from 8:30am-6pm.  Other items around your house we desire are: used Walmart type sacks, rubber bands, binder clips, new items unwanted, stuffed animals and any unused gift cards you don't think you'll ever use.

In case of Zombie apocalypse, feel free to come get assistance. (That's a joke, we don't believe in zombie's.)

We are looking for more plastic Easter eggs to be donated as we've started giving them out this week and most people have said "yes, they celebrate Easter" and want the eggs. We give them a bag of candy, and even have baskets on hand if the family needs them...we could use some more baskets donated, also. 

It's ok if you're plastic eggs are used, as even the new packs, we are breaking them down into bags of 8 to give more families some eggs. We average about 650 families a month, so we need to have a bag of eggs to offer to all. Huge thank you to community members who have helped out already. Someone sent us eggs through Amazon that heard we needed them. What a great community of helpers we have! 

If you have eggs to donate, please drop them by the pantry anytime between 8:30am-6pm any week day. We are located inside the double car garage at New Hope Presbyterian Church that sits on the corner of 133rd St & Black Bob Rd in Olathe, KS. Since opening in April of 2011 have served thousands of families over the years. In 2022 almost 30,000 people were served,

SAVE THE DATE! Our next 3 Cans & A Good Time Happiest Hour networking event and FOOD DRIVE is coming up in just 3 short weeks! Join us on April 5th at 5pm to make connections and raise food for New Hope Food Pantry! We're going after a new goal of 1000 POUNDS so we need YOUR help!

RSVP now at https://www.facebook.com/events/2292254607613853. (Not required but helpful.)

Light bites, free drinks, and door prizes will be provided. A big thanks goes out to Fiorella's for providing the light bites! More sponsor announcements coming SOON!

#teamrekc #3cansandagoodtime #happiesthour #networking #kcnetworking #jocoks #joconetworking 
#kansascitynetworking #networkinginkc #newhopefoodpantry #olatheproud #overlandparkks 
#acaoverlandpark  #aarnoldmoving #fooddrive #kcfooddrive
​

Volunteer Appreciation luncheon is coming up February 18th at 11 AM inside of Fellowship Hall at New Hope Presbyterian Church. Lunch will be served and awards given out. We will also have a professional photographer coming, so please wear your pantry shirt! We will also be taking some pictures for our fundraising efforts for food storage, so if you would like to show up early for pictures, let Caylon Umphrey know.

Any guesses on who might be awarded the highest pantry honor of "Volunteer of the Year" award? We have been looking through the 100 report on ALL volunteer hours and there are quite a few volunteers that have worked some serious hours! Thank you ALL for ALL you do to help at the pantry! This luncheon is for you!

Please sign the RSVP list either in the office or pantry on the door, or you can sign up online under the Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon page on this website. Click here to RSVP.

Food insecurity occurs when a household experiences lack of access to enough food for an active, healthy life.Food insecurity is a national problem. It affects all states, not just rural areas. Food insecurity can affect people of all ages and races.

Food insecurity is one of the most important issues facing our nation today because it has so many consequences for families, communities and whole economies that rely on healthy food systems to feed people who need more than what they have access to at any given time.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines food insecurity as a limited or unpredictable availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods or limited or uncertain ability to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways because of economic hardship, lack of opportunity, or other reason. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines food insecurity as a limited or unpredictable availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods or limited or uncertain ability to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways because of economic hardship, lack of opportunity, or other reason. Food insecurity is a problem that affects all states, not just rural areas.

The USDA reports that more than 12 million Americans experience hunger every day--and over one-third don't get enough nutritious food at home to keep them healthy--and nearly half are children under age 18 who rely on school meals for their meals.

Food insecurity affects millions of Americans every day, but it is a problem that affects all states, not just rural areas. Food insecurity affects millions of Americans every day, but it is a problem that affects all states, not just rural areas. Food insecurity is defined as having limited or uncertain access to nutritious food due to a lack of money and other resources. The USDA defines "limited" as being unable to buy enough food at least once per month and "uncertain" as not knowing exactly how much food one needs each day (or week). In 2016, about 12 million people were considered to be food insecure in the U.S., including 3 million children under age 18 who were considered "very low-income."

Food insecurity does not discriminate based on race, gender or ethnicity; it affects everyone regardless of background or income level--and this can lead directly into health problems later down the road if left untreated for too long!

Children are more likely than adults to be affected by food insecurity. Children are more vulnerable than adults to food insecurity. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), children are at risk for hunger because they have limited access to resources and less control over their lives than adults do. They also face additional challenges when it comes to accessing nutritious food, such as grocery stores that don't sell fresh produce or schools without kitchens where students can prepare their own meals. In addition, many parents lack skills necessary for cooking healthy meals on a regular basis--and may rely on fast food restaurants instead because they know how much healthier those options are than what's available in convenience stores or fast-food chains
Children experiencing hunger may not even realize they need help until they're already hungry enough that it affects other aspects of their lives

The American Club Association of Overland Park is holding another 3 Cans Small Business Networking event that is open to the public, with a 3 Can minimum donation to the New Hope Food Pantry. This will be the third event in which the first two events have raised approximately 1300 lbs. of canned goods. Wow! Huge thank you to this private club for helping the community and planning and hosting a fun evening of networking, prizes, food and drinks.​ 

Stop by Wednesday, February 1st, 2023 at 5 pm at the ACA. 6840 W 105th St, Overland Park, KS 66212 This time A Chili Cook-Off  provided by the sponsors will be going down, so attendees will be able to sample cups of chili at the different stations and vote on their favorite! There will also be a karaoke after party for those looking to hang around a little longer for some extra fun and music! 

For more info on the ACA, click  here. 
​
Sponsored by: Team Real Estate, C R Flooring, A. Arnold Moving, Pure Clean of Olathe, Leading Edge Financial, Kansas Float Spa, Stephen Kohnle (Farmers Ins. Agent), United Fidelity Funding, Fountain Mortgage, Office Depot / Office Max, Royal Roofing, Defenders of Freedom, AHI.

New Hope Food Pantry is hosting an Online Garage Sale, with a ONE DAY IN PERSON SALE on Thursday, December 8th, from 8AM-3PM. It is going to be a massive sale as many people have donated some excellent items like a Foosball Table, collectables, new and used items, Christmas decorations like A Western Christmas (pictured left), which includes a box of cowboy-type Christmas decorations! Super cute at a great price and ALL proceeds go to fund New Hope Food Pantry!

Shop the new and used garage sale items starting this week through December 21st. Every week more items will be added! To view the items simply go to NHFP.cbo.io or click here. You can help us get the word out by sharing our event details on your social media pages. If you'd like to share our Facebook event page for the sale, click here.

For FAST 24 HOUR PICKUP - be sure to click "Buy It Now" and pay for it. After payment is completed, come pick up your item the next business day at the NHFP office.  Call 913-782-0955 with questions.

This year we are blessed with a small amount of Turkeys and a lot of Chickens to give out to clients. We are trying every effort to get Thanksgiving meal fixings donated to build a meal to give out to clients who come Monday, November 21st-Wednesday, November 23 this year. Do you have a few cans of pumpkin to spare? Can you pick up an extra box of stuffing or instant potatoes to donate?  

This year we are also accepting monetary donations for a Thanksgiving meal. Simply donate $33 several of ways:

1)  Send in a check old school to New Hope Food Pantry at 13310 S Black Bob Rd Olathe, KS 66062 or drop it by the NHFP office if you're around 133rd & Blackbob.

2))  Text NHFP to 56651 and follow the text link to set up a simple account to give. $33 dollars will cover the cost of a FEAST and the amount will denote to purchase Thanksgiving food specifically with your donation! 

​3) Donate via PayPal - click donate button below

​HAPPY EATING THIS MONTH!

Do you like Torchy's Tacos? What about FREE Torchy's Tacos?  Ok, you're listening now. YOU are invited to the Happiest Networking Hour! Free food and drinks, lots of fun & PRIZES!! Mix and mingle with business leaders, build relationships, and let's grow our businesses together while benefitting New Hope Food Pantry! Admission is FREE but a canned food donation is greatly appreciated. See you there!

October 19th, 2022 at 5pm
ACA Business Club
6840 W 105th
Overland Park, KS 

Hosted by: Team Real Estate, A. Arnold Moving, PuroClean, Royal Roofing & Solar, vari, CR Floors, AH Insurance Group

Speaker: Caylon Umphrey, Executive Director of New Hope Food Pantry

Hey sports fan! come join the fun for a good cause! Teams are made up of 6 people however, individuals can sign up to be placed on a team if they don't have one. Visit our site at NHFP.cbo.io to register to play volleyball in the upcoming Volley To H.O.P.E. (Help Other People Eat). We are excited that people and businesses want to support New Hope Food Pantry while having fun! If you would like to register your company for team building fun, click here. 


When:  Saturday, July 30th  10 AM - 2 PM
Where:  New Hope Food Pantry / New Hope Presbyterian Church - 13310 Black Bob Rd Olathe, KS 66062
Activities:

• Volleyball Tournament
• Kids Games / Prizes
• Food & Summer Treats
• Music
• Silent Auction
• Bouncy House
• Vendor Booths
• Water Balloons
• Fire Truck

Only one month left until the big day! Are you looking to help? Here's ways you can help!

• Prayers for a successful event that will raise the needed money to support the pantry.
• We need volunteers for the day of the event and the day before for set up. If you're available, please fill out the form below.
• We need 1 more person that can face paint for the kids.
• to borrow some canopies to create shade for the event.
• People who want to play volleyball.
• Facebook, & Twitter likes / shares for our event items.
• Donate some new cat gifts like catnip, toys that can go in our animal lovers basket at the event.
• Donate a pet grooming certificate.
• Tell people you know about the event. Word of mouth is a powerful promotional tool!

God bless you, the reader of this blog. 

Caylon Umphrey, Executive Director
New Hope Food Pantry
913-782-0955
​http://NHFP.cbo.io
​

After looking at the numbers, our need is up and our donations are down! Oh no! Worst case scenario is the trifecta that our money doesn't go as far as it used to either with the inflation & the supply/demand issue in the supply chain! Here's how our numbers this year compare to the same time period last year.

                                    2022       2021        +/-
Families                 3290       2850      +440
Kids                         4536       3576      +960
Adults                    7005       5939      +1066
Seniors                  1105       1021        +84
Total people     12,630     10,536    +2094
New Clients          393          248         +145
Food In  #'s     144,592  195,052     - 50,460
Financial $       (-$8500)    $5500      -$14,000

If you would like to help, text NHFP to 56651 to give a one-time or a monthly donation. God bless you!

Last Thursday, we were pleased to host the Olathe Chamber of Commerce Coffee networking event in Fellowship Hall. It was a great opportunity to share the work that our 100+ volunteers and neighborhood partners are doing to serve the food insecure in Johnson, Wyandotte, and Miami counties. Thanks to Kathy Stamm, Julie Joeckel, Linda Tiller, Linda Hauck, Tom Gorby, Rick Chambers, Todd Patterson, Jim Linker, and Michele Ross for supporting the event with over 60 local business leaders. We also had the opportunity to share information about our upcoming Volley to H.O.P.E. fundraiser. A special shout out to Mickey the Cotton Candy Man (Mickey Levey) who is donating equipment and ingredients for our event and the Evergreen Community of Johnson County Nursing home (in Olathe) who donated a “Doggone Good” Gift Basket for the Volley to H.O.P.E. Silent Auction. ​

In 2021, our average month served 46 new families. These are families that have never been to New Hope Food Pantry since inception in April 2011. Our busiest month in 2021 for new families was October, with 60 new families registering. Our slowest month for new families was April in which only 33 new families registered all month long.

2022 is starting out with a BANG! In January, we registered 61 new families. NHFP is also 3 times more likely to be busier in January than we were in December, and this year was no exception. February is even a shorter month, however as of yesterday, we've already signed up 47 new families and we still have 5 business days left in this month!

Just as a reminder, our food donations go down in the winter after the holidays are over and our number of families in need goes up. We are very short on fresh produce, dairy products & pasta sauce. Thank you for the community support!!

The Annual Fundraiser is coming back this year after being off the last 2 years due to COVID19. With the long break in between, we have lost many volunteers and are needing help on our Fundraising Committee. If you, or someone you know might be interested in serving the Lord by bringing your talents to the table to volunteer for a short term project, then WE NEED YOU! 

We need a variety of roles filled, so whatever your gifts, we will try to find a place for you to help! Please contact Caylon Umphrey, the Executive Director immediately at 913-782-0955. Last year our cost per person was $2.12, which means a $10 donation will feed a family of 4 for days. If you think you can help,  you probably can! We look forward to bringing you into the large family of volunteers at New Hope Food Pantry!

Huge thank you to Chick Fil-A in Olathe who is the newest restaurant to donate food to our cause of feeding those in need in our area! New Hope Food Pantry will be sending a truck twice a week (Monday & Thursday mornings) to pick up food donated this incredible store to help others! Mmmmmmm! There is a reason the line wraps around the building! They have delicious sandwiches for breakfast, lunch and dinner! Chick Fil-A has amazingly delicious chicken, in case we haven't made ourselves clear!

Show your appreciation to Chick Fil-A by stopping by and purchasing a sandwich, as they truly are trying to "build a business, shape a culture and invest in a better future".  Chick Fil-A, Olathe is located in Olathe Point shopping center at 12087 S Black Bob Rd, Olathe, KS 66062.

​

It's surprising to some that January is three times more likely to busier than it is in December! 2022 is on track to be no exception. We are nearing December totals and we aren't even done with the month yet! It may also be surprising to some to learn that our donations have drastically dropped off also! The supply chain issues are making winter donations from grocery stores go down as people have less choice to pick from already which doesn't leave much surplus for us to glean from, plus we don't have all the gardens donating like we do in the summer either.

Our fresh produce donations are down to very little. One afternoon recently, the only produce we had to hand out were limes however, it was a very busy afternoon that day! Twice a month, we can go pick up whatever produce might be available at a Mobile Shopping Floor, but there is never a guarantee how much will be there. Our meat donations have been down too.  We have had a few calls from people wondering if a bag was left because they didn't have but 1 piece of meat. We explain that we are an emergency food pantry which means we give out what we have at the time in order to help people get through a short crunch without food. 

This year, New Hope Food Pantry partnered with Centerwell Senior Primary Care to host a Senior Mobile Thanksgiving Basket giveaway on Tuesday, 11/23/2021.  Thank you to all the Vendors who brought food to donate to Seniors for a free meal that the seniors can take home to cook. The meal included a turkey, mashed potatos, corn, green beans, peas, macaroni and cheese, stuffing, and a $10 gift certificate to a local grocery store. 

Participating vendors were New Hope Food Pantry, Centerwell Senior Primary Care, Kindred Home Health, Eric Anderson, Visiting Angels, Peavler & Associates, Z3 Technologies, Evergreen, Life Care Center in Osawatomie, and Advocates for Seniors.  Thank you to ALL who helped out!

Ivar’s Soup and Sauce Company, Mukilteo, Washington is recalling 14,968 sleeves of refrigerated Kettle Classic Clam Chowder With Uncured Bacon, Costco Item #1270666, packaged in 2-24oz Sleeved Packs, because of the possibility that the product may contain hard, sharp opaque plastic pieces.
The Ivar’s Kettle Classic Clam Chowder With Uncured Bacon, Costco Item #1270666, was distributed to Costco stores exclusively for retail purchase by consumers in the following states: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.
The Ivar’s Kettle Classic Clam Chowder soup is packaged in 24 oz clear plastic cups, in a double pack surrounded by a printed paperboard sleeve and has a UPC 0 30383 19649 6.  The ready-to-eat soups have a Use By Date of 12-22-2021 printed on the bottom of the sleeve, and on the edge of the individual cup lids. See photo of product below.
No illnesses or injuries have been reported to date.
The problem was discovered on 10-17-21 when a consumer found a piece of plastic in the container they purchased and notified Ivar’s.  No injuries were reported.  The piece of plastic found by the consumer is in the shape of a half circle with some of the center missing, with edges that are sharp and pointed.  The diameter of the circle is approximately 1 ½”.  It is possible that the remainder of the circular plastic is a similarly intact piece or numerous smaller pieces.
This recall is being made with the knowledge of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The product should be removed from store shelves if present.  Product remaining in the refrigerators of consumers containing the Use By Date of 12-22-2021 should be thrown away or returned to the store where it was purchased for a full refund. Consumers are urged not to eat the product.
Consumers with questions may contact the company at 1-425-493-1402, Monday-Friday, 8am-5 pm pacific time zone.

New Hope Food Pantry has long since been a member of the Olathe Chamber. We've hosted Thursday Morning Coffees over the years as well as attended many of the weekly coffees at the multitude of places that have hosted over the years. Last month it was hosted at Olathe City Hall and the Mayor John Bacon spoke. It is a really fun part of this organization to be able to go out and meet people in the community and help raise awareness for what's going on at the pantry.

If you are gifted at talking to people and would be interested in a way to get involved, consider being a community advocate for the pantry and attend a couple of networking meetings regularly to get to know people and build relationships with them promoting the pantry.  

Mayor John Bacon video - ​https://rumble.com/vmzbp3-olathe-mayor-john-bacon.html