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  

New Hope Food Pantry wants to give a couple of shout outs this week to those who supported us with a FOOD DRIVES! We rely on individuals, businesses and the community as a whole to help us raise food, and we appreciate each and every person that steps up to help out!

Timbercreek Elementary - The students at Timbercreek Elementary did a cereal drive. 508 lbs. of cereal were collected by the students and before they were brought to us, the school arranged all the cereal boxes like dominos through out the school and held an assembly allowing the students to watch as they knocked the boxes over and watched the patterns topple. The kids, I was told, enjoyed it immensely. Huge thank you to Heather Southwell for organizing and delivering (in multiple vehicles) the bounty.

Premier Martial Arts - Located at 11951 S Strang Line Rd, in Olathe, Program Director, Brent Hubbard has arranged to host a drive quarterly for food and cleaning supplies. Their Black Belt students get the privilege of helping at the event and the other students earn a "Community Stripe" by either donating time or supplies to help. What a great example set by a private business! I challenge another area business to step up and help out like Premier Martial Arts is doing.  

Peace and blessings,

Caylon Umphrey, Executive Director
New Hope Food Pantry
​913-782-0955

From the Desk of Jim Linker:

With a sad heart, I would like to tell everyone that has worked with me over the years that I'm stepping down from Executive Director of the food pantry because of personal issues regarding the health of family members.  I would like to introduce Caylon Umphrey as the new Executive Director of the New Hope Food Pantry. She is a God-fearing lady that knows that God is in control of the pantry.

I am very thankful that the officers of New Hope PCA picked Caylon as my successor because she has put in countless hours helping me to grow the pantry into what it is today. I know that she will continue to follow the mission statement  by helping our neighbors in need and providing food all while giving God the glory. 

I'll still continue to support this ministry because of the love I have for feeding people in need.  A favorite scripture of mine is found in Ecclesiastes 3:

There is a time for everything,
    and a season for every activity under the heavens:
2     a time to be born and a time to die,
    a time to plant and a time to uproot,
3     a time to kill and a time to heal,
    a time to tear down and a time to build,
4     a time to weep and a time to laugh,
    a time to mourn and a time to dance,
5     a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
    a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
6     a time to search and a time to give up,
    a time to keep and a time to throw away,
7     a time to tear and a time to mend,
    a time to be silent and a time to speak,
8     a time to love and a time to hate,
    a time for war and a time for peace.

So now is my time for passing the baton. 

Peace and blessings,

​Jim Linker

Yes, we are open as long as we can continue to staff the pantry. Many volunteers have quarantined at home and cannot come in, due to age. Many of our volunteers are retired and in the high at-risk group for the corona virus. We are currently staffed, and taking it week by week. We will post updates as to closings and changes as or if they happen.  Currently we have a list of rules posted that clients must read before entering the New Hope Food Pantry office, and only a few clients are allowed in at a time in order to keep mandatory distances between each other. 

We are also doing routine cleaning and disinfecting with all sorts of different cleaners, depending on the area. Each weekend a crew of volunteers is coming in the pantry to do a total disinfection of pantry items,  Office chairs, client check-in desk, and other items are being disinfected on a daily basis, and a fresh coat of paint in the office was completed this weekend for clients to have a like-new area when checking in free from germs. 

We are taking every precaution and following all guidelines to keep everyone as safe as we can. Please be in prayer for the pantry, the community and for health for our ministry. God bless this community!

The New Hope Food Pantry hosted the Olathe Chamber Coffee again this year in February. It was a very successful event, where local business owners come together to network over coffee and pastries and learn a little about other businesses and organizations in the Johnson County area. The New Hope Food Pantry Director, Jim Linker, spoke to the Olathe Chamber about how we fed approximately 35,000 people in 2018 with an ALL volunteer staff. 

The day of the Chamber event, a couple of New Hope Food Pantry collection bins were placed in the Narthex of New Hope Presbyterian Church (the event was inside Fellowship Hall of the church) and some community members brought food donations, but also a chamber member went around with a collection bin and community members donated cash in support of stamping out hunger as well. All in all, it was another successful community event that hopefully brought awareness to the need for food assistance in Johnson county, where wealth is evident and need can be overshadowed.

All glory be to God for the generosity of this community coming together to feed families in need.

Volunteers needed in Olathe for local food pantry. The volunteer hours are Monday-Friday from 8:30 am - 6pm, Saturday mornings & Sunday afternoons at 1pm. If you are looking for a rewarding volunteer experience, download the volunteer application on our Volunteer page.  

We have an array of jobs available to volunteer like office jobs, driving positions, stockers, shoppers, and leadership roles. Whatever your gifts are, if you want to serve the Lord and feed the community, we will find a position for you.

God bless you!

The Olathe H.O.P.E. Car Show is coming up April 28, 2018 at the New Hope Food Pantry. Tell all your car enthusiast friends to enter their car or come out and gawk at the cool cars. Spectators enter for free. The entry fee for cars is only $20.

Enjoy a hot dog lunch and a vendor event. Bring the family for all the carnival style games. It's bound to be a great time!

For complete info on the upcoming H.O.P.E. Car Show, visit the H.O.P.E. Car Show Fundraiser page on this website.

H.O.P.E. stand for Helping Other People Eat. It is the goal to offer hope to the community by providing free food assistance to families in need. This is a community designed event to allow Johnson County residents a fun way to help support the community for a good cause.

Questions? Contact Alyssa Leckliter at [email protected]. 

New Hope Food Pantry, Olathe, KS

This blog has been established by the volunteers at New Hope Food Pantry to communicate out the important food pantry messages that the community needs to know  to help support Miami & Johnson county families in need.  Established in 2011, the New Hope Food Pantry is a Harvesters pantry, which recently won the Harvesters Circle of Hope Award - Network Partnership - Pantry. Check out the video of Jim Linker, New Hope Food Pantry Director, receiving the award.

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New Hope Food Pantry currently has 4 supporting church partners:  New Hope Presbyterian (Olathe, KS), Redeemer Presbyterian (Overland Park, KS), The Branches Church (Olathe, KS), & Christ Family Church (Olathe, KS). NHFP is currently looking for churches looking for ministry opportunities. Contact Jim Linker at 913.782.0955 for more information.