By Raylene Quaney 

Help House will open its Prom Closet 4-7 p.m. Monday, March 4, 2019, and it will be open each day during regular hours until the selection of beautiful dress have been chosen by girls thoughout Osage County for their special night. We will also have jewelry available to enhance the evening wear. All girls are invited to come in on March 4, and be among the first to find their dress for that big night.

Good Sense budget class

The next “Good Sense” budget class will be held 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday, March 11, at Help House. This is a one-day class. Call 785-828-4888 for more information and to register.

Volunteer training scheduled

Help House’s annual volunteer training will be held on March 18. Registration begins at 9 a.m. All volunteers are asked to participate in this training at least once. If you have thought about becoming a volunteer and would like to know more about Help House, you are welcome to attend. Call the office to register.

Mobile food pantries

Mobile Food Pantry dates: Carbondale location is Carbondale Church of Christian Fellowship, 12 p.m. on the 2nd Tuesday, March 12; Osage City distribution is located at Osage City Community Center at 10 a.m. on the 3rd Thursday, March 21; Melvern Mobile Pantry has been cancelled until further notice; Burlingame distribution is held at the Burlingame Federated Church at 10 a.m. on the 3rd Thursday, March 21; Lyndon distribution is located at Jones Park on East Sixth Street, at 12 p.m. on the third Friday, March 15. Recipients in the mobile pantry are asked to be in line 15 to 20 minutes before starting time to be in the count to determine how much of each item each family will receive. Help House sponsors the Lyndon and Carbondale mobile pantries.

Souper Bowl

We would like to thank everyone that helped collect cans of soup and boxes of crackers for the Souper Bowl Soup-a-thon soup drive for the pantry. This year Girl Scout troop 30149 from Osage City and troop 30313 from Burlingame joined in the fun. Green Acres Restaurant was a new collection site this year also. Among the churches that collected, first place was Overbrook United Methodist Church, second place was Carbondale Community Church of Christ, and third place went to Lyndon United Methodist Church. A total of 1,862 cans of soup and more than 100 boxes of crackers were collected. This will allow Help House to give out one can of soup per family member to those shopping the pantry for approximately three months. We thank everyone that donated and those who did the collecting. You were such a blessing to those who will receive.

Feeding the Hungry program donates venison

We would like to thank the Kansas Farmers and Hunters, Feeding The Hungry program (www.fhfh.org) for the donation of venison to the food pantry. Also we need to remind any farmer or individual that would like to make a donation of farm raised beef, pork or chicken that all donations must be processed and packaged in a plant that has been USDA inspected and packaging must have the USDA seal. Any donations such as this are a great help, as then we do not have to purchase these items to provide the protein that is such an important part of a good diet. Cash donations can be designated for the purchase of meat for the pantry also.

Harvesters’ helpers

Help House volunteers and staff have received training and certification from Harvesters to assist any member of the community and resident of Osage County that would like to apply for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Participants need proof of identification, social security information for each member of the household, income verification each member of the household (a most recent bank statement will be copied and sent in with application), also required, any owned vehicle information, and if 60 or older or disabled, any medical expenses including health insurance and Medicare premiums and prescription cost or bills you are paying on. Call Help House at 785-828-4888 to make an appointment or for more information.

For more information about Help House’s services, call 785-828-4888, email osagecountyhh@gmail.com, stop by 131 W. 15th St., Lyndon, Kan., or like Osage County Help House on Facebook.