By Raylene Quaney
Help House was the recent recipient of two grants. The Topeka Community Foundation Healthy Lifestyle Grant will award $4,800 in January to support our Healthy Pantry program. The money will be used to buy specific foods for those with special dietary needs, such as for diabetes, high blood pressure, heart issues, gluten allergies, kidney disease, or lactose intolerance. The Sunderland Foundation, in Overland Park, has awarded the Help House $50,000 to pave the parking lot. Money from this grant and funds raised over the last two years will allow us to pave the parking lot in early 2020. Our sincere thanks to both of these charitable foundations.
Help while you shop locally
Remember while shopping at our local Thriftway stores in Osage City, Overbrook and Carbondale, you will see at the register a card that reads, “You may now make a donation to Help House for the Food Pantry by asking the clerk to add either $1.00 or $5.00 to the total of your bill.” It is that easy and we thank everyone for your continued support and donations. We are very grateful to Jim O’Neill and Jerry Geisy for their continued support of Help House.
Children’s Shopping Day
For families who have not been adopted by ECAT, ECKAN, or other Christmas programs, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday Dec. 7 is the Children’s Shopping Day. Santa’s elves will assist the children in selecting one gift per parent per child. Then they will wrap them for them to take home.
Help House fundraisers
It may appear to some that Help House is always having fundraisers going on, but when you are trying to meet the needs of more than 230 households a month and keep the lights on, it does require the financial assistance of the communities we live in to help do that. We are so grateful for all the support that you provide all year long – the food collections, and 95 volunteers giving over 7,000 hours of their time in the last 12 months to the service of others in need. This time of year, for those who do not know where their next meal will come from if they fill that prescription they need or pay the rent, what they are getting or giving for Christmas isn’t even a consideration. If you and your family are blessed beyond measure, we are here for those who are not and hope you will share if you can.
Bell ringers chime in
Help House volunteers have begun placing Salvation Army red counter kettles in businesses throughout Osage County. When you put your change or your dollars into one of these kettles, 86 cents of every dollar stays in our county to help your neighbors in need. You will see bell ringer volunteers at the Thriftway grocery stores in Overbrook, Carbondale and Osage City on the weekends and at other events during the month of December.
No budget class till New Year
The Good Sense Budget Class will not be held during the month of December.
Mobile food pantries
Mobile food pantry dates: Carbondale, 12 p.m., Dec. 10, Carbondale Church of Christian Fellowship; Osage City will not hold a mobile pantry in December; Melvern, 12:30 p.m. Dec. 19, Melvern Community Center; Burlingame, 10 a.m. Dec. 19, Burlingame Federated Church; Lyndon, 12 p.m., Dec. 20, Jones Park, East Sixth Street. If participating in the mobile pantry participants need to be in line 15 to 20 minutes before starting time to be in the counted numbers when it is decided how much of each item each family will receive. Help House sponsors the Lyndon and Carbondale mobile pantries.
Online shopping helps your favorite charity
We would like to remind everyone that while you are shopping on Amazon for Christmas, if you place your order at www.smile.amazon.com, you can make a difference to a charity of your choice. We hope you will choose Help House. There is no difference in the price you pay, so remember Help House this Christmas season when you place an order with Amazon.
Help House weather closures
Remember in case of inclement weather, Help House will be closed if USD 421 Lyndon is closed.
Merry Christmas!
We would like to wish everyone a very blessed Christmas and pray that the birth of Jesus will be at the center of your Christmas celebration and remain in your hearts throughout the New Year.
For more information about Help House’s services, email osagecountyhh@gmail.com, call 785-828-4888, stop by 131 W. 15th St., Lyndon, Kan., or like Osage County Help House on Facebook.
The Help House mission is to provide emergency assistance for the basic needs of individuals and families in Osage County, Kansas.
