Tag Archives: February

February Pantry Item of the Month is Here!

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Happy February! This new month brings us a new Pantry Item and this one is an important part of our food program especially our upcoming Community Grocery Giveaway that’s taking place later this month.

For February we’re asking for donations of RAMEN! Ramen is a food bag staple but also a hot item that is beloved by the majority of people who come to our Community Grocery Giveaway.

Unfortunately, we are running extremely low on this product and don’t have a very large amount to share at our grocery event. Any donation of this item is extremely helpful and beneficial to helping us meet the needs of our neighbors.

If you’d like to donate please drop off at our Administrative Office during business hours Mon – Fri. If those hours don’t work for you please call us at 301.739.1165 or email info@hagerstownhopecenter.com to arrange a time that works.

If you prefer shopping online please use 125 N. Prospect St, Hagerstown, MD 21740 for our delivery address.

Any donation is a blessing and an investment in the lives of your neighbors in need!

Our Community Grocery Giveaway is taking place on Sunday, February 19th from 2-4pm in the Trinity Center. This is a free event for anyone and everyone in the community who is in need of grocery assistance. For more info please call 301.739.1165.

Pasta for the Win!

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Each month we are going to highlight an item that we need or use consistently at The Hope Center. Most items we highlight are used for food bags that we distribute to families and individuals who are in need of food assistance. Food items donated may also be used in our kitchen for one of the many daily meals served free-of-charge to our residents, overnight homeless guests, and community guests seeking a hot meal.

Whether it’s the coldest day in winter or the warmest day in summer, there’s something just perfect about a nice bowl of pasta and sauce.

Maybe it’s the comfort of the taste. Maybe it’s the bold simplicity of the meal.  Maybe it’s the ease of the process. Perhaps it’s just the happiness shared between your taste buds and your tummy. Or maybe it’s all of the above.

No matter what the reason — there’s just something wonderful about a bowl of pasta and sauce.

And that’s why spaghetti is one item on our list that is a “must have” for every food bag. It’s easy to make, is a hearty meal, and, most importantly, tastes perfect. So each food bag we distribute receives a 24 oz jar of pasta sauce and a box of spaghetti. Even if the family or individual is a novice in the kitchen, pasta is a meal that basically anyone can make.

Pasta Sauce-001

So for the month of February we are asking for donations of 24 oz jars of pasta or marinara sauce. We ask for the 24 oz size so as not to fill up too much space in a food bag so we can include other food items as well.

If you, your church, civic club, Scout troop, or business would like to donate pasta sauce please drop any jars off to our Administrative Office Mon – Fri 8:15 – 11:30am and 12:15-5pm (our office is closed daily from 11:30am – 12:15pm). If those hours do not work please contact us at 301.739.1165 or email info@hagerstownhopecenter.com to arrange a more suitable time.

Also, if you’re planning a food drive then be sure to add pasta sauce to the list of much needed items! If you need any other ideas of food items that are frequently used then please contact us so we can give you an idea list.

If you would like to learn more about our food program, or you are in need of food assistance, please go to http://www.hagerstownhopecenter.com/food-programs

Happy Valentine’s Day!

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Happy Valentine’s Day from all of us at The Hope Center! We celebrated today with our Soup Line guests who got special themed treats and a few of our lucky guests went home with some Valentine’s prizes!

Soup Line is our daily free lunch for anyone and everyone in the community. We serve our community meals, like Soup Line, every day of the year including all holidays and during inclement weather.

Soup Line is one of the important parts of our food ministry and a huge part of our goal to end hunger in Hagerstown and surrounding areas and to make sure no one is food insecure – ever.

And thanks to generous people like you who financially sponsor us and donate food all year long, we are able to feed more people than ever. Which is why we are moving ahead with a refurbishment and expansion of our food services area at The Hope Center. In the next coming months we’ll be revealing the plans for an expanded dining room and kitchen to help accommodate the growing number of guests for meals, and a much larger pantry to house all the food that is donated and used for daily meals and our food bag program.

So as we celebrate this day of love, we want to express our love to you for supporting us and partnering with us to feed the hungry in our community! Thank you so much and we love each of you for your kind, caring spirit! Happy Valentine’s Day!

The Groundhog Has Spoken…

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Punxsutawney Phil may have brought some discouraging news with his wintry prediction but we really don’t care because we’re thinking spring thoughts and getting excited for our annual Rock the Run 5k in April!

RTR Pirate PrincessBattle those winter blues by registering now for our 5k. Registration is open and is currently only $20 from now until February 27th! Go ahead and register now and start preparing for our race by visiting http://www.rocktherunhagerstown.com.

And this year we’re making it a little more exciting by having Pirates vs Princess so grab your hook and eyepatch or that tiara and tutu and challenge your friends and family to a little friendly competition to see who can win the treasure by getting the best time!

Money raised at Rock the Run: Pirates vs Princess goes towards the programs at The Hope Center that help the hungry and homeless. And we are currently in the beginning stages of starting a renovation and expansion to our kitchen, dining, and pantry areas so that we can feed even more people and be more efficient as we do it. Every sponsor and each participant in Rock the Run is helping to feed thousands of men, women and children each year.

It’s just one race, one day, but it’s a lifetime of hope that you’re providing. So join us as we think spring and register today at http://www.rocktherunhagerstown.com!