Tag Archives: food assistance

August is All About the Beans

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Happy August!!! The arrival of August brings a new Pantry Item of the Month. This month we’re asking for cans of baked beans… yummmmmm!

We’ll gladly accept any brand, flavor, or size of cans of baked beans. We use baked beans in our kitchen for community meals and we also give out cans of baked beans to those who receive food bags or participate in our Community Grocery Giveaway.

And speaking of Community Grocery Giveaway we’re hosting another one this month! On Friday, August 13th we’re giving away all sorts of non-perishable items to anyone who needs a little grocery assistance. The grocery giveaway will take place in the Trinity Center from 9am – 11am or while supplies last.

In addition to baked beans, we’re giving away items like canned fruit, soups, peanut butter canned vegetables, boxes of mac & cheese, baking mixes, pasta, sauces, canned meats, snacks, ramen, boxed dinners, and so much more! We’ll also have an assortment of breads & pastries along with personal care items like soap, shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrushes, and so on. Our Community Grocery Giveaway is FREE for anyone and everyone in the community including our neighbors in surrounding counties and states. You do not need a food bank card to participate. Bags will be provided but anyone in attendance is welcome to bring their own bags for food. All items are first-come and while supplies last so make a plan to come as soon as doors open at 9am. Also, if you know of individuals or families who cannot make it out that day please feel free to stop by and pick up food for them. We want to help as many people as possible!

So if you’d like to support our food programs by donating cans of baked beans please drop off donations to our Admin Office during business hours M-F (office is open 8:15-11:30am and 12:15-4pm). If these hours conflict with your schedule please call us at 301.739.1165 or email info@hagerstownhopecenter.com to arrange a time that works for you.

If you prefer shopping onilne at AmazonSmile or another vendor please use 125 N. Prospect St, Hagerstown, MD 21740 for our delivery address. If you’re unfamiliar with AmazonSmile please click here General Information | hagerstownhopecenter and scroll to the bottom to learn more.

Thank you for caring and sharing with your community! Please help us spread the word about our upcoming Community Grocery Giveaway and our Pantry Item of the Month by sharing our posts on Facebook!

April Showers… bring May’s Pantry Item of the Month!

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We’ve successfully made it through April! With the new month comes the hope of warmer, sunnier weather and the opportunity to start getting out and experiencing our world a little more.

The new month also brings a new pantry need – BOXED DINNERS. Boxed dinners are a staple item in our food bags. From boxes of pasta salad, to Hamburger Helper, mashed potatoes, mac & cheese, stuffing mixes, and more, the boxed dinner is an important part of our food bags.

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To donate please drop off at our Administrative Office during business hours (M-F 8:15 – 11:30am and 12:15-2pm). Our office closes at 2pm for visitors but we do have staff working until 4pm. To drop off between 2 – 4pm please call our office so we can be prepared. Our offices are located on our central parking lot located at 215 W. Church St. in Hagerstown.

If you’d like to order food online please use 125 N. Prospect St., Hagerstown, MD 21740 as our delivery address. And remember, when shopping at Amazon be sure to use AmazonSmile (smile.amazon.com) for your orders. When you shop from AmazonSmile Amazon will donate a portion of the proceeds to The Hope Center! For more info about AmazonSmile please email us at info@hagerstownhopecenter.com

Thank you to each of you for all you’ve been doing to help us help others during this pandemic. Your support and love during this has definitely helped us stay encouraged and hopeful. It’s in times like this that we truly see the best in people and we thank God for each of you.

If you or your family are in need of grocery assistance please call our office at 301.739.1165 during business hours (M-F 8:15-11:30am and 12:15-4pm) to schedule an appointment for a food bag. We are happy to help provide you with some food but we ask that you please schedule an appointment so we can make sure we have a food bag prepared. For more info on our food programs and how we can help during the COVID-19 crisis please call or email us at info@hagerstownhopecenter.com

COVID-19 Update: Food Assistance for All!

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In these unprecedented times we’re all dealing with a lot of issues. During this health crisis and time of economic hardship we want to make sure that no one is food insecure and feeding your family should not be a worry to deal with. God has provided us with very generous supporters, friends, and partners in the community who’ve helped make sure we have plenty of food to help feed those in need.

We are now supplying food bags to any individuals and families in need in our community. We will be waiving the required food bank card supplied by the Washington County Food Bank during this time. We understand the need to feed yourself and your family and we want to help as much as we can.

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To receive a food bag we ask that you call our Administrative Office at 301.739.1165 during office hours to set up an appointment time to receive a food bag. We are asking that you make an appointment so we can make sure to have a food bag prepared for your arrival. We will even walk the food bag to your car to help protect you and your family.

When calling, we will simply ask for your name and address. No financial information will be needed. When you arrive to receive your food bag we will ask for an ID to verify.

It’s quick and easy and will hopefully help to alleviate the stress of feeding your family during this time.

The food bag program is during office hours only which are Mon – Fri 8:15am – 11:30am and 12:15pm – 4pm. Please only call during these hours to schedule an appointment for a food bag. Also, food bag distribution will only take place during office hours. We will continue to hand out food bags while supplies last.

And remember, our daily meals are still being served and free for anyone and everyone in the community. We’ve adjusted how meals are served in order to protect all of our guests and staff from the potential spread of coronavirus. If you or anyone you know is in need of a delicious hot meal please join us each day of the week for a free meal. Our Soup Line and evening meal are now meeting in the Trinity Center which is located at the back of our parking lot (215 W. Church St) behind our Thrift Store. No appointment is needed for any meals served and all ages are welcome to dine with us.

For more information on all our food service programs or to learn more about how we’re fighting COVID-19 together please visit http://www.hagerstownhopecenter.com.

Again, to schedule an appointment for a food bag please call 301.739.1165 Mon – Fri 8:15am – 11:30am and 12:15pm – 4pm.

The Fight to End Hunger: Martin’s Food Gives Back

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Combatting hunger in our area has been a top priority of ours since the very beginning in 1955. We’ve been providing free meals for the hungry as long as we can remember and even hosting our annual Thanksgiving feast since the mid 1950’s making it one of the oldest community Thanksgiving feasts in the area. Through the years we’ve increased our food services program and have adapted to the ever growing and ever changing needs in our community.

We are still dedicated to fighting hunger in Hagerstown. The goal hasn’t diminished and the challenge is still very real. From serving multiple meals a day to providing food bags assistance to families in need, our food program is a major part of the ministries at The Hope Center.

We have a great staff who run our kitchen and food pantry, making sure that anyone who is hungry or lonely has a safe and welcoming place to enjoy a delicious meal. And our staff always makes sure that we have food bags for families and individuals to supplement their shelves so that no one in our area is ever food insecure.

But we can’t feed all these people without a little help from our friends! We always welcome churches, groups, and individuals who want to pitch in and help serve meals. And we’re always grateful to those who donate food and other items for our residents and guests. Donating food can make a huge difference and produce positive results in our overall budget so that we can use our resources to help more people in more ways and continue to do it all without using any tax money.

Recently managers and employees from some local Martin’s stores came to serve a meal at The Hope Center.

Led by Krista Bloom and represented managers & employees from four local Martins stores, Dual Highway, Maugans Ave, Wesel Blvd, and Smithsburg.

The Martin’s team was at The Hope Center for about 3 hours as they worked food prep, meal set up, food service, and helped to clean up following the meals for our residents and then our daily Soup Line.

In addition to serving food for our residents and guests, the Martin’s team brought food from a food drive along with personal care items collected. They donated over 400 non perishable food items, collected between the four stores, weighing in at over 365 pounds of food!

The team from Martin’s was serving as a part of the September Family Meals Month, part of an initiative from the corporation to help focus on eradicating hunger. This event at The Hope Center was one of five different events that pertained to ending hunger as a part of the September Family Meals Month that the 17 stores in the district participated in.

Throughout the month of September, the district stores tallied up over 148 hours of volunteer service. The group that came to volunteer at The Hope Center had over 36 hours of volunteer service for the September initiative!

Thank you so much to all the wonderful people at Martin’s food stores who volunteered and donated to The Hope Center and all the other food charities in the area! Eradicating hunger is a huge task but with faithful friends, like the volunteers from Martin’s, we can all work together to make sure no one in our area is EVER hungry or food insecure.

When shopping for groceries, please consider visiting one of the Martin’s Food Stores in our area. To find a store go to http://www.martinsfoods.com.

Hunger doesn’t discriminate. It is a real evil that affects all types of people in every age group. If you would like to join the fight against hunger in our area then contact us immediately to learn how you can help just like the kind employees from Martin’s.

To get involved call 301.739.1165 or email volunteer@hagerstownhopecenter.com.

If you or someone you know is hungry or in need of food assistance please call 301.739.1165 or email info@hagerstownhopecenter.com.

To learn more about all the various programs and services offered at The Hope Center please visit http://www.hagerstownhopecenter.com.

Day To Serve Prompts Local Food Drive

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Americans are probably the most generous group of people on earth. This is being said without any actual statistics or facts to back it up but we’re just going on a hunch that we’re right about that claim.

But getting people to give or give back is not always easy since Americans are also probably the busiest group of people on earth. Getting involved and helping in the community is high on most people’s “must do” list but often times it is difficult because of all the demands of daily living. And that’s why the Governor created the Day To Serve.

The Day To Serve is an annual program to encourage volunteerism in the State of Maryland. The Governor of Maryland established this day andgo asked Marylanders to get involved in their communities between September 10th and October 10th.

dsc_0074A group of Maryland state employees consisting of Roberta Barkley, Barbara Allen, Amy Miller and Tracy Leb decided to host a food drive at a local grocery store. After contacting several stores, Save-A-Lot allowed the ladies to set up their food drive in front of their store. So on September 23rd, these woman hosted a food drive to benefit The Hope Center at Hagerstown Rescue Mission at the Save-A-Lot store in the South End Shopping Center.

This was the first food drive that they’ve hosted and were very pleased with the amount of food given and support from the community in helping others. In fact, the ladies were able to collect 350 pounds of food for The Hope Center pantry! Roberta, the food drive organizer, chose The Hope Center because she said she liked knowing exactly where the donation would be going and who it would be helping.

At The Hope Center, we feed thousands upon thousands of people a year. We don’t just feed the men who are in our residential rehabilitation program. We feed the homeless. We feed families. We feed anyone who needs a meal. Whether it’s a hot meal served at our daily Soup Line or it’s a bag of groceries given to a needy family, our kitchen and pantry is constantly busy making sure no one in our community misses a meal.

But with all the food that we serve or give out, our panty is in constant need of replenishment. And that’s why food drives like the one that Roberta, Barbara, Amy & Tracy hosted are so important to us at The Hope Center. Food can get costly and feeding thousands could easily break the budget but the generous support of people in our community helps to make sure that we can continue to feed and help people without costing them a cent or using tax money.

In addition to asking for food donations, Roberta contacted local dentist offices asking for donations of toothbrushes and paste. Two generous offices, Robinwood Dental Center & Dr. Toothman’s, gave the toothbrushes and toothpaste for the food drive. Personal care items such as toothpaste, brushes, deodorant and soaps are very important too as we give these items to our residents, overnight homeless guests and anyone who may need them. As simple as these items may seem, they can quickly help restore a persons value.

We want to give a huge thank you to Roberta, Barbara, Amy & Tracy for putting together this food drive and taking time out of their busy schedules to get the community involved in helping others. And we want to thank the Save-A-Lot store for allowing these ladies to host their food drive at that location. Another big thank you to Robinwood Dental & Dr. Toothman for donating the toothbrushes & paste for our guests.

Have you been inspired to host a food drive? Maybe you just want to get your family involved with giving food. If you’d like to learn more about how you can help feed your neighbors in Hagerstown then call 301.739.1165 or email hagerstownrescue@verizon.net.

Please consider frequenting these generous local businesses:

  • Robinwood Dental Center is located at 11110 Medical Campus Rd. Suite 148 in Hagerstown. Learn more about their services at http://www.robinwooddentalcenter.com.
  • Toothman Orthodontics is located at 81 N. Edgewood Dr in Hagerstown and 5100 Buckeystown Pike Suite 196 in Frederick. Go to http://www.toothmanorthodontics.com to learn more about their services.
  • Save-A-Lot store is located at 1161 Maryland Ave in Hagerstown. If you’re unfamiliar with Save-A-Lot stores then visit their website at http://www.save-a-lot.com

 

 

 

 

The Good Shepherd Ministries: Joining the Fight Against Hunger

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We’d like to say a big “thank you” to the awesome people from The Good Shepherd Ministries in Hagerstown!

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Recently, The Good Shepherd Ministries hosted a church-wide food drive to benefit The Hope Center.

Andrea Reaves, wife of Assistant Pastor Brad, and grand-daughter of The Hope Center founders Jim & Ellen Resh, organized the food drive for the church.

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The church provided approximately 460 pounds of non-perishable food for our food ministry! We are so thankful for their generous donation to help feed the needy in Hagerstown.

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Our food program is one of the most vital parts of our entire ministry for our guests. From food bags to multiple free meals throughout the day, our kitchen and pantry is always busy, and sometimes short on necessary items.

Food drives, like the one hosted by The Good Shepherd Ministries, are an important resource for our ministry. When you feed hundreds of people a week while also providing families with bags of groceries to supplement their own pantries, you can go through a lot of food. Food drives ensure that our pantry is always stocked and ready to meet the needs of our community.

Since everything we do at The Hope Center is free, and free from any tax money, we rely heavily on the generous support from churches, individuals, civic clubs, Scout programs and more to help keep our facility open, operational and free for anyone who is in need.

Thank you again to The Good Shepherd Ministries for partnering with us to help combat hunger in Hagerstown. If you’re currently looking for a church to attend, visit The Good Shepherd Ministries. For more info about this great body of Believers, go to http://www.mytgsm.com.

If you would like to host a food drive to benefit The Hope Center but just aren’t quite sure how to do so, contact us and we’ll gladly help you out. Call 301.739.1165 or email hagerstownrescue@verizon.net.

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And don’t forget that in April our 2nd Annual Rock the Run: A Race for Hope is taking place at Fairgrounds Park. On Saturday April 23rd, join fellow runners, joggers & walkers as we hit the streets to raise support and awareness for homelessness and hunger in Hagerstown. It’s a simple and fun way to make a difference in the community and help neighbors in need. Go to http://www.rocktherunhagerstown.com to learn more.

Contact Us!

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Do you have any questions or comments about our various programs & ministries?

Are you looking to donate gently used items and would like to learn more about how to schedule a pick-up?

Do you know of a man who is in need of rehabilitation or housing?

General Inquiries

Thrift Store

  • Tel: 301.739.1114 (Hagerstown)
  • Tel: 717.263.9345 (Chambersburg)

Donation Scheduling & Information

  • Tel: 301.739.1165

Men’s Ministry / Foundations Life Recovery / Drug & Alcohol Rehabilitation

Soup Line / Food Pantry / Food Bank Program

Family Assistance Program (clothing, household items, etc.)

  • Tel: 301.739.1165

Wildside Youth Ministries / Camp Wild / Sunday Night Wild

Volunteer Info

 

A Note of Gratitude From Our Residents

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Men in our residential program, Foundations Life Recovery, wanted to start the year off right by thanking all the many donors who have helped to keep The Hope Center open and running.

Our donors play a pivotal role in the lives of the men in our residential program. Without their continued & faithful support, many of these men would be lost, alone and homeless.

The financial support provided by our friends keeps this facility open every day of the year and free of charge for men seeking help for their addictions and troubled situations.

Our residents are always extremely thankful for the assistance given to them at The Hope Center. They understand that there are hundreds to thousands of people who are rooting for them and cheering them on to make the necessary changes in their lives so they can live victorious in the future.

Recently, the men wrote down some brief notes of gratitude to our donors. Some men chose to include their names, others didn’t. But all of these quotes are genuine and from the heart! Please read through these notes and remember to pray for each of these men as they battle their addictions and life struggles.

A Note of Thank You From Our Residents!

Just want to thank you for all that you do for this program because it’s helping me to change my life around and get close to God. ~Melvin

Never before have I seen such generosity as I see here.  I am very grateful for the help given to me and the other men here. ~Frank

Thank you that you let God work through you and use you to make a difference in people’s lives.

Thank you for all your love! ~Connor

God bless you and I thank you for the donations that are continually given.  We appreciate it.  May the Lord bless you. ~Dustin

I want to thank you for giving me a place to get a relationship with God and become a better man.

I look up to, and respect, people that stand in the gap where God placed them to be able to help His people.  And an extra blessing are the ones who do it with a warm smile. ~Kevin

Thank you very much.  You truly are a life-saver!

Many thanks to the donors and volunteers and guest preachers.  Your generosity and loving kindness help us greatly and makes a difference.

Many thanks and blessings to all you guys.  God bless you all for everything you guys have done.  I’m so thankful.  My heart can’t explain the gratitude I feel.  Thanks from the bottom of my heart.  I love you all!

Again, thank you for supporting this ministry! We can’t say it any better than our residents but we appreciate your support every single day! You may not be able to see the full impact of your gift but we do, our guys do, and most importantly, God does.

If you are not a current supporter of this ministry, why not start the new year by making a resolution to partner with us to bring hope to the lives of thousands of people in the greater Hagerstown region this year?

Your financial support helps men in our Foundations Life Recovery program, provides overnight shelter for homeless men, feeds daytime guests from the community looking for a nourishing & hot meal, provides food bags for hungry families, gives at-risk children a safe after school program and free summer camp, and many other programs for people of all ages.

The Hope Center does not receive any tax money so our facilities and programs are fully funded through the generous support of our friends.

Now is the perfect time for you to join us in battling hunger, despair, addiction and hopelessness in Hagerstown.

Call 301.739.1165, email hagerstownrescue@verizon.net or visit http://www.hagerstownrescue.org for more info. You can also donate directly from our website through a secure PayPal account.

Thank you to everyone who has supported us in the past and who is pledging to keep The Hope Center operational in the years to come!

Antrim BIC Food Drive is a Christmas Blessing!

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‘Tis the season to be thankful and we definitely are thankful for the generosity of the congregation from Antrim Brethren in Christ Church just north of Greencastle, PA.

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The church recently held a food drive for The Hope Center and they supplied our pantry with a huge selection of food.

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There was so much food that we totally filled a cargo van!

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The food donated will be used to help feed our residents, SoupLine guests, overnight guests and fill many food bags for needy families in the area.

As food continues to rise in cost, we cannot stress enough how thankful we are to be supported by so many wonderful churches, civic groups, businesses and friends.

Each year we feed thousands of men, women & children through our various food programs. Generous food donations and food drives, like Antrim BIC, help us to keep our food costs down while still providing the necessary services to neighbors in need.

If you would like to donate food or sponsor a food drive, call 301.739.1165 or email hagerstownrescue@verizon.net to learn more.

If you’re looking for a church in to attend, check out Antrim Brethren in Christ Church. Go to www.antrimbic.org to learn more about the church including service times and ways to get involved.

Home for Christmas

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“Home for Christmas” can be three of the most comforting words in the world … especially at this time of the year.  But to those struggling to overcome the problems that have devastated their lives, “home for Christmas” is a phrase that brings feelings of pain and loss.  The holiday season is an especially difficult time for each of them because the loneliness hurts even more.

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It may be difficult for you to imagine The Hope Center as “home.”  Yet, this Christmas season, The Hope Center at Hagerstown Rescue Mission will be home to men enrolled in our recovery program.  These men are seeking freedom from bondage to some self-destructive habit which has caused pain and destruction.  These hurting men are just like you and me – they need and want to be with family and friends during the holidays.

The Hope Center doesn’t look much like a home on the outside, but most of the guys who stay with us say it feels like home on the inside.  We try to do the same things you do for your house guests.  We provide clean, warm beds, we decorate our “home” for the season, we serve special holiday meals and we give special gifts to all.

Then there are the women, children and families who come to The Hope Center seeking help.  For one reason or another they are in need of food, clothing and furniture.  We provide bags of groceries, clothing, and items of furniture to them as a means to sharing with them a message of hope which can be found through a relationship with Jesus Christ.  We want them to know they can come to our “home” and find hope and encouragement in their time of need.

Although ministering to human needs is an important part of our program, meeting the deepest need of the human heart is our primary objective.  Everyone who comes to our “home” during this holiday season – and throughout the year – will hear the life-changing message of Jesus Christ.  It is our prayer that during this special season of the year when hearts are more open and receptive to the Gospel, some will accept the greatest Gift of all – the gift of sins forgiven with the hope of eternal life!

It is because of your compassion and generosity that hundreds of hurting people feel like they are “home for Christmas” at The Hope Center.  You are a vital part of this ministry of HOPE, and we thank God for you!  You are making a profound difference as you work with us to bring hope to our community!

If you are interested in helping us this season reach people with the true message of Christmas, then please call 301.739.1165 or email hagerstownrescue@verizon.net.

If you would like to give online by credit or debit then please visit our website at www.hagerstownrescue.org. Once on our homepage, please locate the “Give to HRM” link located in the red box on the left side of the page. That will lead you to our safe & secure online donation page.

Thank you for caring & sharing for your neighbors this Christmas season, and may you and yours enjoy God’s choicest blessings at Christmas and in the New Year!  Merry Christmas!