Friends & Neighbors Community Food Center Is a non - denominational, faith-based social service
organization which seeks to provide food and other necessities to those in need without regard to race ,
age , sex , religion , or social status , while preserving human decency and encouraging self - reliance
and empowerment .
We serve especially the rural poor in "The forgotten areas" of three Ohio counties
(Athens - Meigs - Washington), But our belief is none should go without . All those in need will qualify ,
And all will be served by the same standard . We are governed by God ,
Supplied by the gracious hands of our Lord Jesus Christ and the donations of all God's people .
We are a 501(c)(3) organization under sponsorship of White Chapel Wesleyan Church of Coolville .
We are in partnership with more than a dozen organizations including the Second Harvest Food Bank of
Southeastern Ohio and The Athens , Hocking , Perry , Meigs , Gallia , Washington , Morgan county
Community Action .
Because we seek to overcome the root causes of poverty , We offer a complement
of programs to assist our clients , including a
1. Soup kitchen
2. Choice pantry
3. Clothing distribution
4. Disaster Relief
5. On-site nurse
6. Food & medicine delivery
7. Agricultural surplus distribution
8. Small home repairs
9. Peer & Adult Mentors
10. Children's programs
11. Volunteer opportunities
12. Job training
Above all we provide a comfort zone for clients , a safe place for people to come deal with their problems .
We help clients deal with bureaucracy , we don't create it .
We are a client - run , client - based and client - directed . Our Board of Directors has Nine
members , seven of whom are clients . Our Director qualifies as a client . All our staff
Volunteers except two are clients . Each week we ask those present at the soup kitchen for
input on meals , jobs , Heath Issues , personal problems , pantry choices and expose
them to opportunities to improve their lives .
We currently serve about 3,000 individuals each year who would otherwise be
chronically under served . Our Soup Kitchen is held at Lottridge Community Center
( 2754 Lottridge Road ) each Wednesday from noon to 3:00 pm.
Our Choice Pantry , Little Blessings , Healthy Connections and other programs are in
the old Carthage Township Trustees Building , directly across from the Lottridge Community Center .
Our Meigs County pantry and a Migrant Outreach Center are about to Open in Racine
Municipal Building .
Our office is located in the old Sheriff's substation in downtown Coolville .
In the midst of our fourth year of operation , our goals are to reach more clients in need
and to offer them more and better programs by strengthening our ties with other helping
organizations throughout Athens county and Southeastern Ohio .
