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December Donor Impact Report

The New Love Center

Volunteers

“No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” Aesop

Throughout the month of November, 162 volunteers made a difference at The New Love Center, giving 565 hours of their time. Our volunteers are the heart of our ministry here at TNLC and we cannot thank each and every one of them enough for their time, hard work, and compassion. Thank you volunteers for everything you do!

Are you interested in learning more about volunteering at The New Love Center? We’d love to have you join us!

Please come in and see what we do, with a first hand look at how you can make a difference, and get your questions answered. To set up a time to visit, call the office at 570-244-8838 or click here.

Café

It has now been six months of dine-in only (Monday-Friday). In November, we served an average of 32 meals a day, which is an increase of 4 meals over October.

Rachel Miles, our head cook, continues to serve delicious, hot and nutritious meals. She served a full Thanksgiving meal, turkey and all the trimmings, to our clients. While the Cafe was closed on Thanksgiving Day, all clients were invited to Trinity UMC for their community dinner.

TNLC has been blessed to have Christine McDonnell as our kitchen/custodial help Monday to Wednesday. She does so well interacting with our clients and praying with them when needed. We also welcomed Sarah Kelchner who provides support Thursday and Friday at the Cafe and throughout the week at the Annex. She has been fantastic since beginning on November 4th.

Please note that the Cafe will be closed on December 24. On December 23, we will serve a hot meal and clients will receive a take-home meal for the 24th.

Food Pantry

Our Food Pantry had a very busy month in November, serving 1,086 individuals, including 205 new faces for the first time. We welcome sharing our ministry with these individuals and thank our 119 dedicated volunteers who donated 380 hours!

In addition to our Food Pantry, we distributed 93 Senior Boxes and 148 households received MilitaryShare boxes at the American Legion. Three people picked up PB&J packs at our November 8 distribution day. Our Backpack Program gave out 403 backpacks to help those students of the Jersey Shore Area School District that need it. Our Pop-Up Pantries In Renovo and Lock Haven continues to connect people to our food pantry ministry. In Renovo, 128 individuals received food and in Lock Haven, another 224 individuals were served.

A total of 30,131 lbs of food was donated in November from our partner organizations and we received 27,280 pounds from churches, organizations, and individuals, including “Stuff the Bus”.

Read the rest of our December Donor Impact Report by clicking HERE. You can find archives of the reports and other newsletters HERE.

November Donor Impact Report

The New Love Center

Volunteers

“Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.” 1 Peter 4:10

Throughout the month of October, 223 volunteers made a difference at The New Love Center, giving 695 hours of their time. Our volunteers are the heart of our ministry here at TNLC and we cannot thank each and every one of them enough for their time, hard work, and compassion. Thank you volunteers for everything you do!

Are you interested in learning more about volunteering at The New Love Center? We’d love to have you join us!

Please come in and see what we do, with a first hand look at how you can make a difference, and get your questions answered. To set up a time to visit, call the office at 570-244-8838 or click here.

Café

In October, the Café served 585 meals. Our Café is one of our core programs that serve delicious and healthy meals Monday through Friday to anyone who wants one at no cost. As we continue toward our dream of building a new food hub, which will include a dining room and kitchen, we look forward to giving people the opportunity for fellowship and community, in addition to a hot meal.

29 volunteers gave 143 hours of their time to work in the Café. These volunteers helped prepare and serve meals, clean, and keep things moving along. As always, they did so with the love of Christ and friendly smiles that people know they’ll always find at The New Love Center.

Food Pantry

On the 2nd and 4th Friday of each month, our Food Pantry is open for distribution to provide food for those who might not otherwise be able to get it. In October, 796 of our clients received food from the pantry. Without these distributions, many of those individuals would not have known where their next meal was coming from. We’re always happy to welcome new faces and build connections with people coming to us for the first time. In October, we were able to serve 32 new individuals through our distributions.

The New Love Center also operates a number of other programs that help fight food insecurity. We have the ElderShare program, which provides an extra box of food to seniors. In October, 92 senior boxes were distributed. Our MilitaryShare program served 146 households. We also have the Pop-Up Pantries, which extend our reach to additional locations that may be easier for some people to access. In Renovo, 74 individuals received food and in Lock Haven, another 272 individuals were served.

Read the rest of our November Donor Impact Report by clicking HERE. You can find archives of the reports and other newsletters HERE.

October Donor Impact Report

The New Love Center

Volunteers

“Every person can make a difference, and every person should try.”” (President John F. Kennedy)

Last month, 179 volunteers made a difference at The New Love Center, giving 732 hours of their time. Among the countless blessings that allow us to fulfill our mission, the men and women who serve as volunteers are the greatest. Every meal served and box of food distributed is accompanied by the love of a volunteer who has answered the call to give of themselves to those in need. Thank you volunteers for everything you do!

Are you interested in learning more about volunteering at The New Love Center? We’d love to have you join us!

Please come in and see what we do, with a first hand look at how you can make a difference, and get your questions answered. To set up a time to visit, call the office at 570-244-8838 or click here.

Café

In September, the Café served 576 meals. This key program serves delicious and healthy meals Monday through Friday to anyone who wants one at no cost. As we continue toward our dream of building a new food hub, which will include a dining room and kitchen, we look forward to giving people the opportunity for fellowship and community, in addition to a hot meal.

27 volunteers gave 137 hours of their time to work in the Café. These volunteers helped prepare and serve meals, clean, and keep things moving along. As always, they did so with the love of Christ and friendly smiles that people know they’ll always find at The New Love Center.

Food Pantry

On the 2nd and 4th Friday of each month, our Food Pantry is open for distribution to provide food for those who might not otherwise be able to get it. In September, 836 individuals received food from the pantry. Without these distributions, many of those individuals would not have known where their next meal was coming from. We’re always happy to welcome new faces and build connections with people coming to us for the first time. In September, we were pleased to welcome 140 new individuals to our distributions.

The New Love Center also operates a number of other programs that help fight food insecurity. We have the ElderShare program, which provides an extra box of food to seniors. In September, 82 senior boxes were distributed. Our MilitaryShare program served 140 households. We also have the Pop-Up Pantries, which extend our reach to additional locations that may be easier for some people to access. In Renovo, 99 individuals received food and in Lock Haven, another 230 individuals were served.

Read the rest of our October Donor Impact Report by clicking HERE. You can find archives of the reports and other newsletters HERE.

September Donor Impact Report

The New Love Center

Volunteers

September is Hunger Action Month, and our amazing volunteers along with thousands of others in Clinton and Lycoming counties are joining in on the fight against hunger!

“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” (Helen Keller)

In August, 748 volunteer hours were given by our dedicated volunteers at The New Love Center. 210 men and women came together to accomplish so much, as they do every month. We are blessed by their selfless giving and could not continue the great things we do without them. On behalf of all the people who benefit from your time and energy, thank you volunteers! Whether it’s receiving donations, sorting and storing them, distributing meals, or serving in our café, everything is done with the love of Christ in service to our community.

Have you considered volunteering with us? We’d love to have you join us! You can come in any time and see what we do.

Have your questions answered and get a first hand look at how you might be able to give. Call Kristin in the office at 570-244-8838 to set up a time to visit or click here to find out more about volunteering with us.

Volunteer Spotlight

In August, 17 young adults and chaperones from Cottage Ministries and Greenview Alliance Church came out to help us pack and distribute boxes for Lock Haven. They also cleaned all the barn-stored shelving we bought at Sears and helped assemble it in the Henry Street Annex. We are so grateful to this wonderful group of volunteers and look forward to working with them again in the future. Thank you so much, the shelves look great!

Café

Few things bring people together like a meal. At the Café, we don’t just serve food, we provide the opportunity to sit down and socialize, talking to each other and enjoying some company. Many of our clients live alone and may not get the chance to see people throughout the day. In August, we served 600 meals at no cost to anyone who came through our doors, giving them food and friendship served with the love of Christ.

36 volunteers made this possible, donating 156 hours of their time. Our volunteers are special people who understand the importance of making personal contact with each person. They go out of their way to make a space “where the love of Christ provides for all.”

Food Pantry

Most of the donations we receive are in the form of food that can be distributed to those in need. Open the 2nd and 4th Friday of the month, individuals come and receive these donations at the Pantry. These distributions are at the heart of what we do. Without them, those facing food insecurity would be forced to choose between paying bills and buying groceries. In August, 908 individuals received food from the pantry and didn’t need to worry about how to get their groceries. 149 of these individuals received assistance for the first time.

The New Love Center also operates a number of other programs that help fight food insecurity. We have the MilitaryShare program, which provides an extra box of food to seniors. In August, 140 households participated in it. There is the Senior Box program, which gets additional food to senior citizens, helping 93 individuals this month. We also have the Pop-Up Pantries, which extend our reach to additional locations that may be easier for some people to access. In Renovo, 109 individuals received food and in Lock Haven, another 200 individuals were served.

Read the rest of our September Donor Impact Report by clicking HERE. You can find archives of the reports and other newsletters HERE.

August Donor Impact Report

The New Love Center

Volunteers

“It is better to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35)

In July, 204 volunteers gave 722 hours of their time at The New Love Center! These men and women are shining examples of what it means to give. We are continually blessed by their service and could not accomplish the great things we do without them. Words cannot express the thanks of everyone who benefits from their time and energy. Our volunteers receive donations, sort and store them, distribute meals, serve and clean in our café and always do so with a friendly smile, showing the love of Christ.

Have you considered volunteering with us? We’d love to have you join us! You can come in any time and see what we do.

Have your questions answered and get a first hand look at how you might be able to give. Call Kristin in the office at 570-244-8838 to set up a time to visit or click here to find out more about volunteering with us.

Café

This past month, the Café served 525 dine-in meals. This vital program serves delicious and healthy meals Monday through Friday to everyone who wants one at no cost. As we continue toward our dream of building a new food hub, which will include a dining room and kitchen, we look forward to giving people the opportunity for fellowship and community, in addition to a hot meal.

In July, 37 volunteers gave 172 hours of their time to work in the Café. These volunteers helped prepare the meals and keep things clean. Without them, some of our clients might not be able to eat at all on any given day.

Food Pantry

The New Love Center is entirely focused on addressing food insecurity. One of the most important ways we do that is through our Food Pantry, which is open the 2nd and 4th Fridays of the month. In July, we distributed food to 870 clients, representing 424 households. The New Love Center also helped distribute food to 134 households through the MilitaryShare program at the American Legion and gave 77 Senior Boxes to seniors who meet financial guidelines. We continue to operate the Renovo Pop-Up Pantry, which provided food to another 135 individuals, and the Lock Haven Pop-Up Pantry, which served 293 individuals.

Read the rest of our August Donor Impact Report by clicking HERE. You can find archives of the reports and other newsletters HERE.

July Donor Impact Report

The New Love Center

A WARM WELCOME TO CHRIS BRASS, OUR NEW OPERATIONS MANAGER!

Chris joined The New Love Center as Operations Manager this past May. In his new role, Chris hopes to help TNLC grow in its capacity to reach those who are food-insecure, getting the word out that no one should go without the food they need.

Chris has lived in this area his whole life. He graduated from Penn College in Williamsport. He went on to work at Chilitech Internet for 11 years, before starting his own company, Brass Distribution Group 7 years ago. He was drawn to TNLC by a desire to give back and do something good for the community, drawing on his own Christian faith as inspiration to serve those in need.

Chris and his wife Katie have three children, ages 11, 9, and 7. He enjoys spending time outdoors and even runs a small orchard.

Volunteers

In June, 213 volunteers donated 710.5 hours of their time at The New Love Center. What a tremendous outpouring of people’s goodness to serve those in need! We can’t thank you enough for this display of your love. Whether it’s through receiving, sorting, distributing food, serving meals, or simply offering a friendly smile, our volunteers make a difference every day in the lives of those who know they can depend on The New Love Center.

Have you considered volunteering with us? Don’t put it off any longer! You’re welcome to come in any time and see where we work. We’ll be happy to answer your questions and show you around. Please call Kristin in the office at 570-244-8838 to set up a time to visit or click here to find out more about volunteering with us.

Café

Many of us take our daily meals for granted, knowing that there’s enough food in the house to last for a while. Some people don’t have that luxury and may not know where their next meal is coming from. In June, we served 462 meals to anyone who walked through the door. 47 of our volunteers spent more than 160 hours in the Café to make that possible. Without them, some of our clients might not have eaten at all on any given day.

Food Pantry

Food insecurity is often a hidden problem. Providing a safe, loving environment helps break down the barrier between people who need food and the help available to them. That’s what we try to do every day at the pantry.

This past month, 1,032 individuals were served. 68 of them came to The New Love Center for the first time. The Renovo Pop-Up pantry helped reach an additional 200 people, 45 of whom were new. 94 Senior boxes were distributed, 148 households received MilitaryShare boxes, and 25 people picked up Peanut Butter & Jelly Packs. 82 students received food through the Jersey Shore Backpack Program, ensuring that our kids would have enough food to eat, too.

Read the rest of our July Donor Impact Report by clicking HERE. You can find archives of the reports and other newsletters HERE.

New Service Provided for Diabetics, Food Insecure in Jersey Shore

The New Love Center

JERSEY SHORE — A partnership between a corporate hospital service and a local food ministry has officially launched a program designed to educate — and help feed — diabetic patients looking to get their health under control in Jersey Shore.

The Geisinger Health System has launched its Fresh Food Farmacy program with help from a local coalition of ministries focused on feeding those who need it: The New Love Center.

The Fresh Food Farmacy’s objective is to provide nutritious food and education to empower patients with the ability to make healthy decisions for their bodies, according to Alice Fox Cline, president of The New Love Center.

“With healthy food, diabetes education and support, we’re providing our patients with a special kind of medicine that doesn’t come from a bottle,” Cline said in a news release.

Food-insecure individuals with A1C levels greater than 8.0 are referred to the food pantry and are taught which food to choose and which to avoid, health coaching services, recipes and a referral to The New Love Center.

The New Love Center then grants them enough food to make ten meals a week that will support a healthy lifestyle.

“We are a group of folks who are committed to people who are food insecure,” Cline said. “We felt it was a great partnership, with the pandemic.”

Food insecurity has skyrocketed in the area since the onset of the pandemic, according to Cline. Around 20% of Clinton County’s residents and 25% of Lycoming County residences experience food insecurity–compared to the 16% to 17% of the population in Pennsylvania.

Food insecurity makes it difficult for diabetic individuals to provide themselves the most nutritious options to keep themselves healthy, according to Allison Hess, vice president of health services at Geisinger.

“You can’t manage Type 2 diabetes if you do not have access to nutritious food,” Hess said.

Over the past six months, the Fresh Food Farmacy has run a test bracket to see just how efficiently its program can help patients.

Kathleen Chilcot, of Montoursville, was one of the guinea pigs for the program — and she could not be happier with the results.

Chilcot began the program back in August, and explained her typically high blood sugar has returned to a normal rate and that she has lost 50 pounds.

“It was really helpful, having a place to pick up good (food) choices,” Chilcot said. “I want to live longer and go do more. I want to feel better about my health and feel better about my body.”

Chilcot’s story begins with a hospital scare two years ago, where her husband raced her out to the hospital for an emergency surgery because he back was hurting.

“It’s been a good program. It isn’t a matter of embarrassment, it is a matter of health,” Todd Chilcot said.

“The partnership between Geisinger and The New Love Center is exactly what the doctor ordered,” Todd Chilcot said. “It taught us how to seek proper food, and showed us proper food management.”

The New Love Center is a 501c3 nonprofit organization of volunteers from more than 30 local churches, that helps provide food to those in need, according to Dave Winkleman, vice president of The New Love Center.

“It is not just about the client but the client and their family,” Winkleman said, describing a trickle-down effect of education.

“It’s really an incredible model and if we can replicate this, it will really demonstrate how health care and community-bonded organizations can come together and help make communities healthier,” Hess said.

The New Love Center provides food at no charge through their cafe and food pantry.

The cafe is hosted in the Trinity United Methodist Church, 1407 Allegheny St., and is open Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Clients need only bring a form of ID to receive a free lunch.

Meanwhile, The New Love Center’s pantry, at St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, 229 S. Broad St., is open 9 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on the second and fourth Friday of each month.

Area residents experiencing unexpected food insecurity can also call the center’s emergency number at (570) 772-3275.

The New Love Center accepts monetary donations online at thenewlovecenter.com/donating, and those interested can sign up to volunteer time at thenewlovecenter.com/volunteering.

Alternatively, one can reach out to 570-244-8838, or mail a check to P.O. Box 504, Jersey Shore, Pennsylvania.

“We’re the love Christ provides for all,” Cline said. “We see that people who are food insecure have a place to come get nutritious food.”

Student Raises Funds for Mask Making Project, Donates Leftover Money to The New Love Center

The New Love Center

JERSEY SHORE — In a short presentation, Central Mountain Senior, Carolina Carpenetti, donated $2,231 to The New Love Center on Thursday afternoon at the food pantry location at St. John Lutheran Church on Broad Street.

Through her project, “Sew to Slow,” she made over 1,000 masks to give out to the community. She decided that she wanted to fundraise for sewing supplies to ensure that the masks given to locals were absolutely free.

“I just saw that there was a real need in the community for masks,” Carpenetti said. “People were very generous.”

After raising $5,000 through her gofundme fundraiser and getting the supplies she needed to continue making masks, she decided to donate the rest of the funds to The New Love Center.

“I know this organization (The New Love Center) helps a lot of people,” she continued. “People here struggle with food insecurity. I thought it would be a good organization to donate to.”

Dave Winkleman, vice president of the board of directors, alongside many Center volunteers reached out to thank Carpenetti for her generous efforts.

The New Love Center Kicks Off $2.5 Million Capital Campaign for Route 150 Building

The New Love Center

AVIS — In a celebration event on Oct. 17, The New Love Center launched a $2.5 million capital campaign for an 18,000 square foot warehousing building that will soon be constructed along Woodward Avenue in Avis, between Pine Creek Veterinary and European Imports.

The land for the new building was purchased in September of last year and the plans for the building are still in the early stages of developing according to Dave Winkleman, board vice president.

He added that the Center has received about $1 million in commitments from various different sources and partnerships, $100,000 of that awarded from the Central PA Food Bank, but have also applied for state tax credits and other grants to help fund this project.

“We are pursuing every avenue we can,” he said.

Representative Stephanie Borowicz, R-76 McElhattan, has also been involved in this project and is working with the Center to retrieve funding.

There is no definite answer as to when the project will break ground, though Winkleman’s personal goal is anywhere between the next 12 to 16 months with the opening goal to be within the next two to three years.

He added that the goal for the large warehouse building is to bring the cafe, backpack program, warehousing of products, distribution, administration offices and pantry, all under one roof–eventually closing its other locations including: the Trinity United Methodist Church and the food pantry on Broad Street in Jersey Shore.

“We want to make sure a majority of the building is used for clients and warehousing,” he said.

“This is something our community needs,” he added.

Alice Fox Cline, board president, added that the Center is also working with River Valley Transit, which travels through the area with their busses, to see if the bus stop in that area can be moved closer to the new building.

“People are very generous,” she said. “The Lord has moved in ways we cannot even imagine. We just have to remember that the Lord has plans, He has taken care of us.”

For those who don’t already know, The New Love Center started their journey about six years ago in Jersey Shore when it was closed and reopened by those who were a part of it and wanted to make sure the mission lived on.

Fox Cline said that when it was reopened, it started out of the Central PA Food Bank helping them provide for community members.

Today, they have serviced Jersey Shore, Renovo and Lock Haven with their various programs including their school district backpack program, pop-up pantries, box program for seniors, two distribution centers at local churches, a cafe and the new building on Henry Street in Avis which is a stepping stone until the other building is finished.

New Love Center Launches Capital Campaign By Blessing New Building

The New Love Center

AVIS — The New Love Center welcomed many volunteers and community members to the new distribution, food pantry and fresh food pharmacy building Saturday morning for a blessing of the building and a kick-off celebration for the group’s capital campaign.

Joe Arthur, Central PA Foodbank executive director, announced at the ceremony that the Central PA Food Bank Endowment Fund will be donating $100,000 to kick-off the campaign.

Arthur was joined by Dave Winkleman, vice president of The New Love Center board of directors, and Alice Fox Cline, president of the board of directors, were joined by Rev. John Phillips, Crossroads Church; Rev. Dr. Kerry Aucker, St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church; Pastor Brian Moyer, Trinity United Methodist Church and U.S. Rep. Fred Keller, R-Kreamer, to offer a blessing and prayer for the opening and ribbon cutting of the new building.

“We serve us, we serve our neighbors that are exactly like us,” Arthur said.

The new building, located at 263 Henry St., Avis, will be used for a variety of different things, including a fresh food pharmacy in partnership with Geisinger Medical Center for families with diabetic issues, a food pantry, administration offices, distribution and more.

“This building is a tangible reminder of many things,” Fox Cline said. “The foresight of many who have taken the food insecurity internally and have made it their mission to help.”

“We appreciate your support, not just today, but in all of the things you do, whether it is volunteering with us, donors, or just showing up,” Winkleman said.

“The New Lover began this journey six years ago,” Fox Cline said. “And today with all of you, our generous donors, committed volunteers and clients, we move closer to our mission and vision that no one go hungry in our area.”

She added that The New Love Center has grown to giving out food boxes in Jersey Shore, pop-up food pantries in Renovo and Lock Haven, a backpack program in both the Jersey Shore and Renovo school districts, providing hot meals at their cafe Monday through Friday and much more.

“Food insecurity knows no geographic bounds,” she added.

Phillips alongside Aucker and Moyer provided blessings and prayer for the community, asking them to join in, bow their heads and listen to the scripture and petitions.

“As we begin to enter into this new phase with this new building, with this campaign beginning today, Father we ask that you would bless it,” Phillips said. “Father may you continue to expand the way that this organization reaches the needy in our backyards.”

“May warmth and welcome fill this place,” Moyer said. “May it be a home for the community and haven for the stranger; a safe place for laughter, for tears, and for wonder; and a center for acts of service and deeds of love.”

After the celebration and blessing, The New Love Center provided a free volunteer luncheon to those interested.

For more information, please contact The New Love Center at www.thenewlovecenter.com.

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