Neighbors Helping Neighbors

07/22/2018

NHN September 2017 - Sorry It took me so long... Can't wait to see you all September 8th.

03/12/2017

Sorry I am so late. Better late than never...NHN 2017 is just around the corner :)

11/09/2015

NHN 2015; http://www.kizoa.com/slideshow-maker/d26749931k1739661o1/nhn-2015

Create amazing Slideshows with Effects, Text and Music on Kizoa!

09/14/2015

Neighbors Helping Neighbors!!

Somehow the words Thank You just don’t seem enough convey how much I appreciate your help. Without great volunteers like you we would not be able to do this each year.

This year we served more than 10,000lbs of food and 300 cases of household/toiletry products to 98 families/429 individuals. That’s awesome! I know the NIFB threw us a curve ball by sending a straight truck instead of the kind with doors on the side, but you guys jumped right in and made it work. At one point during the set up Juanita and I just stood back and watched the beehive of activity as all you guys organized the donations, with the veterans showing the first-timers what to do. Very cool!

For those of you who came to the BBQ, you got to read all the thank you notes (written on small paper plates to remind us that we are helping people so they know where their next meal is coming from). Some of the notes are heart-wrenching, and I’s like to share just a couple with you.

• Your help is so much appreciated. Having had a great job, I was suddenly terminated after 13 years at a community college. I became very ill and the medical bills piled up. Usually I try to give, but now I need to receive. Thank you!
• My family is so grateful for this mobile food pantry. You give us hope not to go hungry for the next few days while struggling to make ends meet.
• I’m thankful for the help because without the help we wouldn’t be eating.
• I’m so thankful for this food so I can feed my son.
• Thank you for helping my family to have some healthy meals.
• Thank you for my teddy bear. (Written in child’s handwriting from one of the kids who got a book and a stuffed animal while waiting in line.)
• Thank you so very much for helping me feed my family. You have no idea how much it means to us.
• Thank you for the food truck. Everyone was so nice to us.
• I want to thank Wayne Township for the support that they give in the community. These are struggling times and to know there are people who care about people is greatly appreciated.

I heard nothing but wonderful comments from the guests about how nice and friendly all the volunteers were. One guest told me that it’s hard to ask for help and have dignity at the same time, but you guys made him feel like “a real person”. Wow, that’s a powerful comment.

So again, I say thank you for all that you did. And for those of you who were already asking me…yes, we are going to do it again next year!

Sincerely,

Al Pioch

08/26/2015

Hi NHN Volunteers,

You really responded and came through with donations! Thank you very much!! Juanita and I have been watching the NIFB website for bargains and this is what we’ve got so far:

Aluminum foil, freezer bags, germicidal wipes, laundry detergent (liquid), Pine-Sol floor wipes, bath soap, Cold and Sore throat relief, Colgate toothpaste, Nitetime Cold/Flu Severe, Shampoo, shaving cream, ZZZ sleep aid and 120 stock pots.

We still have some funds left, so I will continue to watch for good buys. All this plus 10,000lbs of food should make for a pretty awesome event!

As for what to bring to hand out to the kids while they’re waiting in line (some for 4 hours!) we settled on a variety of items including stuffed animals, kids’ books, and toys. Since most of us cleaned out our closets over the last several events, we just decided to go with whatever we had still around. So if you have any of these items left to donate, please bring them.

More info to follow soon.

Al Pioch
EHS Manager
Rana Meal Solutions, LLC
630-233-2339 Direct
630-203-7904 Mobile

08/09/2015

Neighbors Helping Neighbors!

The mobile food pantry is just over a month away (Saturday, September 12). If you haven’t donated but plan to do so, please send your check soon. We have enough to cover the truck, but not much more to purchase the household supplies.

We’re also looking for families to join our group, especially those with kids. I don’t know about you, but there’s no way I want to be running those shopping carts back and forth all day. That’s a young person’s job!

We also lost a couple of corporate sponsors (product and cash donations) when I recently changed jobs. So if you have any ideas, please let me know.

Finally, we need to decide what sort of items we’d like to add by cleaning out our closets. In the past we’ve done stuffed animals, kids’ books, winter coats, and toys. If you have an idea, just let me know.

Thanks!!


Al Pioch
Environmental, Health and Safety Manager
Rana Meal Solutions, LLC
550 Spitzer Road
Bartlett, IL 60103

06/26/2015

Neighbors Helping Neighbors!

While we’re all enjoying our summer fun, it’s hard to believe that the 2015 mobile food pantry is less than three months away. We are confirmed for Saturday, September 12. I sent in the deposit and the truck has already been reserved; Juanita and I have begun watching for bargains on household supplies. The behind the scenes logistics are in full swing. This year is going to be bigger and better than ever! Of course, we couldn’t do it without all of you. NHN volunteers are the best!

As in years past, I’m asking for those who can donate to please do so. Last year we had to raise the requested donation to $100 to cover the increased cost of the truck, and I’m asking the same again this year. Of course, donating is never a prerequisite for participating in the event; we want to get as many people to join us as possible. If you are able to donate, please send or drop off your donation at your convenience.

If I missed anyone, or if there is someone you know who would like to join us, please let me know. I recently lost my distribution list and sort of had to recreate it from scratch, so I hope I didn’t miss anyone.

I will keep you informed with more details as we get closer to the date. I’m working on some media coverage (smile, you’re on TV!) and of course there will be a BBQ celebration afterwards. We also have t-shirts available for those who didn’t get one before or would like new ones. The cost will depend on how many we order.

09/08/2014

Food drive 2014... more to come!

09/08/2014

Hey Neighbors Helping Neighbors –

I cannot say it enough, THANK YOU! It’s the volunteers that really make our mobile food pantry a success. You guys rock!

We served 122 families / 523 individuals on Saturday. That’s awesome! You guys were so organized that everything went smoothly and there were no major issues. Even the NIFB driver commented that he’d never seen a group like ours. That’s a pretty good compliment. If you came to the BBQ afterwards you got to read all the thank you notes; some of their stories are just heartbreaking. By your actions Saturday, you touched a lot of lives. You should all be very proud.

I cannot say enough good things about all you volunteers, thank you just doesn’t seem sufficient. But I would like to give one big extra special thank you to my wife Pam who worked tirelessly behind the scenes (before and after) to make the BBQ the success that it was; and to keep me from going crazy with all the last minute details. Love ya, Babe!

To answer the question that I heard many times…YES, we will do it again next year. You guys are so enthusiastic that we barely finished this year’s event and you’re already looking forward to next year. That’s cool.

If you saw the looks on the faces of the kids who received books and stuffed animals, you know how much they loved them. That really is unique to NHN and something that the NIFB has begun to promote for other groups who host mobile food pantries. See, we started a movement!

I feel like I could go on and on about you guys. Everyone did such a wonderful job.

Remember, the NHN distribution list is available for more than just the mobile food pantry. In the past we’ve participated in CareFest and Feed My Starving Children. So if you have a volunteer project and would like to get the word out, just let me know.

Once again, thank you!!!!

Al Pioch

09/09/2012

What a successful day! We served 148 families (over 500 individuals!) yesterday! The township’s largest food drive EVER! Job well done Neighbors Helping Neighbors! You are all incredible people!

09/07/2012

Hi All –

Juanita said that she had an inquiry from the Northern Illinois Food Bank asking if they could cover our mobile food pantry as part of September’s “Hunger Action Month” and I said sure.

Here’s an excerpt from her reply:

Donna Lake from the food bank is going to let all of the TV stations (and three newspapers) know about the Mobile Pantry. Let's hope we get a lot of coverage.
Smile for the cameras

Al Pioch

08/27/2012

Hi All –

Just 12 more days to the big event! (Saturday, September 8) Here are some more details to help you plan.

Sometime next week I have a truck full of household products (150+ cases) from the Northern Illinois Food Bank being dropped off at my house. Like last year, once I know the specific date and time, we could use a few volunteers to help unload. Last year we formed a supply line and finished in less than 30 minutes.

The morning of the event we’ll need some volunteers at my house about 7:30am to load the rental trailer with all the cases and other supplies. We’ll also need a few SUVs for the overflow, and for someone to tow my small trailer. The rest of the volunteers should be at the Wayne Township offices around 8:00am. This will give us plenty of time to set up the canopies, barricades, etc… (Please bring your canopy / tent!) We’ll have plenty of bottled water, coffee and donuts for the volunteers.

The truck from NIFB should be there between 9:00-9:30am with the food. We’ll make all the final set-ups and then begin the distribution at 10:00am. Typically we’re done before 12:00 noon, cleaned up and out by 12:30pm.

We’ll have the thank you BBQ at our house at 3:00pm. Please bring a side dish and/or a desert to share. We’ll supply the hamburgers, hot dogs, brats and all the fixins’. We’ll also have some pop, juice, and bottled water available; BYOB!

Last year we helped almost 200 families and I’m sure that it’ll be just as busy this year. Let’s hope for sunny, nice weather!!

PS – Just to help plan the logistics, please let me know how many people you (your family) will have at the event and also at the BBQ.

If you have any questions, just let me know.

THANK YOU!!!

Al Pioch
Environmental, Health and Safety Coordinator
Blistex Inc.
1800 Swift Drive
Oak Brook, IL 60523
630-571-3084
Fax 630-571-4265

08/14/2012

September 8th is approaching fast! If you have not yet turned in your donation and you are willing and able, Please get it to Al Pioch soon. He has enough to cover the truck – but at this point we don’t have enough to purchase extra’s like we typically do. If you know of other families that would like to participate please let them know.