North Ridgeville Community Care has been helping residents since 1989.
The nonprofit has a food pantry and offers wraparound services, including rental and utility assistance, clothing and household items, and an education fund that covers tuition and supplies like computers and textbooks.
"Last month alone, we have 500 people come through our door," said North Ridgeville Community Care's CEO Heather Kaesgen.
However, recently, the nonprofit has experienced a drop in donations. One storage room has about a week's worth of food. The main pantry is empty shelf after empty shelf.
Kaesgen said fewer donations can be linked to inflation and higher grocery costs and the fact that many families in Northeast Ohio recently went through severe storms that caused widespread damage and food loss.
"If at the end of the week if you wanted to donate some food to us, maybe your budget isn't allowing for that," Kaesgen said.
She said the organization now spends about $1,200 a week that it had not budgeted to ensure the families they work with can eat.
The North Ridgeville Lions Club has partnered with North Ridgeville Community Care for many years.
Tonya Stillwell is the Lions Club's public relations chairperson. She is also the co-chair of the fall food drive that supports North Ridgeville Community Care.
"My committee of three got together that evening and we said, 'Let's go. Let's run with this'. The need it now," Stillwell said.
The Lions Club put an urgent message on Facebook asking the community to drop off food donations at North Ridgeville Community Care at 34015 Center Ridge Rd. during its regular hours on Monday and Tuesday from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. or Thursdays from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
The Lions Club has also set up a way to make online donations and is moving up its fall food drive from October to September 7.
"Just finding whatever fast way possible that we can get them the donations that they need," Stillwell said.
Some of the items needed most include pasta, sauces, soups, canned tuna and chicken, cereal, peanut butter, canned veggies, canned fruits, pancake mix, and syrup.
And right before the fall food drive, from Sept. 3 to Sept. 6, is the Fill The Shelves Food Drive, where students in the North Ridgeville School District and St. Peter School will compete to see who can bring in the most pounds of food.
Stillwell said, "North Ridgeville City Schools has an initiative called Ranger Strong… 'S' being for service. Get the kids involved early with giving and helping, and understanding that not everybody has the same things available to them as everybody else."
St. Peter School Principal Roger Brooks said students get excited and learn valuable lessons.
"That's part of our mission — to make sure our students learn to be charitable, learn to be good neighbors, and learn to take care of their city," Brooks said. "In the end, who wins is the people that are in need."
Kaesgen said she appreciates the community's efforts to help people and families in need.
"We just love our city and we want to make sure we can help as much as we can," Kaesgen said.
