4 years, 17 selections, $1,759 in donations
Since July 2020, the Jonnycake Center for Hope has been selected to benefit from the Stop & Shop Community Bag and Bloomin’ 4 Good Programs 17 times at three different Stop & Shop locations. In total, the organization has received $1,759 in donations to continue offering comprehensive services to neighbors in need.
Tell us about the Jonnycake Center for Hope.
The Jonnycake Center serves approximately 2,200 community members living in South County Rhode Island each year. Our mission is to provide basic needs, resources, and hope to our neighbors in need. Our vision is a community without hunger and poverty, where everyone can improve their quality of life and reach their full potential.
Inspired by an editorial about a widow in Narragansett who couldn’t afford food or clothing after paying her rent, utilities, and gas bills, a group of concerned citizens formed the Jonnycake Group. The nonprofit was ultimately started in 1974 as a thrift store and a food pantry. Fast forward to today, the Jonnycake Center provides a host of services, including access to healthy food and nutrition, community health outreach, service enhanced affordable housing, youth enrichment opportunities, and more.
Our vision is a community without hunger and poverty, where everyone can improve their quality of life and reach their full potential.
What services do you provide to the community?
Starting with our food programs, we offer access to nutritious food through our member-choice food pantry, Jonnycake Market. The market is set up like a grocery store where members can visit twice a month, or more if needed, for a week’s worth of groceries. Additionally, we offer grocery delivery to approximately 80 homebound members which is made possible by our wonderful team of volunteers. The Community Bag and Bloomin’ 4 Good donations make a difference in providing these items.
The Center provides meals for children during week-long school vacations and throughout the summer – our packs provide breakfast and lunch items for each child in a household. Also, during the summer we have our Healthy Harvest Program, providing fresh produce to members each week, all season long.
We offer nutrition classes for adults and children – we have a Food is Medicine course for people living with a chronic illness such as diabetes. For our younger members, we have Food, Fitness, and Fun, a program that promotes nutritious eating and activities for a healthy lifestyle.
Our goal is to take charge of a short-term crisis to prevent long-term problems.
Our Community Health Outreach programs offer several resources to the community including housing and government assistance navigation, helping to make the process of learning about and obtaining government assistance smoother and less stressful. Furthermore, emergency financial assistance is available for Jonnycake Members. This program helps with rent, utilities, car repairs, and more. Our goal is to take charge of a short-term crisis to prevent long-term problems.
Youth Enrichment initiatives have grown significantly over the past five years. The Center offers several afterschool programs, tutoring, access to summer camps, and more. We are even opening a Youth Center to better serve the youth in our community.
During the holidays, the Jonnycake Center provides Thanksgiving meals to hundreds of member households, and approximately 500 local children and teens with gifts through our Hope for the Holidays program. We are extremely grateful to our community, especially local businesses and individuals who host gift drives and help spread the word; their efforts are truly the reason for these programs’ success each year.
How has the Jonnycake Center for Hope used the donations from the Stop & Shop Community Bag and Bloomin’ 4 Good Programs to further its mission?
We use the Community Bag and Bloomin’ 4 Good Programs donations to support our ongoing food programs. Every little bit counts! We buy dairy products, meat, produce, and other perishable and non-perishable items that help to ensure everyone’s basic needs are met.
Have you noticed any changes in community awareness or support since becoming involved in the Stop & Shop Community Bag and Bloomin’ 4 Good Programs?
Any program that talks about what we do brings awareness to the Jonnycake Center. Simply having our name in a local grocery store might spark somebody to wonder what Jonnycake Center is. Maybe they look us up and donate some items. It’s hard to track, but we know it helps!
What advice would you give other nonprofits participating in the Stop & Shop Community Bag and Bloomin’ 4 Good Programs?
My advice would be to continue to spread the good word about the important work they are doing! There are many great causes that help so many people, and we couldn’t do it without the support of our neighbors. Every little bit truly does count!
Interview with Kim Arundel, Development and Communications Coordinator