Starting the New Year Right

Extend the season of giving beyond the holidays

By Juliana Colant

With the start of the new year comes new resolutions. Often, those resolutions are focused inward, goals such as getting in shape, eating healthier or saving more money. This year, however, why not try looking outward and giving back to the community for your resolution? Making a difference doesn’t have to entail grand gestures. Instead, turning to your community and doing something seemingly small can have a huge impact. Here in Tri-Village, there are a range of opportunities for anyone interested in volunteering.

LOSS Community Services

Local Outreach to Suicide Survivors offers support groups and companionship for those who have lost a loved one to suicide. The organization also holds remembrance events for lost loved ones. LOSS works closely with communities, providing education and trainings in suicide prevention and “postvention” efforts.

Volunteers do not have to have personal experience with suicide loss. Those interested in volunteering can email Sarah Price, volunteer coordinator, at sarah@losscs.org or call 614530-0864. Each volunteer must submit an application, interview and complete a background check. Once accepted, all volunteers receive free training. To learn more, visit www.losscs.org.

Ohio State Senator Tina Maharath and SourcePoint of Delaware age-friendly coordinator Jackie Haight read aloud from local news on Leaders Are Readers Day.

Voicecorps Reading Service

Voicecorps reads printed news and information to people who are blind, have low vision or have other conditions that make reading difficult. The organization provides 24/7 information through radio, cable, television secondary audio programming and the internet. Voicecorps is the only reading service of its kind in central, northwest, southeast and southern Ohio. Across 58 counties in Ohio, Voicecorps reaches more than 80,000 eligible residents. As a result, those residents can live a more independent life.

Along with reading, volunteers also can provide clerical, outreach and technical support. Interested volunteers can call 614-274-7650 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday. To learn more about Voicecorps, visit www.voicecorps.org.

Elaine Smith and her kids, Laura and David, filling up bags with dry goods for the Heart to Heart drive-thru. Heart to Heart’s Muscle Monday crew flexing after unloading several thousands of pounds of dry goods and toiletries from the Mid-Ohio Food Collective.

Heart to Heart Food Pantry

First Community Church has run Heart to Heart Food Pantry since 1986. It is an open choice food pantry that provides three days of food and toiletries from 9 a.m.-noon on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Regardless of ZIP code, anyone in need of food assistance is welcome at Heart to Heart Food Pantry.

Heart to Heart Food Pantry provides a welcoming family atmosphere that fosters lasting relationships among volunteers and visitors. There are a variety of volunteer shifts throughout the week. Volunteers help by stocking, shopping, picking up food from sources and working the drive-thru. Heart to Heart Food Pantry also has a pop-up pantry that delivers food around Columbus in several sites. Visit h2h.fcchurch.com to learn more.

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Tri-Village Mentor League has supported local youth in kindergarten through third grade since 1994. The nonprofit organization’s vision is to enrich the lives of children in TriVillage through scholarships and mentoring programs. High school students in Grandview and Upper Arlington are eligible to mentor younger students through weekly Mentoring & More programs at Stevenson Elementary School in Grandview Heights and Barrington Elementary School in Upper Arlington. Though Upper Arlington has put the program on hold for this school year due to COVID-19, the district plans to resume mentoring in fall 2022.

Through this program, high school mentors build connections and form relationships with the elementary students. Participating in Mentoring & More is free and is offered to students who attend after-school care to eliminate the need for transportation. Once a week, mentors meet after school with their mentees. Interested students can find applications at their local high school and reach out to their high school guidance office or visit www.tvml.org for more information.

Juliana Colant is an editorial assistant. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.

Maisie Billeter and Mackenzie Starner play Headbandz with Cami Akers and Malik Shraim.

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