Mary Ferdon
Columbus Mayor Mary Ferdon and several other city officials will step behind the shelves at Love Chapel on Monday as demand for food assistance reaches record highs this month.
Love Chapel has seen a spike in demand this month following a lapse in federal food benefits during the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. The increase in demand has also been challenging for the food pantry’s volunteers, who have been sorting, weighing and stocking a record volume of food donations.
It is the first time that city officials have volunteered at the food pantry as a large group, officials said.
“The city of Columbus is going to work the pantry,” said Love Chapel Executive Director Kelly Daugherty. “It’s kind of a unique thing, but it’s a great idea to bring awareness to them to see the needs in our community.”
Columbus Mayor Mary Ferdon said she expects to be volunteering at the food pantry on Monday, as well as several department heads and other city officials.
“Love Chapel is such a huge asset in the community, and it’s important that the community supports it as much as we can,” Ferdon said. “…(Volunteering) helps us see what the need is, so we can then go out and advocate through other organizations.”
Ferdon said a community service policy passed last year by the Columbus Board of Public Works made it possible for a large group of city officials to volunteer at the same time. The policy allows full-time employees who have worked for the city for at least a year to use paid time off to volunteer at a local nonprofit.
The goal of the policy is to support for local nonprofits that often need volunteers while giving city officials a chance to gain a deeper understanding of the value and role of nonprofits in the community, Ferdon said.
Daugherty said volunteers often find the experience fulfilling.
“It’s one thing to help financially, but it’s another when you actually see the need and are there,” Daugherty said.
