A ROUND OF APPLAUSE TO OUR QUACKTUCLAR VOLUNTEERS!

Celebrating All Things Duck
Many volunteers supported the Rubber Duck Regatta throughout August, on the day of the event, and even days after the ducks went swimming in the Ohio River. Without their dedication and support, our largest fundraiser would not have been so successful. The Freestore Foodbank is greatly appreciative of the wonderful work and commitment of our volunteers!

Thank You Duck Pluckers and Taggers!
For two weeks straight volunteers gathered at the Mayerson Distribution Center to prepare 180,000 ducks for the big day.  Ducks arrived from all corners of the nation to be a part of the big splash into the Ohio River.  With help of our fantastic volunteers, ducks were inspected, previous dressings were removed, and bright shiny new tags placed on them before being loaded into the truck to head to the Ohio River.  We could not have made the event without our dedicated crew!

Thank You Quacky Games Volunteers!
The Quacky Games were held on Friday, August 17th on Fountain Square. Volunteers helped with event setup, breakdown, games support, duck sales and even a few helped Quacky “come to life”. We wouldn’t have been able to pull it off with YOU…many thanks!

Check Out Duck Volunteers – We Salute YOU!! 
Volunteers helped support the 6 week campaign by maintaining a great group of Kroger stores in Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. They visited their store(s) at least once per week; some even visited their stores a few times a week to ensure customers were able to utilize the duck coupons to purchase ducks. The campaign would not be a success without your continued support!

A Weekend at Findlay Market and Kroger – Duck Sales Volunteers
Volunteers sold ducks each Saturday in August at Findlay Market and at various Kroger stores throughout the month.   Donors had an opportunity to pick up some “duck swag” with their duck purchases in addition to completing their weekly shopping. What a fun way to spend a Saturday or Sunday afternoon! Thank you Kroger Weekend Duck Sales Volunteers!!

Rubber Duck RegattaDuck Central Volunteers – Duck Sale Calls
“Hello?  Do You Want to Buy A Duck?” Did you register your duck by calling the duck line? If you did, you were probably assisted by one of our many esteemed volunteers. Thank you Duck Central Volunteers for answering those phones and helping us to secure that those ducks were in the race!!

What is the Rubber Duck Regatta without Quacky?
Quacky wanted to send a huge and hearty THANK YOU to all of the volunteers who braved the extremely warm costume to make children and adults giggle and laugh during Quacky’s many appearances. Quacky couldn’t have “quacked” without YOU!

The Finale – Rubber Duck Regatta Volunteers
We made it!! On Sunday, September 2nd at Serpentine Wall and Newport on the Levee, volunteers flanked the river at both venues selling ducks! Volunteers assisted with setting the ducks free off the Purple People Bridge and after the big splash and race, they helped scoop the ducks from the Ohio River and load them into our trucks. Way to go Rubber Duck Regatta Volunteers!!

Wash, Rinse, Load, Ship – Duck Washing Volunteers
For the past few years, Xavier University’s Men’s Swim Team has unloaded, washed, rinsed, and repackaged over 190,000 racing ducks on Labor Day morning at our Mayerson Distribution Center. They come with enthusiasm and a competitive nature to beat their previous completion time. They have created their own system and we pretty much step back and let them do their thing. Thank You XU Swim Team for sending the ducks off in style!

Rubber Duck Regatta 2018 – Photo Gallery

Mayerson Distribution Center
Located at 1250 Tennessee Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45229.
School is back in session and Power Packs are needed to feed children on weekends!  During the school year, students receive food through their free and reduce breakfast and lunch programs during the week and on weekends the Power Pack provides supplemental food until they can get back to school on Monday morning.  Groups and Individuals are needed to assemble over 5,000 boxes weekly.

Regular Warehouse Shifts: Shifts are held Tuesday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. or 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.  Both individuals and groups are welcome at the Distribution Center. Volunteers must be at least 13 years of age to volunteer. Student 13-18 years old must have parental consent and students 13-15 years of age must be accompanied by an adult. 


Liberty Street Market
Located at 112 E. Liberty, Cincinnati, OH 45204.
The Liberty Street Market is the Freestore Foodbank’s very own choice pantry at the Customer Connection Center.  On a daily basis the Customer Connection Center may serve up to 300 people and provide food and connections to other services which helps individuals and families.

Liberty Street Market Shifts:  Individuals or groups of 10 or less can schedule a time to volunteer in the Liberty Street Market, Monday, Tuesday, Thursdays and Friday from 8am-4pm.  Projects include food sorting, restocking shelves with groceries, assisting customers with their groceries outside of the building and loading groceries in their vehicle in front of the building. Volunteers must be at least 16-years-old (with parental consent) to volunteer at this site.


SPECIAL EVENTS

Yom Kippur Food Drive at Wise Temple, Ridge Road
September 19th from 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Annually during Yom Kippur, various temples host a food drive and donate items collected to local social service agencies.  Volunteers will unload the donated items from vehicles as members pull up to the temples and place the donated items inside the totes provided by the Freestore.  Volunteers must be at least 14 years of age to volunteer for this activity.

The Holidays Operations Are Coming Soon
November 19 & 20th and December 19th & 20th
Over 2,000 volunteers are needed to assist with our holiday food give away.  Look for more information to be posted soon.  Make plans now to reserve your spots.  Groups and individuals are welcome.  Volunteers must be at least 10 years old to volunteer (with parents).

Cincinnati CooksCincinnati Cooks! Soft/Life Skills Instructors
Located at 3401 Rosenthal Way
Cincinnati Cooks! is looking for a few new facilitators to lead their soft/life skill classes. These classes are held on Tuesdays & Wednesdays from 1 pm to 3 pm at our office Topics of interest are: Interviewing 101, Resume Building/Writing, Customer Service, Diet/Nutrition, Effective Communication/Listening, Time Management, Conflict Resolution, and Anger/Stress Management.  We’re also looking for volunteers to help with writing curriculum for these topics!

Healthy Harvest Mobile Market
At various locations throughout the community
Want to help bring healthy nutritious produce into the community?  Volunteer on a regular basis with the Healthy Harvest Mobile Market!  We are also in need volunteers once a month for the HHMM Clean Up Crew as well.

All volunteers are welcome to join our team as TOGETHER, WE CAN SOLVE HUNGER! Individuals may self-register and groups may request special dates by visiting our website: freestorefoodbank.volunteerhub.com.  Email our Volunteer Engagement Specialist, Carolyn Frank at volunteer@freestorefoodbank.org or call 513-482-7550 for further assistance.


Other Ways to Help

Are you in need of a company project during the holiday season or just looking for a new family tradition for your family? We have a great project just for you!

Become a Family’s Donor
Share in the spirit of the holidays by helping other families enjoy the season. Become a donor and purchase gifts for one of our Freestore Foodbank families that participate in our Stabilization, Protective Payee, and Shelter Diversion programs. Adopt – A – Family is an annual program that helps over customers during the holidays. Your generosity will provide a great sense of value and worth to these families and clearly demonstrate in a meaningful way that others really care about them.  For more information about adopting a family or helping with gift purchases, please email: adoptafamily@freestorefoodbank.org or call 513-720-6099.

Food Drive with the Cincinnati Symphony OrchestraFood and Fund Drives
Donations of canned goods are needed all year around, not just at the holidays! If you
would like to organize a canned food OR fund drive, please contact Bob Barnes at 513-482-4517.

Are you interested in becoming a member of the Freestore Foodbank team? Please click here for our current employment opportunities.


Thank you to the following groups for your support in August 2018!
We sincerely appreciate their continued support and contribution of their time.

Mayerson Distribution Center (Tennessee Avenue)

84.51
Bottom Line Systems
Broadway Serves
Catalina Marketing
Cengage
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital
Citizens Bank
Clayton Group
Ethicon
Fidelity Investments
Fifth Third
First Christian Church
Franciscans for the Poor
General Electric
Great American Risk Soluntions
Henkel Corporation
Ken Anderson Alliance
Kiwanis
KLH Engineers
Kroger
L’Oreal USA
Macy’s
Nestle
Nielsen
Northwestern Mutual
Organizations Helping the World
Pappas Restaurants
Peter Cremer NA
PNC Bank
Procter and Gamble
Reinhart Foodservice
Smucker
St. Margaret Knights of Columbus
The Gathering
Toyota Boshoku America
tristate Freethinkers
University of Cincinnati
Ursuline Families
US Bank
Western Southern Financial
Willis Towers Watson
Wise Temple
World Pay
YMCA of Cincinnati
YouthBuild NKY

Liberty Street Market (Customer Connection Center - Liberty Street)

Bahl & Gaynor
BKD
Butler University Alumni
Cincinnati Bell
Collective Visions
Easter Seals Tristate
Hyatt Regency Cincinnati
MRDP
Passport USA
Urban League Young Professionals

Giving Fields

Clark Schaefer Hackett
Erin’s Friends and Family
Fifth Third
Gap
General Electric
Girl Scouts
Great American Insurance Group
Kids4Peace
Kroger
Marathe Family
Michelman
Pep Promotions
Prince of Peace Lutheran Church
St. Ignatius School
St. Thomas More
Systems Evolution, Inc.
Turner Construction
World Pay
YouthBuild NKY