Licking United Community Help Center

IN THE FOURTEENTH FULL YEAR OF OPERATION FOR THE LICKING UNITED COMMUNITY HELP CENTER, AN AVERAGE OF 240 PEOPLE EACH MONTH OF 2023 WERE ABLE TO BE HELPED. THE NUMBER OF HOUSEHOLDS SERVED FOR 2023 WAS 1635. MANY PEOPLE CONTINUE TO REQUIRE ASSISTANCE FROM THE CENTER. WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF CASH AND NONCASH DONATIONS(INCLUDING FOOD DRIVES) FROM INDIVIDUALS,COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS,CHURCHES, BUSINESSES,SCHOOLS AND BUSINESSES,THE CENTER REACHED OUT TO A VARIETY OF INDIVIDUALS IN VARIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES TO PROVIDE FOOD/CLOTHING ON A CONTINUING AND/OR EMERGENCY BASIS. HOME DELIVERIES ARE MADE TO APPROXIMATELY 30 HOMEBOUND INDIVIDUALS EACH MONTH. THANKSGIVING TURKEYS AND CHRISTMAS HAMS WERE PROVIDED TO MANY NEEDY FAMILIES. THE CENTER ALSO PROVIDES EMERGENCY PROVISIONS ON AS NEEDED BASIS TO INDIVIDUALS. THE CENTER OPERATES A THRIFT CENTER, WHICH RECEIVES NONCASH ITEMS FOR RESALE IN ORDER FOR SUCH PROCEEDS TO BE USED FOR ITS PROGRAMS. MANY PERSONAL CLOTHING NEEDS ARE MET IN THE COMMUNITY BY THE OPERATION OF THIS THRIFT CENTER. THE CENTER IS OPERATED ON A PURELY VOLUNTEER BASIS, WITH THE HELP OF APPROXIMATELY 7 INDIVIDUALS. THESE INDIVIDUALS PROVIDED OVER 10000 VOLUNTEER HOURS IN 2023. THE CENTER CONTINUED TO EXPAND ITS COMMUNITY OUTREACH IN 2023 BY WORKING WITH THE LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICT BY AWARDING SCHOLARSHIPS AND SUPPORT TO OTHER ACTIVITIES. 3000 OF SCHOLARSHIPS WERE PAID TO QUALIFIED RECEIPIENTS FROM THE LOCAL SCHOOL IN 2023. IN ADDITION, OTHER LOCAL DONATIONS WERE MADE IN VARYING AMOUNTS TO THE COMMUNITY SCHOOL FOR VARIOUS SCHOOL ACTIVITIES AND OTHER WORTHY LOCAL CHARITIES THAT RAISE MONEY FOR NEEDED CAUSES. THE CENTER WANTS TO MAINTAIN ITS MISSION OF ASSISTANCE TO THE LOCAL COMMUNITY NEEDS ON A VARIETY OF LEVELS AND GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY IT SERVES. TOTAL LOCAL SCHOLARSHIP/OTHER DONATIONS DISTRIBUTED IN 2023 TOTALED 16,826.