Working Together to Spread Hope
OCS was surprised and honored to be presented with the 2026 David and Martha Hessler Illuminating Hope Award at Community West Foundation's Community Update on Thursday, July 23! President and CEO Marty Uhle (pictured), his team, the CWF Board, and its Grants Committee have been incredibly supportive of OCS. Not only do they provide generous financial support for our work through human services grants, but they continuously show strong friendship, bolster our morale, and have even donated jars of honey for the food pantry.
The Illuminating Hope Award was accepted by OCS Executive Director Margie Flood (pictured), Board President Steven Wojtal, Food Programs Coordinator Suzette Sanchez, and Communications and Development Coordinator Jason Hawk. It recognizes OCS for "outstanding leadership in helping people thrive with dignity and support every day" and includes an additional $10,000 in unrestricted grant support.
The same evening, Community West Foundation committed $1 million for expansion of Cleveland Clinic Fairview Hospital. The Community Update also celebrated $3.2 million in grant awards to 100 nonprofit organizations serving Cleveland, western Cuyahoga County, and Lorain County in 2025. Through the Community Impact Fund and donor-directed giving, total CWF support for nonprofit partners reached $4.73 million, helping strengthen access to food, housing, healthcare, and other essential services across our region.
Thank you, Community West Foundation!
Look at Our Little Sprouts Grow!
Our Little Sprouts summer gardening day camp has been a smash success! The first session ran through the last week of June, and a second session was held during the final week of July. Kids learned about plants, life cycles, where food comes from, composting, and how animals and plants interact. They also had fun playing games! Our staff and volunteers truly enjoy these camps, which focus on teaching the next generation the importance of ecology.
Back to School: Every Student Can Succeed!
OCS is gearing up for one of the biggest Back to School Giveaways in OCS history! Throughout the summer, we’ve been collecting donations of pencils, pens, paper, binders, notebooks, glue sticks, scissors, and more. These supplies will go to Oberlin City School District students who register for our annual giveaway (the deadline is Aug. 6). We provide these tools so EVERY Oberlin student can start the 2026-2027 school year on equitable footing with the essentials needed for academic success.
There is still time to donate! You can give at the Cooper Center, 500 E. Lorain St., Oberlin.
You can also give via Oberlin Cable Co-op’s Stuff the Bus campaign, which will be held Saturday, Aug. 1 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in downtown Oberlin. Help fill an entire school bus with supplies, which will be brought to OCS at the end of the day!
Our annual school supply giveaway was the passion of Jaqui Willis, a lifelong educator who for many years volunteered at OCS and served on our board. This is the 10th year our drive and giveaway have been held in honor of Jaqui, who died in 2017. Dedicated funding in her memory, combined with supply donations from the community, will allow OCS to continue this event for many years to come.
A brand new VISTA
Meet Lilian Pfeninger, our new AmeriCorps VISTA! Lilian, 23, is a graduate of Oberlin High School and Oberlin College, where she earned a degree in biology. In July, she started a one-year contract to help OCS develop further nutrition, cooking, and resilience workshops. "I volunteered at OCS in the past and really enjoyed it, so I kept looking on the website to see what jobs were open," she said. "I'm interested in helping people and developing some interesting and engaging events where people can learn new skills." Lilian said she's especially eager to incorporate our herb garden, called Karen's Kitchen Garden, into classes and workshops.
We are also saying goodbye to our 2025-2026 VISTA, Ethan Hill. Over the past year, he helped OCS experiment with a build-a-garden pilot program and develop programs for our kitchen space, including cooking classes for adults in recovery for drug addiction.
OCS is collecting winter coats, hats, gloves, mittens, and scarves for local families. The goal is to get and distribute these donations BEFORE cold weather sets in so that no one is left unprotected against hazardous conditions. We are excited to accept winter gear for both adults and children. Please donate at the Cooper Center, 500 E. Lorain St., Oberlin.
Thank you for being kind and generous!
Mental Health Focus
Every other month, OCS invites partner nonprofits to share information about issues that affect Lorain County, learn what resources are available, and talk about how we can work together. In July, this networking luncheon doubled as a training seminar. Tonya Birney of the Mental Health, Addiction & Recovery Services Board of Lorain County presented on suicide risks and prevention. She taught attendees about the QPR method, or “Question, Persuade, Refer,” which focuses on how to recognize the warning signs of a mental health crisis and get the person help.
Welcoming Partners
Second Harvest visited the Cooper Center on July 23 to hold its first-ever Partner Network Connect meeting, bringing together friends from other food pantries across Lorain County. This afternoon of learning, collaboration, and connection included important updates on programs and resources, new opportunities to better serve our neighbors, and meaningful conversations about strengthening our hunger relief network. OCS had a terrific time hosting and got to show off the food pantry and warehouse our amazing supporters helped build. Most folks don't get to see all the sharing, listening, coordinating, learning, and advocacy it takes behind the scenes to keep food flowing to our neighbors. We are lucky to have a community of nonprofits working toward common goals!
Gardeners and farmers: Thank you so much for your amazing support! Your donations are helping THOUSANDS of local families this summer. Gifts of fresh fruit and vegetables are always welcomed by OCS at the Cooper Center, 500 E. Lorain St., Oberlin. We have NONPERISHABLE donation bins outside our front doors. PERISHABLES can be dropped off inside during business hours (we recommend mornings or late afternoon). Whether it’s a crate, a pallet, a bushel, a peck, or a bag, every donation helps!
Built on Solid Foundations
OCS does not sell products or have profit margins. We are able to do our work with the support of our amazing community. That includes many hundreds of regular people who send checks, donate online, support us with a DAF, or include OCS in their wills.
Charitable foundations are also incredibly important, awarding annual grants to support the OCS mission. This summer, we have received substantial grants from Community Foundation of Lorain County and the Nord Family Foundation. Thank you!
We have also been invited to apply for the first time for grant support from the McGregor Foundation, which works to support services for seniors. Based in Cleveland, the McGregor Foundation is expanding its grant support to Lorain County and has expressed eagerness to work with OCS. Thank you!
How can I donate to OCS?
There are lots of ways to donate to OCS — mail a check, give online, use PayPal, make a gift of stock, even include OCS in your estate planning. Learn more by clicking the button below.
You can donate right from our Walmart wishlist
Did you know we have a wish list? You can buy items for the OCS food pantry via our Walmart online registry. It highlights dozens of low-cost nonperishable staples that are especially useful for the thousands of families we serve. To buy food to donate to the OCS pantry, visit www.tinyurl.com/OCSwishlist and browse the list! Donations can be shipped or brought to the Cooper Center, 500 E. Lorain St., Oberlin, OH 44074.
