Good Neighbors, Inc.                                       September 1, 2023​
The purpose of Good Neighbors is to help families and individuals in times of crisis and need with clothing, emergency food and support.

​The Good Neighbors Organization
​

    We thank Bob & Lisa Goldstein for their service and dedication. Bob served as a Good Neighbors Trustee and the Cuyahoga Falls Good Neighbors Chairman for more than 3 years. We wish them the very best. Kat Wollyung will now serve as the Interim Director and is looking for an Assistant Director.
    We welcome Bill Wise, Patricia Stiles and Beth Stalnaker Burch as Good Neighbors Trustees.
    Valerie Straw, Wilma McMasters and Debi Foss serve as council officers. George Camilletti (Chair), Jenny Siebert (Vice Chair), Toni Amos, Beth Stalnaker Burch, Kathy Frye, Susan Reynolds, Bob Roberts, Patricia Stiles, Alberta Veri and Bill Wise serve as trustees. Kat Wollyung (Cuyahoga Falls Unit), Chris Krinjeck Bolyard (Ellet Unit), George Camilletti (Food Center), Patricia Stiles (Green Unit), Lee Thomas and Wilma McMasters (Superior-Wooster Clothing Unit) and Candy Lorkowski (Tallmadge Unit)  manage our 6 units. 

    Recent reviews on our Good Neighbors, Inc. Google Business Page:
"A blessing always, good food, great caring people."
"I love the wonderful people here. They do a lot to help our community."
"Exceptional the way they treat Veterans."
"A god sent n the people r amazing."
"The people are so kind and helpful."
​"A blessing, always good food, great caring people."

A recent visitor to our food center left a thank you card:
"I just want to thank any one that assisted me today. It is not easy to ask for help. I appreciate all you guys do. Thank you."

    Our sympathy and condolences to the family of our long-time Thursday volunteer, Walter (Butch) Johnston. On Thursday mornings, Butch would come in very early to wash the food center floors and then stay throughout the day to help serve our clients. Butch was so kind, caring and fun to work with, he will be greatly missed.
    We have received more than $ 2,100 in memorial donations for our Wednesday volunteer, Pat Prill. Continued prayers for her family.
    Our sympathy and condolences to volunteer Mike Letta, who recently lost his mother.
    Last school year, 21 schools held food drives for our food center:  Buchtel, East, Ellet, Firestone, STEM High School, Jennings, Litchfield, Miller-South, Barber, Findley, Glover, Harris-Jackson, Hatton, King, McEbright, Resnik, Rimer, Robinson, Sam Salem, Windemere and Hoban. Valerie Straw organizes the  food drives, our Thursday volunteers pick up the donations and IBH volunteers help to sort the donations.
    Our back to school supplies drive was organized by Valerie Straw. She shopped, bagged and distributed 90 bags to the families who were visiting our food center in August.
    Our Wednesday volunteers donated school supplies, filled bags and delivered them to the Firestone Park Elementary School Students.
    Vacation Bible School Students from Oak Hill Presbyterian Church donated bags filled with birthday celebration items. Westminster Presbyterian Church, Temple Israel's Sisterhood Group and Cornerstone Community Church recently donated groceries. Bath Church, Eastwood Church of the Brethren, Grace Baptist Church, Green Valley United Methodist Church, Harmony Springs Christian Church and Westminster Presbyterian Church provide funding throughout the year. 
    Recently, OGS Industries and VanDevere Employees donated funds. Panera Bread, Whole Foods and Giant Eagle donate their extra food every week. ACME Fresh Market provides funds and gift cards every year.
    An anonymous donor makes homemade laundry detergent for our clients. She also donates vegetable plants, household items and clothing. Doug Miller donates groceries every month that he purchases from Acme and donates fish that he catches. Every year, Mr. Mast donates fresh produce from his garden. IBH volunteers continue to help our  volunteers unload the trucks when large orders are picked up from the food bank. Yolonda from CareSource continues to volunteer when possible, and provides shopping bags and items for our clients, as well
as funds for our food center.
    As they do every year, Sharon Connor and the RIGHT Committee donated flowers. Jenny Siebert and Kathy Morse volunteered their time to plant them around our food center.
    We recently had an unexpected expense of $22,484.00 to repair the roof on our annex building.
    Our food center volunteers not only serve those in need, they help support our food center by making monetary donations and donating food, diapers and other much needed items. We appreciate everything that our volunteers do to help Good Neighbors and the community.
    Before the pandemic, we were serving more than 1,100 families every month, during the 5 days that we were open. During the pandemic, client visits were about half of that. Currently, we are open 4 days a week and serving about 1,000 families a month. In August, we served 1,165 families (3,190 individuals). Many of our past clients who have not needed our assistance for years are now returning due to the economy and food insecurity. We have many new individuals and families visiting our food center for assistance. We are grateful to all of our supporters and volunteers for helping us to fulfill our mission.
    We greatly appreciate our volunteers who continue to work without air-conditioning during this hot and humid summer. We welcome a lot  of new volunteers and greatly appreciate their help. Over the summer, students from Walsh High School, a student from Copley High School and a University of Akron Law Student volunteered. Many of our volunteers brought their children and grandchildren to help out during their summer break.
    George Camilletti manages and maintains our central office, food center and annex buildings. He also serves as the Good Neighbors Ways & Means Chairman and Trustee Chairman.
    Open Monday through Thursday from 12-3 p.m. 

    Bob & Lisa Goldstein managed the Cuyahoga Falls unit for more than 3 years, their service and dedication is greatly appreciated. Kat Wollyung is now serving as the interim director and looking for an assistant director. Ted Mosko continues to serve as treasurer.
    McArthur's Brew House, Eddies Famous Cheesesteaks and  Little Blue Pastry Wagon held a fundraiser benefitting the Cuyahoga Falls Good Neighbors. Donations of toiletries and school supplies were provided.
    Alice Beatty reported that during their back to school drive, 555 backpacks filled with school supplies were distributed. 
    Kat Wollyung reported that they have allowed First Methodist Church to distribute free lunches out of their lunch truck on the street/sidewalk at our facility over the summer. Distributing lunches here allowed them to reach our clients as they entered/exited our pantry distribution and allowed them to inform of their other services. 
    In August, our volunteers served 608 families (1,865 individuals).
​    For unit updates, additional information and to make online donations to benefit the Cuyahoga Falls Good Neighbors, please visit our website at cfgoodneighbors.org.
    Open on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10:00 am - 2:00 pm.

    Chris Bolyard, who manages the Ellet Unit, reported that all of the school supplies they had in reserve were distributed. A complete supply list was purchased for 2 students, as well as a specific calculator for another student. 35 families received school supplies.
    Past clients are returning, along with new families and individuals. We are serving about 45 people each month.
    We are in need of food and clothing donations, gift cards and financial contributions to help purchase food. Most of our clients are requesting meat and protein. We try to provide milk and bread for our clients.
    Open on the 2nd & 4th Tuesday of every month from 9:30-11:00 a.m.

    Patricia Stiles, who manages the Green Unit, reported that they distributed school supplies to about 120 students. 
    The City of Green helped gather school supplies from people who attended the summer fest in July. That was their admission to the event. 
    The Portage Lakes Career Center is just finishing up a year of assisting their students in learning new skills in volunteering and helping others.
    This summer, many people in the community, donated fresh produce from their gardens to help supplement food supplies at our unit.
    The next project is our annual Christmas program. We will be sending out letters in September to each family with children, asking them to fill out information about their children and what Christmas gift they would like. At the end of October, they will connect a volunteer with the children to buy them a gift that will be given at the beginning of December.
    Sending prayers and get well wishes to Shirley Teague. We thank  Shirley for organizing our back to school supplies distribution. 
    Nancy Hall now serves as the Green Good Neighbors Treasurer.
    Patricia Stiles lost nearly everything in a house fire, we are thankful that she is doing well and no one was injured. 
    For unit updates, additional information and online donations to benefit the Green Good Neighbors, please visit our website at  greengoodneighbors.org.
    Open on Wednesday mornings from 9:00 a.m. until noon.

    Lee Thomas and Wilma McMasters manage the Superior-Wooster Clothing Unit and reported that client visits continue to increase. We are serving about 40 people every month and in need of personal care supplies for our clients.
    Good Neighbors sends our sympathy and condolences to Lee Thomas and her family, after the recent loss of her son.
​    Open on Tuesday mornings from 9:30 a.m. until noon. 

    Candy Lorkowski, who manages the Tallmadge Unit, reported that in August, back to school families received double the amount of gift cards that they are usually given, and the non school families received grocery store gift cards.
    We are saddened by the loss of our oldest volunteer, Colleen Martin, who passed away in May, only a few days before her 93rd birthday. Sympathy, condolences and prayers are sent to her family. 
    In September, we are celebrating Jo Berry's 90th birthday. She has volunteered at our unit for 46 years. 
    Open on Wednesdays from 11:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.

Thank you to all of our volunteers and supporters!​

Good Neighbors, Inc. continues to meet all twenty 
BBB Standards for Charitable Accountability.

For additional information and updates,
please visit our website or Facebook page.

good-neighbors.org