Support Highlight

GO Pantry is fortunate to have support from CJ Schwan’s. Their team has volunteered in our warehouse, organized food drives, and continuously demonstrated a commitment to helping local children and families facing food insecurity.

That commitment is also reflected through the Schwan’s Giving Foundation, a separate charitable organization that supports communities where CJ Schwan’s team members live and work. GO Pantry was recently awarded a $5,000 grant from the Schwan’s Giving Foundation to help further our mission of fighting childhood hunger.

As a company in the food industry, CJ Schwan’s understands the importance of building healthier communities and helping ensure children have access to the food they need to thrive. Through the Foundation’s grant support and the dedication of CJ Schwan’s employees, a meaningful and lasting impact is being made in the lives of local families.

Thank you to the Schwan’s Giving Foundation for this generous grant, and thank you to CJ Schwan’s for your ongoing partnership, volunteerism, and support of GO Pantry’s mission. We are deeply grateful for your commitment to helping local students experiencing food insecurity.

Kim Jenkins, owner of Living Well Fitness in Walton, makes giving back to her community a priority. Kim grew up in an area where neighbors helped neighbors and local businesses supported the community.  She wanted to do the same thing here in Northern Kentucky.

Eight years ago, Kim started a 5K Turkey Trot, benefitting GO Pantry. In the beginning, about 20 people got together for a healthy start to Thanksgiving. The event has grown over the years, now welcoming over 100 participants and raising well over $5000 annually to help local kids in need.

Kim also runs promotions at Living Well Fitness, where donations to GO Pantry earn free classes. Thank you, Kim, for having such a big heart for GO Pantry, and for students who are experiencing food insecurity. We are so grateful for your faithful support!

GO Pantry is fortunate to have incredible support from the local Levi Strauss & Co. team. From volunteering in our warehouse, to providing financial support and logistics guidance, their partnership is truly invaluable.

This support most recently came in the form of an incredible $25,000 grant, made possible by our local Levi Strauss & Co. team, who are huge advocates for GO pantry and the students we serve. In addition to that, their engineering and warehouse management teams have offered valuable advice on how to best utilize our warehouse space in terms of efficiency and productivity. Their hands-on dedication and heart for service make a lasting impact on the children and families we serve.

We are incredibly grateful to Levi Strauss & Co. for their ongoing partnership and generosity. Their commitment to fighting childhood hunger in our community makes a lasting difference, and we appreciate their continued support in helping feed local kids in need.

Whiskey and Wishes was founded in 2019 by Billy and Neena Volk as a charitable giving circle rooted in two things they love deeply: community and bourbon. Whiskey and Wishes was created as a way to bring people together around a shared love of whiskey while making a meaningful impact locally. Members contribute a set amount each year, pooling their donations for collective giving. One hundred percent of those funds are granted back into the community to support local nonprofits.

Each year, nonprofits are invited to apply for grants, members review the applications, and every Whiskey and Wishes member votes on which organizations receive funding—ensuring the giving is both intentional and community-driven. Since its founding, Whiskey and Wishes has granted more than $727,000 back into the Northern Kentucky/Greater Cincinnati community through its collective giving.

The partnership between Whiskey and Wishes and GO Pantry began when GO Pantry applied for a grant during one of Whiskey and Wishes’ early grant cycles. Neena says, “It was immediately clear that GO Pantry was doing impactful, meaningful work—often with limited resources—and aligned closely with the values Whiskey and Wishes seeks to support. Food insecurity doesn’t always look the way people assume it does, and GO Pantry meets families in those moments with dignity and care. If Whiskey and Wishes can help make sure even one child goes to bed with a full stomach, then we know we’re doing exactly what we set out to do: using what we have to bring a little more light and hope into our community”.

We are incredibly grateful to Whiskey & Wishes for selecting GO Pantry as one of their grant recipients. Their commitment to fighting childhood hunger in our community makes a lasting difference, and we appreciate their continued support in helping feed local kids in need.

Gartman Insurance Agency not only supports GO Pantry financially, Wen Gartman, Owner of Gartman Insurance, also has a huge heart for the children we serve.

When Wen was first introduced to GO Pantry years ago, he says he “didn’t realize the extent of how many hungry and homeless children there were within our three county radius, which are three of the wealthiest counties within KY. The numbers were staggering! It broke my heart that these children didn’t have a place to call home or that the only meal that they were to receive for the day was the one provided to them by the school system during school days. What about the other days!?! That’s where GO Pantry came in supplying these children with a steady meal for the days that the children were out of school.

That’s when I decided to do what I could with my resources – donate. I have made the donation part of my business plan and knowing what little I do to assist helps motivate me to work hard daily.”

Gartman Insurance has been a supporter since the early days of GO Pantry and continues to be a faithful supporter. In fact, they were selected as our Supporter of the Year at this year’s Party for a Purpose Gala. Thank you, Wen, for your kind heart and giving heart. You are making a difference in our community!

Coca-Cola Consolidated is a company that values connecting with the community. For more than 120 years, Coca-Cola Consolidated has been building strong relationships, engaging volunteers, and providing support to organizations that make a positive impact on their communities. GO Pantry is blessed to have been supported by Coca-Cola Consolidated through financial contributions, food drive support, product donations for events and sponsorship of GO Pantry’s Party for a Purpose.

“We are grateful for the opportunity to serve the Kentucky community and to make a positive impact in the lives of others alongside our Teammates and Go Pantry,” said Morris Howard, Director of Community Relations at Coca-Cola Consolidated.

Thank you, Coca-Cola Consolidated, for having a heart for GO Pantry and for our mission to help local students who are experiencing food insecurity.

Meijer is a company that values making a difference in the communities where their stores are located. As a family-owned company, Meijer is committed to enriching lives in the communities they serve, across their six-state footprint.

In 2008, Meijer began the important work of establishing relationships with local food banks and food pantries across the Midwest. GO Pantry is blessed to have a wonderful relationship with our local Meijer store in Florence. Last year, we were awarded a $5,000 grant from Meijer’s Community Giving program. GO Pantry has also been selected many times to partner with Meijer for their Simply Give program. With the Simply Give program on designated Double Match Days each quarter, Meijer doubles the impact of every donation. When a donor contributes $10, Meijer doubles it by adding $20, turning the total donation into $30 for GO Pantry. This incredible program has provided thousands of dollars to help fill our weekend GO Bags and GO Boxes, ensuring local kids have the food they need.

We are incredibly grateful to our local Florence Meijer for their ongoing partnership and generosity. Their commitment to fighting childhood hunger in our community makes a lasting difference, and we appreciate their continued support in helping feed local kids in need.

Amazon is a company who provides support to communities across the country.  They work with local community partners to provide access to immediate needs for underserved and underrepresented children and families. Amazon supports local communities with what they call “Right Now Needs,” which include increasing access to food, shelter, and basic goods for children and their families.

Amazon was the presenting sponsor of our Party for a Purpose annual fundraiser this year. They also presented GO Pantry with an amazing $50,000 donation to help local students who are experiencing food insecurity. We are blessed to have the support of Amazon, not only financially, but through volunteer efforts, as well.

Jess Stewart, Director of Operations at Amazon’s Air Hub, says “The Amazon team finds volunteering at GO Pantry deeply rewarding as they’re providing immediate assistance to underserved and underrepresented community members experiencing hunger. Amazon is thrilled to be a member of the Northern Kentucky community and proud to invest in the region by partnering with GO Pantry to increase food access for children and their families in our local communities.”

Thank you, Amazon, for having a heart for GO Pantry and for our mission to help local students who are experiencing food insecurity. We can’t thank you enough!

Zumbiel is a company that cherishes their community and aims to make it a better place. They encourage their associates to give back and provide several volunteer opportunities each year. GO Pantry is so blessed to have the support of Zumbiel and their team.

Zumbiel has supported GO Pantry since 2018 and have become an invaluable partner to us. Not only do they support us financially, they support us in countless other ways as well. They have an annual food drive and GO Bag pack event. They donate boxes for us to use for our GO Bag distribution to local schools. They have even donated chairs and filing cabinets for our offices.

When asked what is their favorite part about volunteering with GO Pantry, Jim Earl, a National Account Manager and Jeff Beiting, a Director of Customer Service with Zumbiel said, “ We love the mission of GO Pantry and feel blessed to play a small part in assisting your wonderful organization on an on-going basis. It’s a great way to involve our associates in whatever way they can contribute and build relationships outside the office. From donating food items or cash and/or offering time at volunteer events, it’s a simple but meaningful way to support our community.”

Thank you, Zumbiel, for having a heart for GO Pantry and for our mission to help local students who are experiencing food insecurity.

Duke Energy is a company that values making a difference in the communities where they are located. Every year, East Bend Station employees are provided a list of local organizations where funds could be directed. The employees then vote for the one they would like to support. This year, they selected Go Pantry! GO Pantry has been fortunate to have received several grants from the Duke Energy East Bend Station with support from the Duke Energy Foundation. These funds have been used to purchase food for our weekend GO Bags and GO Boxes for local students in need.

Not only does Duke support GO Pantry financially, executives and team members from local plants have volunteered in the warehouse, allowing them the opportunity to see where their money is being used. Duke Energy promotes supporting the community by volunteering. They have a community service program that encourages employees to give back to their community.

Thank you, Duke Energy, for having a heart for GO Pantry and for our mission to help local students who are experiencing food insecurity.

We are thrilled to shine a spotlight on our incredible partner, the Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels, and the amazing work they do in our community! Not only have they volunteered as a team in our warehouse, they recently awarded GO Pantry a grant to fund the shelf stable yogurt needed to fill our GO Bags for the first half of the 2024-2025 school year. What a blessing to GO Pantry and to the students we serve!

This year, HOKC awarded $2.5 million in grants supporting 325 non-profits, impacting more than 3.9 million Kentuckians. Grants are made possible through donations from Kentucky Colonels from throughout the Commonwealth and around the world who choose to exercise the honor of being named a Kentucky Colonel in a meaningful way. Thank you all so much for the work you do to make Kentucky a better place!

Crane Composites has a long history of taking care of their employees as well as serving their community. Continuing the resolution that their founder, R.T. Crane, made in 1855, serving others remains a priority of their corporate culture. The Crane Fund for Widows and Children was established years ago and continues today. This fund is used to provide assistance to widows and children in the communities where Crane Composites operates. Crane supports several local charities including GO Pantry. They have not only supported us financially over the years, they have held food drives for GO Pantry and volunteered in the warehouse, as well.

Crane, we can’t thank you enough for your support over the years! Thank you for having a heart for GO Pantry and our mission to help children in our area who are experiencing food insecurity.

Walmart is a company that values making a difference in the communities where their stores are located. Each year, stores award local grants to address the unique needs of communities where they operate. GO Pantry has been fortunate to have received several grants from Walmart, which have been used to purchase food for our weekend GO Bags and GO Boxes for local students in need.

Not only does Walmart support GO Pantry financially, executives and team members from local stores have volunteered in the warehouse, allowing them the opportunity to see where their grant money is being used.

Thank you, Walmart, for having a heart for GO Pantry and for our mission to help kids in our area who are experiencing food insecurity.

Fidelity Investments is a generous supporter of GO Pantry.  They foster a corporate culture of giving back to the community and stress the importance of this to their employees.

“As active members of the community, Fidelity values social responsibility as part of everything we do. Our employees dedicate their time to local organizations, like GO Pantry, that provide support for at risk youth in underserved and underrepresented communities and school districts. “

Not only does Fidelity support GO Pantry financially, they also had an on-site pack in the fall, allowing their employees the opportunity to give back during the course of their work day. They purchased food for and packed 300 of our Christmas GO Boxes! We are honored and blessed to partner with Fidelity to help local kids in need. Thank you for having a heart for GO Pantry and for our mission to help children in our area who are experiencing food insecurity.

At GO Pantry, we truly believe that God puts the right people in our lives at just the right time. When he sent Chris Dove, owner of Complete Forklift Repair, our way, we were blessed a thousand times over!

Through another one of our amazing supporters, Chris found out that we needed a forklift to manage the growing inventory needed to continue feeding local students in our area who were experiencing food insecurity. When Chris heard about our mission, he GAVE us a forklift and hasn’t stopped giving ever since. Complete Forklift Repair donates financially, provides service and repair to our current forklift, and is upgrading our current model to a NEW FORKLIFT soon!

Chris and his family are all faithful and generous supporters of GO Pantry. They have participated in food drives and recently attended our very first Party for a Purpose. Chris won the Heads or Tails game at our event and generously donated his winnings back to GO Pantry.

You are truly a blessing to GO Pantry and to the kids we serve.
We can’t thank you all enough for blessing us with your kind and giving hearts!

SLB is a generous supporter of GO Pantry. They are a global technology company that operates in more than 100 countries. While they are a world-wide organization, they have a focus on making an impact in the communities where they operate. Their Florence, KY location recently donated $5,000 to GO Pantry to help local students who are experiencing food insecurity. SLB, we can’t thank you enough for blessing us with your kind hearts and financial support!

First Church of Christ has been a faithful supporter of GO Pantry for many years. They not only give financial support to GO Pantry, they create opportunities for people to be God’s hands and serve the community. A goal of First Church is to get people on a path of discipleship, encouraging them to get involved in their community.

Mike Muldernick, Missions Director of First Church, sees how much people truly want to serve. He has seen first hand members of his congregation stepping up to help GO Pantry, knowing they are helping kids in their local schools, or in some cases even their own kids.

Each Spring First Church works together to fill over 300 GO Boxes for GO Pantry! Their collective effort is a big part of our Spring Break GO Box program. They also frequently provide needed help delivering GO Boxes to schools. What a great gift you are to GO Pantry and to our community!

First Church, thank you for being such a blessing! We can’t thank you enough for blessing us with your kind hearts and financial support!

ADM, the Archer Daniels Midland Company, has been a longtime, faithful supporter of GO Pantry. Being in the food processing industry, they understand the importance of nutrition in growing children and how being well nourished is a key component of a child’s ability to focus and learn at school.

Lisa Roberts, Regional Environmental Director at ADM, has children in the Northern Kentucky school system and saw first hand the need to help children in our area who are experiencing food insecurity. She realized that GO Pantry’s mission to help those same children was in line with one of ADM’s core areas of giving. She brought the idea of helping GO Pantry to ADM and they have been faithful supporters ever since!

Not only does ADM support GO Pantry financially in a BIG way, they also organize service days for their employees to come help in the warehouse. Recently, ADM employees helped pack GO Bags to be sent to local children in need.

ADM, we can’t thank you enough for your kind hearts and financial support!

Dollar General has a long history of serving their community. At the core of their company is The Dollar General Literacy Foundation. It helps individuals of all ages pursue their educational goals by investing in literacy programs that help students learn to read, prepare for the high school equivalency test or learn English. In addition, Dollar General realizes the need to serve children who may be experiencing food insecurity, as being well nourished is a key component to academic success.

The founder of Dollar General was raised in a home where he himself experienced food insecurity. Amazingly, with only a fourth grade level education, he started the company that grew into the multi-million dollar organization that Dollar General is today.

Recently, Dollar General Corporate gave the Walton Distribution Center a $10,000 Employee Choice Award to donate to a local charity. Employees nominated and then selected the charity that would receive the donation.

Reshaun Patterson, Human Resource Generalist at the Dollar General Distribution Center in Walton says, “One of our core values is serving others. GO Pantry’s values align with ours, which is why we chose GO Pantry to receive the award”. We are beyond grateful to be chosen as the recipient of this award! We can’t thank Dollar General enough for your support! Thank you for having a heart for GO Pantry and our mission to help children in our area who are experiencing food insecurity.