Serving America First is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization
founded in 1990 by Melanie Nagel and a small group of concerned
volunteers. Located in Columbus, it is committed to addressing
the food and nutrition needs of low-income families throughout
Franklin County and Central Ohio.
SAF's mission and purpose is to provide nutritious meals and
promote healthy diets. This is based on the premise of empowering
people with information and resources to help them make conscious
and more sound choices about what they eat and feed their families.
In addition to actual fresh foodstuffs, clients may receive education
and practical training to help implement lifestyles that result
in better health and vigor, less financial burden, and long lasting
results.
SAF's capacity to educate individuals who wish to increase their
health through nutrition is very great. Many of its volunteers,
who have embraced healthy lifestyles for over ten years, are prepared
to teach others.
Serving America First is especially interested in educating those
who are experiencing a transition in their diet due to health
issues. For example, many people face heart problems, cancer,
AIDS, and other diseases that require a decrease of their intake
of meat and other unhealthy food. The SAF staff of volunteers
is trained to teach people facing these issues how to substitute
the doctors list of forbidden foods with healthy, satisfying alternatives.
Being an organization primarily operated by women, SAF is particularly
interested in assisting women who are battling with breast cancer.
These women are highly recommended to adjust their eating habits,
and SAF is able to assist in this way.
Who May Participate?
Statistics
History
Competitive Analysis
Who may participate?
Anyone can fall on hard times. SAF volunteers believe in helping
those people that need help, regardless of family size, marital
status, employment status, income, handicap, gender, race, color,
creed, religion, or national origin. The amount of food distributed
is based on family size and/or personal needs. Since SAF is not
bound by government standards that would discriminate based upon
income, employment status, or involvement with other government
funded programs, they have more freedom to help those determined
to need it most.
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Statistics
The service statistics for Serving America First are daunting.
SAF provides food services to more than 1,000 persons per month
in Franklin County, the majority of which are in need of basic
food items from the Food Pantry. The Food Pantry alone serves
an average of 800 individuals a month and the number of clients
is steadily increasing as more people in need are aware of the
services. There is also need for home delivery and emergency services,
for which no other agency except Serving America First provides.
According to Hunger in Your Own Backyard,
published by the Ohio Hunger Task Force for calendar year 1999,
more than 117,000 persons (11.7 percent) and more than 49,000 children
(19.4 percent) in Franklin County live in poverty.
Of those, approximately 57,000 individuals, or 25,000 families receive
financial assistance from Food Stamps.
With an average benefit of $74 per month, Food Stamp recipients are often
unable to adequately address their sustenance and nutritional needs.
By providing additional foodstuffs to these individuals,
they are better able to provide for themselves and their families.
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History
Serving America First was founded by its director, Melanie L.
Nagel, in 1990. SAF was originated as a step towards improving
humanity via social services to the community. With so many people
lacking basic facilities such as food, clothing, shelter, and
health care, she felt there was (and still is) a great need for
social service oriented organizations such as SAF.
SAF is a community service project that offers a food pantry,
hot meal serve-outs, health, nutrition, and drug-free education,
as well as other community services. SAF operates with an all
volunteer staff who fulfills these needs to our clients. Since
its incorporation in 1990, SAF has distributed over 50,000 tons
of food to families all over central Ohio.
There are many other organizations similar to SAF that cater
to the needs of the public in the Columbus area. However, SAF
is unique in that the staff is entirely volunteer and are dedicated
and qualified to meet the special needs of SAF clients. SAF receives
no governmental funding at all. (See Competitive
Analysis below.) SAF is a strictly cruelty-free operation,
meaning it is an all vegetarian pantry. It has established good
relationships with major health food stores in the Columbus area.
SAF's concerns are broad: for humanity at large, for the environment,
and for all creatures.
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