Grace Bruins sits down with Julie Hoover, Executive Director of Family Sharing of Ozaukee County, for a heartfelt look at how one nonprofit is redefining the food pantry experience and community engagement in Ozaukee County.

Julie shares powerful stories, straight from the thrift shop floor and from the heart of their client-first approach, while giving listeners a behind-the-scenes sense of what Running a modern-day resource hub looks like.

Julie and Grace talk thrifting trends, out-of-the-box partnerships, and the nuts and bolts of running a business that supports dignity and real human connection. Julie’s contagious passion shines through, from tales of taxidermied chickens to strategies for elevating volunteer impact and business partnerships.

Episode Highlights:

07:38 - That was the big aha is if we want to serve more people, we need to be going out to where the people are. So, it was 2021. We launched our Bags and Backpack Program that you mentioned for kids on the weekends when they're not in school and facing food insecurity. Senior delivery, which is groceries right to the door of seniors in low income housing. So, if they have a hard time with steps and you have the physicality of carrying groceries upstairs, we're taking care of them, and then our mobile pantry.

11:00 - A lot of times our pantry leads will connect someone who has a food need and we're taking care of that. They'll connect them with the Community Service Navigator that can help with whatever other need they have and help kind of walk alongside them through that challenge. It's amazing.

20:18 - We do our best to keep things out of landfills, but there are times you think, why didn't someone just throw this out at their house? But then there are just as many times where you think, oh, my gosh, somebody donated this. This is amazing.

24:08 - If they gave us a dollar instead of that can of green beans, that enables us to put that money toward fresh items: milk and eggs and dairy and that kind of thing.

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