Center of Hope opens Knox County location to help area disadvantaged

Center of Hope is a nonprofit organization and food bank started in 2019 that works to address the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of economically disadvantaged individuals and families in Ohio. 

The organization has a Columbus location as well as a new location in Bladensburg that serves Knox County and the surrounding rural communities in Licking, Coshocton, Muskingum and Holmes counties. 

“Our Bladensburg location is in the back half of the old elementary school,” Dawnel Volzke, Center of Hope CEO, said. “Our Columbus location operates differently than our location in Knox County because of Knox County being a rural community.”

The services that Center of Hope in Knox County offer include food and basic essentials through the organization’s Choice Pantry or Emergency Food Distribution Programs. They also offer a Care Team that provides general support in the form of referrals to other services in the community, such as assistance with benefit applications. Additionally, Center of Hope offers education and growth services that help promote the overall well-being of families within the Knox County community. In the near future, they plan to also provide medical services to area families in need.

In response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Center of Hope is looking to expand its operations. The organization is in need of donations and volunteers to help in its growth.

“One of the biggest needs that we have is financial support,” Volzke said. “We need to continue to increase our capacity and we need to continue to raise funds for the work that we are doing. We largely rely on individual support and the support that we get from the community for the food that we buy and the operational cost and needs. That’s a message that I really want to get out there. People should support the front-line providers during the COVID-19 crisis.”

Center of Hope is also in need of volunteers for its expansion and for help in their Bladensburg location. For information about volunteering or donating, contact Center of Hope by calling (740) 200-0689 or visiting hopeinknox.org. Donations can also be made on the website.