Van Wert Elks Lodge 1197 members, from left in red shirts, John Ream, Mike Martz and Al Zimmerman give a $1,000 donation to Veterans Food Pantry of Northwest Ohio Supervisor Betsy Potts and food pantry volunteer Joe Ketchum.
Photo courtesy of Van Wert Elks Lodge 1197
VAN WERT — The Van Wert Elks Lodge 1197 recently donated $1,000 of grant money to the Veterans Food Pantry of Northwest Ohio, located at 810 W. North St., Lima.
The lodge received the money from a Freedom Grant from the Elks National Foundation, and the money could only be used for projects supporting veterans in five areas: employment; homelessness and housing; current military members and their families; health and educational support.
This is the first time the Van Wert Lodge has applied for the Freedom Grant, but the lodge has received other grants from the Elks National Foundation that it used to donate to other food pantries, the men’s homeless shelter, the Salvation Army food kitchen and fire departments for equipment.
“The Veterans Food Pantry can only be used by veterans, not like other food pantries that are open to everyone. This helps our veterans who are in need of assistance,” said Michael Stanley, the lodge’s public relations chairman.
The Elks National Foundation is a perpetual trust fund established in 1928 by the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. Contributions are made by more than 2,000 Elks Lodges each year in the U.S., Guam, Puerto Rico and the Philippines.
