Mercy and Assistance

Members of the community and the congregation enjoy Breakfast with St. Nicholas together.

Emmanuel Lutheran may offer limited emergency assistance to families and individuals. If you call 614.443.9491 for assistance, please leave your name, phone number, and a brief message describing your emergency.

We do not respond to incomplete or unclear messages. If you come to Emmanuel after dark, we may not answer the door for security reasons. We do not give out cash. We commonly refer people to the following organizations:

Alcohol and Drug Recovery

A Southside group meets weekly at Emmanuel on Wednesday at 7:30 PM. Use the Luther Hall Entrance at 1500 S. 3rd Street.

Hands on Central Ohio offers a variety of services. This is a good place to call first at 614.341.2282, Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 4 PM.

Food Pantries

For immediate help, you may call 211 to reach handsoncentral.org. You may also call Lutheran Central Services of Central Ohio at 877.577.6325. Emmanuel does not have an on-site food pantry. When members make donations of food or other items, they are distributed to area pantries. The following are pantries near us. To receive the fullest assistance, you should call ahead. Persons are served in the order in which they arrive/register.

  • Monday Pantry, 12 PM to 2:30 PM (client hours). Marion Franklin Community Center, 2801 Lockbourne Rd., Columbus, OH 43207
  • Thursday Pantry, 12 PM to 2:30 PM (client hours). Barack Community Center, 580 Woodrow Ave., Columbus, OH 43207
  • Friday Pantry, 12 PM to 2:30 PM (client hours). Driving Park Community Center, 1100 Rhoads Ave. Columbus, OH 43206
  • Reeb Avenue Center operates a pay as you can food bank and cafe during business hours (see below).

When picking up food, clients typically need to present IDs for their entire family (driver's licenses, state IDs, certificates).

National Church Residences

Rosemary, Community Services Coordinator, keeps a list of available low income housing on the Southside. 614.273.9566.
www.NationalChurchResidences.org

Reeb Avenue Center

Located at 280 Reeb Avenue, Columbus, OH 43207, this center includes a variety of resources for families and individuals such as:

  • child care
  • Boys and Girls Club
  • tutoring
  • adult education
  • social service counseling (for example, if you are facing homelessness or seek job growth).

Visit the South Side Neighborhood Pride center on the lower level of the Reeb Avenue building. For information, call 614.468.9280.

The Reeb Avenue Center is a rehabilitated elementary school, which illustrates the revitalization of South Side Columbus.

United Methodist Free Store

  • 946 Parsons Ave, 43201 (Parsons and Whittier)
  • Tuesday/Thursday, 10 AM to 1 PM
  • Wednesday, 1 PM to 4 PM
  • Friday, 3 PM to 6 PM
  • Doors locked 30 minutes prior to closing.

Principles

We ask your patience and understanding as our pastor considers requests in view of available funds. Please understand that assistance is not owed to those who request it. We are not able to provide long term support, which is why we provide referals to other agencies. Thank you.

Biblical Teaching on Mercy

“If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?” (James 2:15–16).

Biblical Teaching on Work

“Yourselves know how ye ought to follow us [apostles]: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you; Neither did we eat any man's bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you: Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us. For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies. Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread. But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing” (2 Thessalonians 3:7–13).