NERA seeks funds for new truck

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NERA seeks funds for new truck

Wed, 02/26/2020 - 06:38
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PICTURED ARE Erin Liberton, President of the Board of Directors and Tom Short, Executive Director at the New Emergency Resource Agency. This Community Agency assists members of our community with groceries, rental and utility needs and also offers informational classes. Also pictured is their old truck that used to be used for picking up donated groceries from stores such as Aldi’s, Apple Market, Albertsons and Walmart. This truck has recently broke down and NERA currently has a fundraising campaign going on where they are getting the word out to the general public for donations to assist them with getting a new Box Truck or “Grocery Getter” for their growing business to better serve our community. (News Photos by Jessica Windom)

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New Emergency Resource Agency is one of only 12 Official Food Resource Centers in Oklahoma. They were actually established in Ponca City in 1918 and have grown a great deal ever since moving to their new location on North 1st St. downtown. Their mission is to give people a hand up instead of a hand out.

NERA helps those in need with food, utilities, rental assistance, informational classes and referrals to other agencies or providers in North Central Oklahoma. This agency services clients from the Kansas State Line to Red Rock and from I-35 to Shidler. Here is a list of the zip codes NERA serves for grocery assistance: 74601, 74604, 74631, 74644, 74647, 74651, 74632, 74633, 74641, 74652 and 74653.

In 2019 alone, NERA served over 16,000 individuals. These food donations offset over 85,000 pounds of food that NERA did not have to purchase. This year, more food recovery opportunities have presented themselves with additional stores stepping up in support of the mission. This means a bigger, more reliable work truck is more important than ever! With food donations coming in from Aldi’s, Walmart, Apple Market and Albertsons a new Box Truck is needed more than ever to pick up these donated food items and bring them to NERA.

Unfortunately, their previous truck, which was actually donated by an electrician, did provide many miles of service, was graciously donated, but doesn’t have any life left and has completely broken down.

At this time, to prepare NERA’s operation and for many years of work ahead and to better support their team members and volunteers, a much bigger “Grocery Getter” is desperately needed. Currently, the NERA Team makes multiple trips for food recovery, because (when their truck was running) this growing business had simply just outgrown the old truck.

A fundraising campaign is currently underway, so please consider a donation to help back a new Box Truck into NERA’s driveway and help fight hunger in our community.

Sponsorships are available ranging from $10,000 all the way down to $1,000.

Anyone who wishes to stay anonymous will be respected and thanked privately.

Any and all donations can be mailed or taken to New Emergency Resource Agency at 112 South First St. Ponca City, OK 74601.

Donations can also be made through Facebook or Paypal online.

NERA’s hours of operations are as follows:

Monday 12 p.m.-3 p.m.

Tuesday 2 p.m.-5:30 p.m.

Thursday 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

Friday 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

They are also now open the 3rd Saturday of each month from 9 a.m.-11 a.m. to better service those who are unable to leave work.

For any further questions please contact The New Emergency Resource Agency at765-5372.

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NERA