Food and emergency bill help from People In Need in Delaware County OH
If a utility shutoff notice has arrived, an eviction is moving forward, or there is simply no food in the house, People In Need, Inc. of Delaware County Ohio may be able to step in. The nonprofit, known locally as PIN, pays utility companies and landlords directly during emergencies, operates a major food pantry for the county, and covers the kinds of expenses a stretched budget cannot, including school shoes and holiday gifts for children. This guide walks through each service, who qualifies, and how the application process works so you can start in the right place.
Emergency bill help starts with one online application
Requests for utility, rent, or mortgage help begin at the Emergency Services Application on the organization's website rather than with a walk-in visit. Anyone unsure about the online process can call the office at 740-363-6284 before starting. Having a photo ID and your bill or notice ready will speed things up.
Utility assistance is reserved for households that have received an actual shutoff notice, so a past-due balance alone does not qualify. When a request is approved, PIN pays the electric, heating, or water provider directly in your name to keep service on. The help is designed for emergencies rather than ongoing bill support, so households that need a long-term fix should also apply for HEAP (see the NHPB Ohio HEAP details page) or the PIPP Plus payment plan through the local community action organization serving Delaware County.
Rent help works the same way and comes with an important limit: it is only available to renters facing an active eviction notice, and PIN does not offer general rent assistance for households that are behind but not yet in the eviction process. Approved payments go directly to the landlord in the tenant's name, along with a signed agreement confirming the eviction has been halted. Homeowners have an option as well, since PIN added mortgage assistance in 2021 and may cover up to one month of a mortgage payment for those who meet the criteria. A foreclosure filing is not required to ask for mortgage help, so it may be worth applying before the situation reaches that point.
A choice food pantry you can visit weekly
The food pantry is the heart of the organization, and it runs on a choice model, meaning you select your own groceries rather than receiving a preset box. Households may visit up to once a week, and the amount of food is matched to family size and built around USDA nutrition guidelines. Anyone with a special dietary need or restriction can simply tell the volunteer helping them, and the pantry will work around it.
Fresh food reaches the county through two more channels. PIN hosts periodic Produce Markets stocked through the Mid-Ohio food bank network, offering mostly fruits and vegetables along with occasional bread and dairy, with income guidelines setting eligibility and any leftover produce passed on to pantry clients and partner agencies. A Mobile Market program sends a refrigerated van into outlying communities such as Ashley and Ostrander, and the stops are announced throughout the year on PIN's social media pages. Students in Delaware City Schools have a dedicated resource too, since PIN took on the district's Weekend Backpack Program to send food home with children who might otherwise go without between Friday and Monday.
School shoes and holiday help for families
The School Shoes Program provides funding for a new pair of shoes at the start of the school year for children of low-to-moderate income families who live in Delaware County and attend school in the county. Children enrolled in the LEADS Head Start program are included as well. Requests are seasonal, so contact PIN in the weeks before school starts to ask about the current process. For other options on back to school help, see the school supply assistance programs on this website.
The Holiday Clearing House has been part of Delaware County life since 1954, when Nancy Frankenberg began collecting holiday food for neighbors in need. Today the program provides new toys, clothing, gift certificates, gifts, and food to county families with children, and it also reaches homebound senior and disabled residents who might otherwise be overlooked during the season. Sign-ups happen in the fall, and hundreds of local donors and volunteers make it run each year.
About People In Need and how to reach them
PIN began in 1980 as a food pantry in the basement of Asbury United Methodist Church and incorporated as People In Need, Inc. in 1981. The agency is a private 501(c)(3) charity accredited by the Better Business Bureau, with emergency services funded in part through SourcePoint and additional support from the United Way of Delaware County and local foundations. It has operated from its current building at 138 Johnson Drive in Delaware, Ohio 43015 since 2009, and it belongs to the Delaware County Hunger Alliance, a coalition of local groups working on food access.
Start with the online Emergency Services Application for bill help, or call 740-363-6284 with questions about the pantry, markets, or seasonal programs. Pantry days can change, so calling ahead or checking https://www.delawarepeopleinneed.org/ before a visit is the safest bet. The office can also be reached by email at [email protected].
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