PHOTO BY JOHN FRYMAN / THE VILLAGE REPORTER
HELPING HAND … Williams County EMS technician John Noyes helps out in collecting food donations in the United Way of Williams County “Stuff the Truck Food Drive” held on Monday, November 24, at Chief Supermarket in Bryan.
By: John Fryman
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
john@thevillagereporter.com
The United Way of Williams County helped those families and individuals on this Thanksgiving holiday who greatly depend on the assistance of the 26 funded agencies that the local United Way supports through its annual Day of Giving event held on Monday, November 24.
The Day of Giving was traditionally held on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving but had gotten away from it for a couple of years until former United Way Executive Director Andy Brigle and current executive director Amy Kirby met one day to bring this important event back into the community.
“Instead of doing it on the Day of Giving when people are kind of saturated with that, we’ve thought, let’s do it the week of Thanksgiving, and we’ll capitalize on that a little bit earlier,” said Kirby. “Yet when people are still in a giving mood and talk about our agencies and all the good work they’re doing.”
The main purpose is to raise awareness of the agencies the United Way is supporting in 2026.“Today is really mostly about our agencies and the impact they’re having here in Williams County,” pointed out Kirby.
“We have twelve agencies that are here today just giving a brief talk about what they do and how you can reach them. And what they’re doing to make a difference. We’re happy to promote them.”
Among the agencies in which Kirby had mentioned above were Ability Center of Greater Toledo, Educating Community of Healthy Options (ECHO), Never Let Go Ministries, Williams County Department of Aging, Catholic Charities, Kidney Foundation of Northwest Ohio, Williams County YMCA, Sarah’s Friends, Storehouse 4 Hope, Cancer Assistance of Williams County, CPC Women’s Health Resource and New Home Development.
One of those agencies, Storehouse 4 Hope, is providing emergency food assistance to people here in Williams County.
“We want people to have roofs over their heads, keep their lights on and their heat going,” said Storehouse 4 Hope representative Jennifer Martin. “We want to make sure they have fuel in their car to get to work, to be able to pay all their bills.
“Then we help with emergency food assistance to help cover the weekends when there are no food pantries open. It’s great to work with the United Way. Again in 2026, I’m looking forward to seeing what the year has for all of us and all our community partners that are included.”
Other important agencies, the United Way of Williams County provides support for are Operation Clean Duds, Grace Cares, Sanctuary Homeless Shelter, Community Health Professionals, Northwest Ohio Community Action Commission (NOCAC), Open Hearts, Caring Hearts, and The Center for Child and Family Advocacy.
“We’re trying to do that all year round, but we’re taking advantage of this day specifically to raise awareness of why we’re doing and reaching out to ask for donations is to fund these agencies,” pointed out Kirby. “They’re the ones doing all of the hard work. We’re just here to support them.”
The United Way has taken advantage of the Thanksgiving holiday season to highlight the agencies and give them the chance to use the platform for the day to talk about what they are doing and who they are.
One of the highlights of the Day of Giving is the “Stuff the Truck Food Drive,” which was held at Chief Supermarket in Bryan, with donations of canned goods, fruits, vegetables, dry goods, personal care items, baby food, baby supplies, and more.
“It’s already been a huge success,” noted Kirby regarding the truck food drive. “We’ve already raised some money just for the food banks here in Williams County. And we’re hoping to stuff that truck by the end of the day.”
The 12-hour truck food drive was in conjunction with the Williams County Emergency Medical Service, which had manned an EMS vehicle filled with various food items.
“It’s important for us because we know that the community, with all the government shutdown and everything going on, and other programs in the county are not being funded,” said Williams County EMS technician John Noyes, who helped load food items into the EMS vehicle. “It’s important for us to help the community in more ways than just the emergency call.”
Noyes said the Williams County EMS got involved with the United Way of Williams County after meeting with Kirby at another function promoting the stuff the truck food drive.
“We just put our heads together and decided, let’s start doing things for the county,” Noyes added. The food is going to go to many families in need, especially around Thanksgiving time, and we don’t want anybody to be without it.”