Every week, participants from Eden Autism’s Adult Services Day Program volunteer at Arm In Arm, preparing bagged groceries for their neighbors in need. The partnership provides individuals at Eden with a sense of purpose as they give back to their community, and it provides Arm In Arm with the volunteers needed to carry out their mission.
Arm In Arm is a Mercer County-based nonprofit organization providing essential resources, including food and housing support, to those in need. Eden participants bag meals at Arm In Arm’s Hamilton location, which are then distributed throughout the county.
“Eden’s first time volunteering with us was April 2024,” said Arm In Arm Development & Community Engagement Coordinator Shariq Marshall. “It’s been a great partnership because we rely heavily on volunteers. At the distribution center, a lot of bags flow through this place on a weekly basis, somewhere around 1,200 to 1,300 bags. As we are delivering and distributing bags, we need them to be replenished.”
Volunteers are a huge part of Arm In Arm’s mission. Five years ago, they had 20,000-25,000 pantry visits/deliveries a year. Today, they provide groceries to families through 45,000-50,000 visits. As their pantry visits have doubled, so have their volunteer needs and other resources.
“It is always great when nonprofit organizations can come together to support each other’s missions,” said Eden Autism President & CEO Michael Decker. “We are honored to help Arm in Arm provide essential resources to our community.”
“Volunteers are critical to our ability to serve, especially at the levels we are serving today. Without them, we simply could not reach all of the families who rely on us,” said Arm In Arm Executive Director Maureen Hunt. “Our partnership with Eden has been a win-win not only for our organizations, but for the families we serve.”
Both Eden and Arm In Arm are celebrating big milestones this year — 50 years and 45 years, respectively — and coming together to help carry out the other’s mission is the perfect way to celebrate.
To learn more about Arm In Arm, visit their website.
