Promise House
Location: Home Street Commons Apartment Complex Lounge, 86 W. Home St.
Hours: See Promise House Facebook & Twitter pages for most up to date hours
Phone: 614-823-2074
Email: promisehouse@otterbein.edu
We offer services to help peers flourish including a community café, campus food pantry, referrals to community resources, peer advocacy, volunteer opportunities, and educational workshops.
List of Current Needs
Any donations are appreciated and can be dropped off anytime the Promise House is open. Refer to Instagram Page for our weekly hours.
- Bread
- Fruit/Vegetables
- Shelf-stable milk
- Nuts
- Butter
- Cereal
- Grains
- Granola Bars
- Cheese
- Frozen Meats
- Condiments
- Spaghetti Sauce
- Anything Vegan/Vegetarian
- Toiletries
Promise House Resources
Food
The food pantry provides a place where students can access free, healthy food. Student volunteers sort food, stock the shelves, help shoppers, and answer questions. As Promise House members, students also participate as volunteers in the pantry, coordinate food drives on campus, and offer special food-related programming.
Clothing
The Promise House has a partnership with the Otterbein Thrift Store. Students in need of clothing can stop by the Promise House to receive information about obtaining free or discounted clothing.
Financial Wellness Information
The Promise House works with community and campus partners to host information sessions and workshops for students about budgeting, saving, and other financial advice pertinent to college students.
Referrals
The Promise House provides referrals to on and off campus resources. Student coordinators are trained to enroll other students in free tax preparation, assistance with financial aid, or enrollment in food assistance programs.
Emergency Mini-Grant
Thanks to the generous support of a donor, the Promise House is able to provide emergency mini-grants to Otterbein students. These grants can be used for a variety of needs including car repairs, textbooks, clothing, health expenses etc. Funds cannot be used for tuition purposes. Up to $75 can be requested at a time, with a maximum of $300 per student over the course of their Otterbein career. Exceptions will be made when appropriate. Please fill out this form. After you complete your application, a Center for Student Engagement staff member will work with Financial Aid to check your financial aid status, review your application, and set up a brief meeting to discuss your application. Submit your application here.
School Supplies & Toiletries
The Promise House stocks school supplies and toiletries/hygiene products for Promise House members.
Support the Promise House
The Promise House is always looking for volunteers and donors! If you are interested in getting involved with The Promise House please email promisehouse@otterbein.edu or call us at 614-823-2074.
History
On Nov. 18, 2015, a group of Otterbein students gathered for a “Chili Chat”; this was an opportunity to share a bowl of chili and talk about the socioeconomic barriers that can hinder success in college. Each student shared a written story about an issue they personally faced, or one shared by a peer. One student wrote, “I work two jobs and still can’t afford shampoo.” As the evening unfolded, students made a list of the key issues they faced and brainstormed solutions to each barrier. Among the roadblocks to student success shared that night were the rising costs of textbooks, transportation costs, and their number one barrier: HUNGER.
Food insecurity has “increasingly become an issue on college and university campuses and can pose a significant barrier to student success” (Hughes et.al. 2011). Universities across the country are opening food banks to help alleviate the challenges associated with food insecurity so that students can remain in school and earn their degrees.
In response to the growing national trend of hunger on campus and the roadblocks identified by Otterbein students, the Promise House was opened in April 2016!