Announcing 100 Investors in Hope: Keeping Care Close to Home
As federal relief funding fades, the need in our neighborhoods is only growing, and the safety net that held so many together is quickly disappearing.
For several years, emergency American Rescue Plan (ARPA) dollars helped sustain vital outreach, housing, and public-health programs across Franklin County. Those funds allowed Make-A-Day to expand our mobile outreach, bring more partners on site, and meet neighbors where they are (in parking lots, parks, and community spaces) with meals, housing support, and care.
Now, those one-time dollars have ended. The impact is immediate: fewer resources for meals, fuel, and supplies; tighter staffing; and growing lines at our food truck each week. More neighbors are arriving hungry, newly unhoused, or one paycheck away from crisis, and our team is determined not to turn anyone away.
As this happens, new changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) are creating additional strain on our neighbors and local food systems. Starting this fall, veterans, people experiencing homelessness, and former foster youth (groups that were previously exempt) are now subject to new work-reporting requirements to maintain benefits. For many already facing barriers to employment or documentation, these rules could mean temporary or lasting gaps in access to food and care.
That’s why Make-A-Day is preparing now, ensuring meals and outreach reach people who might otherwise be left out.
What Happens at a Make-A-Day Street Outreach Event
Every week, our food truck rolls into a different neighborhood (sometimes a parking lot, sometimes a park, sometimes outside a shelter or library) and sets up what we call a Day of Care.
Guests are welcomed with a hot meal cooked by chefs and served by volunteers. Case managers and outreach specialists help guests replace IDs, sign up for housing support, or connect with legal aid through our Move the Box reentry initiative. We set up tables for healthcare partners, resource providers, and neighbors who simply want to listen.
Food is our fellowship. It’s how we build trust and open doors. From there, we help people take the next step toward stability.
Introducing 100 Investors in Hope
That’s why we’re launching 100 Investors in Hope, a community-powered campaign to keep this work going strong. Our goal:
100 partners — individuals, businesses, congregations, or groups
$2,500 (or pledge $200/month) — funding one full day of Make-A-Day outreach
1 day of care — meals, reentry support, and housing connections for hundreds of neighbors
Each Investor in Hope helps fund a Make-A-Day outreach event, covering food, supplies, and the team that keeps radical hospitality moving from week to week.
What’s in It for Investors
When you invest in Make-A-Day, you’re joining a movement that keeps care close to home. Every partnership fuels a day of hospitality, connection, and hope, and comes with:
Exclusive recognition as the sole partner for your sponsored outreach day
Your name or logo featured on the Make-A-Day food truck and digital platforms
The chance to name the meal, create the playlist, and volunteer alongside our team to see your impact firsthand
Bi-annual impact reports showing the measurable difference your investment made
A 100 Investors in Hope badge for your website and social media
An invitation to our annual Investors of Hope appreciation event
Your investment keeps care local, measurable, and personal, creating lasting change right here at home. Across Make-A-Day’s programs, every dollar invested returns an estimated $3–$14 in community value through meals, housing support, employment connections, and reentry success. In our Move the Box initiative, that return grows even higher (up to $46 for every $1 invested) by reducing court costs, restoring employment, and increasing housing stability.
Everyone Can Be an Investor
You don’t need to be a corporation to make a difference.
Congregations can sponsor a day of service to honor their members or mission.
Businesses or civic groups can connect their brand to community impact.
Individuals or friend groups can join forces to sponsor a day together.
And Amanda, our Marketing and Engagement Coordinator, is proving it’s personal. She’s raising $2,500 through her own Investor of Hope campaign and has promised to celebrate with her first-ever burger from the Make-A-Day food truck when she hits her goal!
We’ll Help You Share Your Impact
When you join as an Investor in Hope, we’ll help you tell your story.
Our team can create custom marketing materials and a personalized fundraising page for your business, congregation, or group, complete with your logo, photos, and language that highlights how your investment supports neighbors across Columbus.
Whether you’re raising funds as a team, connecting with customers, or sharing your outreach day on social media, we’ll make it easy to celebrate your impact and inspire others to join you.
Become 1 of 100 Investors in Hope
→ Pledge today at www.makeaday.fun/100investorsinhope
or contact christy@makeaday.fun to learn how your business, congregation, or friend group can get involved.