I absolutely love this food pantry. You can visit twice a month and you can receive produce, meat,…read moretoiletries, fruit, vegetables, pasta, potatoes, cereal and more! The staff are very friendly and helpful and they are always are willing to help with a smile. I really like the hours. The hours are convenient, and keep in mind the working family. For example, they have early Saturday hours, and two days during the week with one day in the morning and one day in the evening. Therefore, if you work a traditional 9 to 5 you can come after work. The lines are long though! Before COVID-19, we were able to go inside and shop. However, the Hilliard food pantry takes the pandemic very seriously and they converted to a drive-through method. You drive up, give them your information, and they load up your trunk. They do this very quickly but you will be in the line for a bit. There are some days that I come and things are very in and out, about 10 minutes. And there are other days where I'm there for almost an hour in the line. I can tell you that it's worth it. For struggling families, they do so much. Sometimes they have clothes, and shoes as well that have been donated. They even offer assistance during Thanksgiving and Christmas which includes food as well as toys. And the toys are good, they give bicycles almost every year. They also offer utility assistance once a year. The people here are just amazing. I said that already but I think I should say it again. Full disclosure here, I have pretty intense back and hip problems. One time I pulled up onto the line at the pantry, and my hip totally locked up on me. I was already in park but I couldn't lift my foot to the gas pedal. So, I was essentially holding up the line... unable to get out of the way or move forward. I called the pantry and told them the situation. Two women came out to help me! I am appreciative of what the Hilliard food pantry does for my family. Thank you!

I've been a Red Cross donor for a while now and have been visiting this location for the past five…read moreyears. The facility is well-maintained, and the staff are always professional and courteous. I always schedule an appointment in advance, and most of the time, the donation process starts on time. Overall, it's a smooth and efficient experience every time.

Today was the first time I did a plasma/platelet donation. I needed an appt at this Red Cross…read morelocation . It was easy to find off of Sawmill Rd. I was greeted nicely, temp taken, given hand sanitizer and then taken to a room for my health check. I had done the Red Cross rapid pass so it went quickly. I had an iv in both arms for this two hour appt. zero problems getting that going . I had to stop after I was about 60% done. I just did not feel well all of a sudden. Other folks around me did just fine with the same procedure so don't let that discourage or scare you off. The staff reacted quickly and kindly . I had some water and smart popcorn in their snack area. Great facility and staff. Thank you !( but I think I'll stick with whole blood donation )

This is such a great daycare!! I can't say enough good things about this place. As a parent…read moreleaving your child with strangers is so hard. But all the staffs in La Petite makes you feel like they are part of your family. My daughter has been going there since pre-K. They have helped her so much in learning different things and boosting her confident level. Soon as you walk in, most of the time, you are greeted by Ms. Carrie or Ms. Phyllis. They are so welcoming and will make you feel at ease dropping your child off. They are willing to help in anyway. Now my daughter is a little older, she only goes for the summer program, and she loves it! Definitely would recommend this Daycare to anyone.

My daughter went to La Petite from 12 weeks to 16 months old. She stopped attending when we decided…read moremy husband would quit his job and stay home with her because #2 was on the way and it made no sense economically to send two kids to daycare. I cried on her last day. The people who were strangers to her just a little more than a year before had become her caregivers, her teachers, her family. She's now 5 1/2 and I still tell everyone in Westerville to check out La Petite. It's a wonderful, welcoming environment.

I went there several times. First when you went in and choose what you needed. Then during and…read moreafter COVID. That's when they gave you bags of food in a drive through format. Now I'm need to go again. It's a wonderful help when you need it.

It is amazing geart value and Supreme quality. A life saver for my family. Don't know what I…read morewould due without. I'm going Make it because this plan.

I worked for Faith Mission as a Resident Assistant Supervisor and it was a spiritual experience and…read moreuplifting situation for myself and the people I met. I tried to make everyone that I met at the shelter feel better and valued, including the staff. At times the upper management were a lot to deal with, Mr. Williams was my supervisor; a black man, ex marine , republican, who constantly kept a frown on his face and never a friendly word to the staff. I worked in both of the men shelters, and their was always some major scandal with residents or staff that needed hands on repair and one time.... News reporting that end up evicting residents and eventually getting staff fired for alerting the news media. I wrote about these stories in my book; HEY PUDDIN! Some Things Just Don't Change by MYCHAELTODD

The staff is very rude to downright mean as can be to the "guests" at the 217 N Grant location…read more I've witnessed it and have been on the receiving end of their nasty ways. Reporting to higher ups will go ignored and they'll say just that to your face. They'll lie to in order to scream and yell at homeless women at this shelter. If they acknowledge them at all, that is. You will be treated like literal crap and they know that you'll have to take it or be "exited" meaning kicked out into the elements. Always remember your faith and relationship with the Most High Almighty when you're used as a chew toy daily by the front desk staff.

I have only been to the resident drop off area. Very easy to use. Just drive onto the scale and…read morecheck in with the employee, drop off is clean and easy to use. Staff is always friendly and resident prices are cheap.

SWACO makes very easy and safe to get rid of Housing materials no longer needed. The price to dump…read morean entire pickup truck surprisingly low. They are constantly cleaning off the muddy areas with a water truck. Residential drop off is safe and clean. There is an attendee to make sure you are not dumping illegal items and will help you if needed. All the staff is very professional and pleasant. One lady in particular always calls you by name and asks if you need any directions or guidance. Very large easy to follow signs.

Are you looking to kill your husband, or get the rona, or get the worst case of gonnaherpasifalade…read moreyou've ever witnessed. Then this place is for you. I witnessed a baby with green snot crawl up to my child, pop his pacifier out of his mouth and inject it in mine. 2 days later I've never been sicker. I swear they do the work of CDC, and WHO. I fear this place with my every being. This place will break you down if you aren't careful.

4 years later and our oldest kids still go here along with our new little one. I can't say enough…read moregreat things about the staff and facility! Our kiddos love it and get sad when they have to miss a day :)

It was pouring rain when a family member told me there was a baby duck in the garage. At first I…read morethought, "Oh, a duckling," and went out expecting something small and harmless. It was hiding beneath the car -- frightened, alert, and surprisingly difficult to catch. Every time I tried to reach for it, it scrambled away awkwardly, and when we finally cornered it, I noticed its tail was injured. It looked serious. So I did what most people would probably do when they see an injured animal: I tried to help it. For me, it stopped being "a duck" in the abstract. It became this specific little creature I was trying to save. I searched for someone who could help, and that led me to the Ohio Wildlife Center. Their website says, "Wildlife Help Starts Here." But for me, it felt like wildlife help ended there. I understand that wildlife rehabilitation is complicated. They cannot save every animal. There are limits involving resources, suffering, survival odds, and quality of life. Rationally, I know that. But emotionally, I could not stop thinking: I never wanted to be the person delivering this tiny creature to its death. Maybe I should have asked a different question before bringing it in: "What percentage of animals brought here are killed?" But it would not have mattered anyway. When I called, I got an automated response and brought the duck in regardless, hoping for the best. My mistake. Maybe I am applying human standards to an animal. Maybe I am projecting my own instinct to survive onto it. But I cannot help feeling that existence itself matters. If it were me, I would rather have another day alive -- even injured, even imperfect -- than have someone else decide my life was no longer worth continuing because recovery would be difficult, inconvenient, or incomplete. That is the part that stays with me. Not death itself, because death comes for everything eventually, but the feeling that I unknowingly became part of ushering it there. If I had left the duck alone, maybe it would have lived longer. Maybe it would not have survived at all. I do not know. But I walked in believing I was helping save it, and instead I was confronted with the fact that they were going to kill it. What made it harder was how sudden it felt. The moment I walked inside, they took the duck immediately. No pause. No goodbye. Just gone. To them, perhaps it was routine. To me, it was still this frightened little thing I had crouched in the rain trying to protect. Maybe "murder" is the wrong word. Maybe "kill" is more accurate. Either way, the result is the same: death. Nonexistence. The extinguishing of something that, only moments before, was alive and fighting to keep moving. I care about animals. So when you try to do what you believe is the right thing, only to realize the outcome no longer belongs to you, it leaves a mark. And then, on top of all of that, they wanted my personal information. I remember looking at them like they were delusional, "Are you serious?" You are telling me this duck is going to die, yet you still need my details? For what? Do they keep records of where animals came from they've killed? Stats? Maybe. But in that moment, it felt absurd. In an era where everything is collected, tracked, harvested, monetized, and stored, I could not help reacting with suspicion and disbelief. At this exact moment I felt emotionally blindsided and disgusted. This is one of those questions that comes up everywhere -- from medicine to animal care to end-of-life decisions. Wildlife rehabilitators usually focus on survival and minimizing suffering. But the animal wasn't necessarily at risk of dying from the injury itself. I tend to see it more simply -- that existence still matters, even when things are imperfect. That's where we differ.

The OH Wildlife Center is a non profit that operates the state's largest wildlife hospital. They…read morealso house and rehabilitate native wildlife species. Throughout the year, they offer various educational and special events that are open to the public. I was so excited to take a fundraising yoga class here. Kelly was our yoga instructor and she is also an OWC volunteer. She gave us some great tips for protecting wildlife at home and took us on a short tour after class. We got to meet several of the residents including Waldo the turtle, beautiful red foxes, feisty raccoons, owls and a shy little coyote pup. They provide signage with more information about the animals, and many of them had been injured, abandoned, or kept as pets and released illegally. It was wonderful to see them peaceful and well cared for. They mentioned that they are always looking for more volunteers. Check out their website for more information or to donate.