Akron Community Foundation awards nearly $200K for local food pantries
Funded projects focus on zip codes with highest food insecurity rates
Akron Community Foundation's board of directors recently approved $179,600 in grants to local food pantries. The foundation created this grant process due to the current food crisis caused by the ending of emergency Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits earlier this year, as well as inflation which has resulted in steep increases in food costs. Grants were awarded to benefit food pantries operating in Summit County zip codes with the highest food insecurity rates according to Healthy Northeast Ohio.
"Our zip code is one of the poorest in the city. And, you know, when people are poor, they're hungry," said Linceda Stamps, a co-coordinator of Manna from Heaven, a food pantry operated by Jerusalem Missionary Bible Church. "I know that kids do better when they're not hungry. I know that parents do better when they don't have to worry about food. So, what we try to do is create a box of food that will give them maybe three or four meals a week."
The Manna from Heaven food pantry was among 22 organizations to receive a grant in this emergency funding cycle. Grants will support the following local food pantry programs:
Akron Bible Church, for Baskets of Love, which supports families impacted by inflation and the reduction of pandemic supplemental benefits, $10,000
Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank, to purchase food at a discount to supplement the needs of the food pantries in the community, $10,000
Akron Public Schools, to support scholars and families that are struggling with food insecurity, $10,000
AxessPointe Community Health Centers, Inc., to provide groceries to low-income patients, $10,000
Barberton Area Community Ministries, to extend household resources by providing access to food, $10,000
Blessed Trinity Food Pantry, to address food insecurity of seniors, adults and children in Summit County, $10,000
First Congregational Church of Akron, for general operating support for the Feeding Hope Food Pantry, $5,000
Good Neighbors, Inc., to support the purchase of food for families in need, $10,000
Good Samaritan Hunger Center, to support grocery distribution in the Akron area, $10,000
He Brought Us Out Ministry, to support 911 Help Feed People, $10,000
Immaculate Conception Church, to purchase new and high-quality food for the St. Vincent DePaul Food Pantry, $5,000
Jerusalem Missionary Baptist Church, to alleviate food insecurity for residents in West Akron through the Manna from Heaven food pantry, $2,500
Lakeview United Methodist Church, to support people who are experiencing food insecurity in the neighborhood and beyond, $10,000
New Exodus Christian Fellowship Church, to support Labors of Love Ministry, $10,000
New Hope Baptist Church, to support the need for food in the Akron community, $3,100
OPEN M, to provide food services such as grab and go lunches, three-day emergency food supplies, and weekend food supplies for public school students, $10,000s
Rooted in Christ Community Church, to purchase food for its food pantry, $5,000
Sarah's House Inc, to support food distribution and provide hot meals to clients, $5,000
Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Diocese of Cleveland, for the Father Hilkert Ozanam Center food pantry, $4,000
The Peter Maurin Center of Akron, to support food pantries, a hot meals program and outreach programs, $10,000
The Salvation Army of Summit County, to purchase food for its food pantry and food delivery distribution, $10,000
Unity Holiness Ministries COGIC, to provide food assistance to low-income Summit County residents, $10,000
About Akron Community Foundation
Celebrating 68 years of building community philanthropy, Akron Community Foundation embraces and enhances the work of charitable people who make a permanent commitment to the good of the community. In 1955, a $1 million bequest from the estate of Edwin Shaw established the community foundation. It is a philanthropic endowment of nearly $278 million with a growing family of more than 830 funds established by charitable people and organizations from all walks of life. The community foundation and its funds welcome gifts of all kinds, including cash, bequests, stock, real estate, life insurance and retirement assets, just to name a few. To date, the community foundation's funds have awarded nearly $227 million in grants to qualified nonprofit organizations. For more information about Akron Community Foundation or to learn more about creating your own charitable fund, call 330-376-8522 or visit akroncf.org.