Local Communities And Organizations Partner to Feed Families During Record-Long Shutdown

Local Communities And Organizations Partner to Feed Families During Record-Long Shutdown

The federal government shutdown has now stretched into day 36, marking the longest in U.S. history. Local communities and organizations across northeast Ohio continue to step up to help residents feeling the strain.

In Cuyahoga Falls, city leaders approved a $51,114 contribution to the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank, joining similar efforts by the City of Akron ($100,000) and Summit County ($250,000) to keep food assistance programs running amid the shutdown and uncertainty over SNAP benefits.

Meanwhile, in Medina County, officials are taking steps to support vulnerable seniors affected by cuts to food aid. Laura Toth, Director of Medina County Senior and Adult Services, says the agency will begin distributing shelf-stable food bags and $15 grocery gift cards at the Medina, Brunswick, and Wadsworth Senior Centers by mid-November.

Local leaders say these emergency measures are meant to help bridge the gap as millions of Americans face delayed or reduced federal food assistance during the shutdown.

A coalition of local philanthripic organizations is also pitching in.

The Akron Community Foundation will donate $100,000 through its Food Pantry Capacity Fund to support hunger-relief programs in targeted areas of Summit County. The Food Pantry Capacity Fund is designed to strengthen the infrastructure that makes food access possible, supporting efforts such as increasing storage, extending service hours, and adding staff or equipment.

“This is a moment that calls for us to stand together,” said John F. Garofalo, President and CEO of Akron Community Foundation. “Many of our neighbors are facing real uncertainty about where their next meal will come from. By coordinating our efforts, we can make sure support reaches people quickly and helps ease that burden.”

In Addition, the GAR Foundation has committed an additional $50,000 to the Foodbank, beyond its operating grant of $90,000 earlier this year, in order to bolster food distribution and support the organization’s expanded operations.

“Our focus is on the families and individuals who are carrying the weight of this crisis,” said Christine Mayer, President of GAR Foundation. “They deserve to know that their community sees them, values them, and is working together to make sure they have what they need to get through this difficult time.”