Mary Alice Reporting – In its fifth year, the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank accepted donations from school districts in multiple counties.
Hunger: The Bus Stops Here fundraising drive was conducted in Tuscarawas, Summit, and Wayne Counties as they are members of the Stark County Educational Service Center.
Media Relations Coordinator Raven Gayheart explains that among the participating 17 districts, of elementary, middle, and high school levels, was Strasburg-Franklin Local.
Collectively, nearly 10,000 pounds of food were donated, which will provide more than 9,600 meals. Financial contributions were also presented.
Gayheart notes that the food will now go for distribution in partnership with localized foodbanks in Carroll, Holmes, Medina, Portage, Stark, Summit, Tuscarawas, and Wayne counties.
“The Great Dover/New Philadelphia Food Pantry is one of our largest hunger-relief programs. We send a semi-truck of food down to Great Dover because they order such a magnitude of food from us. Tuscarawas County is helping fight hunger right there for your local neighbors.”
She points out that getting the youth involved is important since the largest demographic of individuals impacted by hunger are children under age 18.
“I think it’s really important to help show kids it’s important to care for your neighbor. It’s important to do acts of service and acts of kindness for one another. The concept of kids helping kids. It’s these kids’ classmates they’re helping support.”
Within the Akron-Canton Regional service area, more than 17% of children are considered food insecure.
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