As we head into the
month of October, Trick or Treat So Kids Can Eat (TOTS-EAT) registrations are
arriving at the National Office and troupes around the country are beginning
their collection efforts. With the October 15 deadline for registration quickly
approaching, I have received a flurry of emails requesting information
regarding the ultimate destination of the canned goods students will be
gathering.
One of the many great
things about the TOTS-EAT campaign is that, while the campaign itself is
nationwide, students have the opportunity to connect directly with the
organizations they are contributing to, as each troupe chooses a local
organization to be the recipient of their collected food items. In an effort to
spread awareness and promote these organizations and the incredible work they
do, this month will debut the new blog series “TOTS-EAT: Food Banks Across
America.” Every few weeks I will be interviewing representatives of food
collection organizations around the country.
This month’s blog
features the Freestore Foodbank,
located in the EdTA National Office’s hometown of Cincinnati, Ohio. I took some
time to speak with Sarah Cook, Public
Relations Specialist, about the organization and how they contribute to the
Queen City.
Chelsey Cavender, TOTS-EAT Campaign Chair
CC: Can you give us a brief history of how the Freestore
Foodbnk got started in Cincinnati?
SC: The Freestore
Foodbank began in 1971. Frank Gerson, a worker at Cincinnati’s incinerator, saw
useable household items being tossed away. He began collecting those items and
distributing them to families in need. Gerson named his practice the Free
Store. He incorporated it as a public charity, quit his job, and opened for
business in his apartment. In 1979, the Free Store became a founding member of Feeding America, evolving
into the Freestore Foodbank, and began distributing food to our neighbors in
need. Today the Freestore Foodbank is one of over 200 food banks within the
Feeding America network serving communities across the nation.
CC: It’s amazing what a difference one person like Frank Gerson
can make. About how many people does the Freestore Food Bank serve annually and
what percentage of those served are school aged children?
SC: The Freestore
Foodbank works with 260 community partner agencies (soup kitchens, shelters,
food pantries, senior centers, etc.) to serve 20 counties in Ohio, Kentucky and
Indiana. An estimated 219,100 people in our service area turn to food pantries
and meal service programs to feed themselves and their families. 33% are
children under the age of 18. The Freestore Foodbank and its community partners
provide about 20 million meals annually.
CC: That is a lot of food!
At what time during the year have you found the food supply to be the lowest?
SC: It's actually right
after the holidays, February specifically, where the food supply is lowest.
CC: How
are the donations you receive distributed to members of the community?
SC: As I mentioned earlier,
the Freestore Foodbank works with a network of 260 community partner agencies
located in 20 counties in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana. A community partner
agency might be a soup kitchen, a shelter, a food pantry in your church
basement, a senior center, etc. Additionally, the Freestore Foodbank has the
Food Room located in its Customer Connection Center at 112 East Liberty Street.
It's a choice food pantry made available to our hungry neighbors. Additional
food-related programs include:
-Power Pack
-Kids Cafe
-KIND
-Summer Food Service
-The Giving Fields
-Cincinnati COOKS!
CC: What kind of an impact
have you noticed the Freestore Food Bank has had on the surrounding community?
SC: Nearly 300,000 people
in the 20 counties that we serve are at risk of hunger. About 100,000 are
children. The Freestore Foodbank and its partners provide 20 million meals
annually to help address the need and give hope to those who need it most. By
providing emergency food distribution, the Freestore Foodbank responds to the
issue of poverty and food insecurity in our community and provides an array of
services (emergency clothing, housing services, SNAP assistance, Medicaid
outreach and others) aimed at creating self-reliance. Click here for a great
story from a family (Andrew Wood) that received temporary assistance from one
of partners.
CC: How can students
continue to support their local food banks, even after TOTS-EAT has ended for
the year? Are there any special events your organization sponsors that students
can participate in?
SC: The Freestore
Foodbank works year-round to help address the need in the local community.
There are several ways to get involved:
-Volunteer
-Donate money. Every dollar helps to provide three
meals.
-Donate
food, clothing, and/or personal care items.
-Host a virtual food drive.
-"Like" the Freestore Foodbank on
Facebook or follow us on Twitter
CC: Thank you for taking
the time to share this information. Any closing thoughts or words of advice for
students preparing to head out into their own communities to start their
collections?
SC: The children and
families we serve are our friends and our neighbors. A father who unexpectedly
lost a job and is trying to stretch the family’s dollars to a single mother
struggling to make ends meet – their stories and the hardships they are facing
are real. Whether it is keeping a roof over their head, having food on the
table, even preventing the electric from being shut off, we understand their
worries and we work to the best of our ability to help them in their time of
need. Food assistance is the beginning of a larger conversation, which allows
us to connect the people we serve to other resources such as clothing, housing
assistance, healthcare enrollment and job assistance – all aimed at creating
stability and self-reliance.
Cincinnati is a giving community and we truly
appreciate the generosity and support as we work to help make a difference.
For more information on the Freestore Foodbank,
visit their website:
http://freestorefoodbank.org/
Stay tuned for the next blog in the series- it
might be from an organization in your home state!