Pop-up food pantry makes quick local impact

Hunger continues to impact countless individuals and families in communities nationwide. Food pantries have emerged as vital lifelines, offering nourishment, hope and dignity to those facing food insecurity.

Hunger is an issue that transcends borders, demographics and socioeconomic status. While many envision hunger as a problem confined to developing countries, it is a stark reality that it exists locally in Wayne County. Often, families struggle to put food on the table, choosing between paying for groceries and meeting other essential needs like healthcare or housing.

“Food insecurity is a public health problem,” Wayne County health commissioner Nick Cascarelli said. “About 10% of our local population faces hunger.”

This statistic prompted Cascarelli to partner with the Akron Canton Regional Foodbank and host a monthly pop-up food pantry.

According to Cascarelli, the program, although new, is already making an impact.

“We started doing these last month; this is our second one,” he said. “We served 63 families in last month’s pantry and are on track to surpass that number this month.”

The pantry provides immediate relief by distributing food to those in need and raises awareness about the broader issues surrounding hunger. By alleviating hunger, families can redirect their limited resources toward other essential needs such as housing, education and healthcare.

“Any time people face hunger, they are at risk of facing a host of other issues,” Cascarelli said. “If you are not getting proper nutrition, you could develop chronic health problems. That is why it is important that we provide healthy food at the pantry.”

According to ACRF program outreach coordinator Todd Schlereth, many people in many different situations experience hunger.

“I do about eight of these each month,” he said. “I see older folks, younger folks, homeless people and people that have homes but who are in a rough spot. It is a variety of people from across the board.”

As food pantries continue to play a crucial role in addressing hunger, they also face unique challenges. With rising food prices and economic instability affecting more and more households, food pantries are preparing for an increased need for their services.

If a group or individual would like to volunteer and help alleviate the burden of hunger, visit the Akron Canton Regional Foodbank website at www.akroncantonfoodbank.org or the Wayne County Health Department website at www.wayne-health.org.

The pop-up food pantry will be held the second Tuesday each month from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the health department parking lot, 244 W. South St., Wooster.

Dan Starcher is the public communications coordinator for Wayne County.