Here to help: Feeding Medina County, city council partner for holiday food distribution

With support from Medina City Council, Feeding Medina County helped local families put food on the table during the holidays through a public distribution event held Dec. 30 at the Medina County Fairgrounds Community Center.

Since 2007, Feeding Medina County has been instrumental in providing nutritious food to residents facing food insecurity. One way the organization fulfilled that mission was through the holiday distribution, which resulted from an appropriation approved by Medina City Council at a meeting in November. Ward 1 Councilman Chet Simmons created the appropriation alongside Council President John Coyne.

“He said we do a lot for business and industry, and with the elimination in early November and the reduction of SNAP benefits, he said we should do something for the citizens as well,” Simmons said. “So I said I’m happy to get involved with that, and I contacted Feeding Medina County and started the ball rolling from there.”

“Councilman Chet Simmons approached me to let me know that Council President John Coyne was interested in doing something to help the residents of the city of Medina, those residents who are facing food insecurity and struggling,” Feeding Medina County Executive Director Janet Newcomer said. “Of course, I was very excited about that. I had some conversations with city council members to talk to them about our program, how Feeding Medina County operates, the number of people that we’re able to impact, the amount of food that we’re able to distribute, and city council passed a measure approving a donation of $50,000 for us to feed people.”

As residents arrived at the community center in their vehicles, more than 30 volunteers were on hand to pack cars with grocery items. Volunteers included members of Feeding Medina County, Medina Kiwanis, Medina Morning Rotary, city council members and city employees. Feeding Medina County advisory board members Cristi Schwanke and Kevin Hack were among those assisting.

“Anyone who is interested and has a need for food will drive through the line, and they will receive bags from each of the volunteers,” Hack said. “They’ll have access to meat, dairy, eggs, cheese, cereal and such. We take that out to their car. They can have up to four families that we will provide food for, and they’re on their way. It’s that simple.”

Hack said Feeding Medina County holds food distribution efforts four times a month, but this marked the first time the organization partnered with the city of Medina for such an event. While eligibility requirements are typically income-based, any Medina resident in need of food was welcome at this distribution.

“Normally, we check people in and we capture information that determines whether they qualify, and we will track that information, but for this event, we’re not checking anybody in,” Hack said.

“Every month, we do kind of the same thing,” Schwanke said. “We give people food in their cars, they drive through, in four different areas of our county. But this is a special event.”

Organizers said the effort also aimed to raise awareness of Feeding Medina County and its mission.

“Feeding Medina County is a place where, if you need groceries, we are here to help,” Schwanke said.

“It’s a way of participating, volunteering, giving back to the community at a special time of year, when a lot of less fortunate individuals and families, older residents of Medina County, are often unable to have access to food,” Hack said. “It’s particularly important around the holidays that these people are remembered, and as a volunteer, I think it feels good to give back to those folks.”

Regular food distribution throughout the year takes place at the Medina County Fairgrounds, 735 Lafayette Road, Medina; Grace Baptist Church, 3480 Laurel Road, Brunswick; Hidden Hollow Camp, 8672 Richman Road, Lodi; and Art Wright Stadium, 280 Grandview Ave., Wadsworth. More information is available at feedingmedinacounty.org.