Cleveland Clinic pledges $750,000 to food pantry

Cleveland Clinic presented the Greater Dover New Philadelphia Food Pantry with a $750,000 gift May 7 to be distributed over the next five years.

The pledge is part of Cleveland Clinic’s $50 million commitment to local organizations fighting food insecurity.

“Showing up for our communities is essential,” said Vickie Johnson, Cleveland Clinic chief community officer. “This investment helps ensure steady access to nutritious food, supports families throughout the year, and strengthens Greater Dover New Philadelphia Food Pantry’s ability to plan for the future and adapt to community needs.”

The Greater Dover New Philadelphia Food Pantry is a key partner for Cleveland Clinic Union Hospital and serves more than 800 food-insecure families each week.

“Access to nutritious food is foundational to lasting health,” said Dr. Kavitha Subramanian, vice president and chief medical officer at Cleveland Clinic Union Hospital. “This partnership with the Greater Dover New Philadelphia Food Pantry allows us to support patients beyond the hospital and meet a critical need in our community.”

The food pantry was founded in 2008 following a communitywide effort to consolidate several smaller church and agency pantries into one shared resource to serve more people equitably and efficiently. Operating on core principles of dignity and access, the pantry never turns anyone away, assumes honesty and serves individuals regardless of location.

“Since its small beginnings in the basement of the Salvation Army building in January 2008, the Greater Dover New Philadelphia Food Pantry has undergone significant change to become a major force in ending hunger in the Tuscarawas Valley,” said Bill Fritz, treasurer of the Greater Dover New Philadelphia Food Pantry. “Thanks to the financial support of the community, the volunteer efforts of countless individuals, and the availability of the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank, we are making a critical difference in the lives of those in need of food in our area.”

Fritz also thanked Cleveland Clinic for its support.

“We especially want to thank the Cleveland Clinic for joining with us last year as we address food insecurity,” he said. “Today you have opened a whole new world of possibilities for us to explore. Lives will be changed as hope is renewed.”

Cleveland Clinic’s pledge builds on existing efforts to address food insecurity through philanthropy and care-based programs, including teaching kitchens, pediatric summer and weekend meal initiatives, food vouchers, grocery delivery, free produce from local farms and Nourish food pantries for eligible patients.