Food Pantry Partnerships in 8th Year

posted 11/21/20 -- Local food pantries are again getting a boost from LCCAA’s partnership grants for the holiday season.

The agency has partnered with 30 or more area food pantries since deep cuts were made to food stamps (SNAP) in 2013. This year, the COVID-19 crisis makes the assistance critical.

“People are hungry and when you are hungry, problems can pile up quickly,” said Planning and Community Services Director Frank Prihoda. “These partners are all over Lorain County and these grants will help them at their busiest time of the year. Everything we can do to stretch each dollar is important.”

The partnered organizations are located in Lorain County and provide free food directly to any person in their service area living at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Line. The organization conducts monthly reporting on the clients they serve.

Earlier this summer, LCCAA provided funds from its CARES Act (Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security) allocation to many of the same partners in the form of credit with Second Harvest Foodbank. Second Harvest leverages donations to buy in bulk distributed food items to area pantries and directly to residents.

Additionally, LCCAA’s Youth Services Program has partnered with Second Harvest, Ohio Means Jobs and Lorain County Commissioners to provide youth workers to distribute food. Massive distributions continue while National Guard commitments expire.

For more information on Second Harvest or distributions near you, visit www.secondharvestfoodbank.org. For a list of LCCAA partners, click here.