Julie Chase Morefield, President and CEO, Second Harvest Food Bank of North Central Ohio (Submitted)
Second Harvest Food Bank of North Central Ohio's Harvest for Hunger annual campaign has local celebrities bagging groceries at local Giant Eagle stores to help end food insecurity. It's a good idea to generate more interest and money.
This latest installment features former Avon Lake Mayor Greg Zylka, current Avon Lake Mayor Mark Spaetzel, Channel 5 morning anchor Tiffany Tarpley, and the North Central Ohio Food Bank's Second Harvest Foods. Bank President and CEO Julie Chase Morefield will serve as Celebrity Bagger.
The Harvest for Hunger campaign runs until May.
This initiative will help restock the shelves of more than 130 local food pantries, hot meal programs, and shelters with nutritious food so they can continue to meet the growing need for food insecurity in their communities. I'll make it.
Remarkably, for every $1 donated, Second Harvest is able to provide five meals to people at risk of hunger.
This also allows shoppers to make a Harvest For Hunger donation at their local Giant Eagle, Heinen's or Buehler's Fresh Foods.
Last year, these $2, $5 and $10 donations totaled more than $164,000.
Spaetzel, Zylka and Chase Morefield were scheduled to show up April 12 to fill bags at Giant Eagle, 31990 Walker Road in Avon Lake.
Tarpley and Chase Morefield, both of Lorain, are scheduled for May 17 at Giant Eagle, 2201 Kresge Drive in Amherst.
Beyond the bagger's celebrity status, the most important aspect of this effort is bringing needed attention to the hungry people living in Lorain County.
It's quite unusual for a celebrity to join in supporting Harvest for Hunger.
It's admirable that celebrities are taking time out of their busy schedules to help end hunger.
This year, Lorain County Community Foundation President and CEO Cynthia H. He serves as the honorary chairman of the “Harvest'' campaign.
Harvest of Hunger is Second Harvest's largest fundraiser of the year.
However, Second Harvest is the part of the village that provides food for the people.
Its mission is to bring hope to its service areas of Lorain, Erie, Huron, and Crawford counties by creating pathways to nutritious food.
And its vision is to create a brighter future for all by fostering healthy, hunger-free communities.
That's why celebrity baggers are on board. This is to ensure that no one in the community goes hungry and that they have access to nutritious meals.
Hunger is not a choice and affects many communities.
Therefore, Second Harvest deserves much praise for its efforts to eradicate hunger.
Second Harvest hopes to raise enough money to provide 3.5 million meals to needy families across the region this year.
Harvest for Hunger often provides about one-third of a pantry's total food annually.
Chase Morefield points out that every dollar goes directly to food banks to help keep shelves well stocked for food insecure people.
Rising gas and housing prices can mean less money for food, especially for older people living on fixed incomes.
This is where Second Harvest comes in to help fill the food shortage.
Each year, Second Harvest secures and distributes more than 12 million pounds of food and groceries to its 130 member charities and organizations, including food pantries, hot meal programs, emergency shelters, mobile pantries, senior food delivery, and more. We work in partnership with more than 10 school districts. -School programs.
The coronavirus pandemic didn't help matters.
Before the pandemic, Second Harvest served 88,224 individuals annually.
Since the height of the pandemic, demand for food assistance remains 47% higher than before the pandemic, with nearly 120,000 people receiving support either directly from Second Harvest or from partner charities.
In 2023, Second Harvest released a strategic plan called “Creating Pathways” to create long-term food security in the region.
The “Creating Pathways” strategic plan is a bold blueprint for Second Harvest's next steps to build long-term food security with our partners.
The focus is on where Second Harvest wants to grow and improve the organization over the next five years.
These efforts improve the lives of Second Harvest employees, volunteers, partner charities, and communities, including streamlining internal processes, increasing food access, wraparound services, and improving knowledge about Second Harvest's impact. you can benefit from it.
Every little bit helps. Celeb Bag officials are hoping residents will help end hunger.
