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Organization	Community Food Initiatives
Region	United States
Website	Website
Facebook	Facebook
Twitter	@Twitter
ProjectLeader	Maribeth Saleem-Tanner

DONATE

Fresh and healthy foods are essential. Unfortunately, these foods are inaccessible to many people, especially rural and low-income families. The Donation Station at Community Food Initiatives (CFI) addresses the most immediate food security issue -access to healthy, fresh foods for all. We are based in Athens County, Ohio, where rates of hunger are among the highest in the state. We are seeking to expand our programs to meet the needs of our community and share our model across Southeast Ohio.

Challenge

Every year we see a widening gap between those who can access healthy food and those who cannot. Nearly 100,000 people in Appalachian Ohio are food insecure. Athens County has among the highest rates of food insecurity in Ohio; 19% of the population experiences limited access to food (compared to the 11% national average). CFI's Donation Station addresses both immediate food insecurity needs and strengthens our local food economy to address some of the root causes of hunger in our region.

Long-Term Impact

Since we launched the Donation Station in 2008, we have distributed over 500,000 pounds of local food products to food pantries and social service agencies in Southeast Ohio and reinvested $100,000 into the local food economy. By expanding this model beyond Athens County we can continue to provide individuals and families facing hunger with fresh healthy foods and decrease rates of food insecurity by supporting local farmers and food vendors.