Stark Community Foundation Enlists in the Local Fight Against Hunger

Stark Community Foundation fired a barrage in the local battle against hunger Tuesday awarding a $20,000 grant to the Stark County Hunger Task Force (SCHTF).

The charitable grant, Good Nutrition: A Healthy Choice in Tough Times, provides the Stark County Hunger Task Force with much needed increased capacity to assist the hungry through its network of 32 pantries.

Amy Weisbrod, SCHTF executive director reports, one in six Stark County residents suffers food insecurity; alarmingly, the county’s child food insecurity rate is 25.2 percent, and 10 percent of seniors are food insecure – all higher than the national averages.

Pantry visits this year remain on target for a 50 percent increase compared to 2011. SCHTF pantries serve more than 22,000 individuals each month.

At SCHTF, we know that in any community a number of individuals will experience a crisis during their lifetime in which they are unable to provide adequate food for themselves and their families, Weisbrod notes. We depend on the generosity of our neighbors for assistance to satisfy that basic need for those who find themselves in crisis.

The grant from The Paul C. and Thelma M. Dale Philanthropic Fund in Stark Community Foundation goes a long way in providing such assistance, Weisbrod adds. For every dollar we raise we can provide seven pounds of food for the hungry in Stark County.

SCHTF welcomes community partners and individuals interested in supporting the local fight against hunger with fundraising activities or food drives. For more information, call 330.455.6667 or visit SCHTF on-line atwww.starkhunger.org.

Founded in 1981, Stark County Hunger Task Force, headquartered at 408 9th St. SW, Suite 1637, leads the battle against hunger in Stark County. SCHTF feeds some 22,000 individuals and families every month through its pantry network, “Backpacks for Kids” programs, an emergency pantry and mobile pantry services.