LEBANON, Ohio — Leaders at an Ohio food pantry say,, over the last six years, the number of people they’re helping feed jumped by 400%, but a new partnership with an international grocer is keeping food on the shelves for more families.
With giant scissors and a lot of confetti, leaders officially cut the ribbon on a different way to fight hunger.
“First thing I said was ‘are you gonna make a difference or be another place that just give’s stuff away?’ he says ‘we’re gonna make a difference,’ I says ‘I’m in,” said Jungle Jim, founder of international grocery store Jungle Jims in Cincinnati.
The celebration marks a new partnership between Jungle Jims and a food pantry called Impacting Tomorrow. Leaders say the partnership comes at a critical time.
“Costs are getting higher, lives are being changed. and for that reason, families are being impacted,” said Impacting Tomorrow CEO Ken Tracy.
Tracy said they’re helping five times as many families now.
“Since our launch in 2020, we’ve gone from 40,000 people to now serving over 200,000 people,” Tracy said. “Food insecurity is a real thing, and it impacts so many people, but more importantly for us, it impacts the children.”
But with the help of Jungle Jims and a $6 million space, they’ll be able to feed more families.
The pantry is expected to get more donations to keep food coming in the door, along with healthcare and clothes families can get in the same space.
For volunteers, the impact is already clear.
“It’s really heartwarming to see how much they’ll give and then we can, in turn, give to others,” Volunteer Andy Sorensen said.
And as more families turn to the pantry for help, they hope this partnership inspires even more to give back.
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