Local team members from our HQ office in Northern Kentucky recently took time to revisit and volunteer with a community food bank. As a part of our Prolocity Gives program and our Pledge 1% commitment, we make a point to put this special aspect of our culture into practice. Paired with guidance from The Freestore Foodbank employees and fellow volunteers, the mission to organize, build, and fill 600+ boxes of perishable and non-perishable food was completed in just under 2 hours.
The boxes for this day, in particular, were meant for those suffering from food insecurities in rural areas of Ohio that otherwise have little to no options for assistance. Below are images capturing the morning's excitement and hustle that went into getting the job done safely, efficiently, and on time.
The Freestore Foodbank is based out of Cincinnati Ohio where they serve the Tristate including Kentucky and Indiana. Their mission is to address the needs of the one in seven neighbors that are at risk of hunger in the region. Having a team of more than 100 employees alongside volunteers allows them to serve 37.7 million meals each year in 20 counties.
According to their website,
"The Freestore Foodbank began in 1971. Its early beginnings come with a story – a man with a heart to help others. Frank Gerson, a worker at Cincinnati’s incinerator, saw useable household items being tossed away. He began collecting those items and distributing them to disadvantaged families. Gerson named his practice the Free Store. He incorporated it as a public charity, quit his job, and opened for business in his apartment. In 1979, the Free Store became a founding member of Feeding America, evolving into the Freestore Foodbank, and began distributing food to our hungry neighbors. Today the Freestore Foodbank is one of over 200 food banks within the Feeding America network serving communities across the nation. It’s all thanks to a man with a heart to help others."
To learn more about The Freestore Foodbank, volunteer opportunities, or ways in which you can donate, visit https://freestorefoodbank.org/
