Did you know that in a recent survey, Ohio residents are more likely to rely on food banks and charitable organizations when generally compared to the rest of the country? While one in five Americans say that they or an immediate family member has received food from a charitable organization in the past year, that number increases to nearly one in four for Ohio residents. (Resource: The Hormel Hunger Survey: An Ohio Perspective, September 2007)
Therefore, the question must be posed: "Are food banks and other charitable organizations in Ohio effectively meeting the needs of the less fortunate?"
On October 29, 2007, The Ohio Hunger Summit invited leaders of the for-profit, not-for-profit, religious, educational and legislative sectors to Cincinnati to discuss Ohio's hunger issue. Sponsored by Hormel Foods Corporation, Kroger, Proctor & Gamble, America's Second Harvest, and FreestoreFoodbank, the Ohio Hunger Summit involved panels of corporate, community, and political leaders, as well as other health-related experts, who discussed the ramifications of hunger among the state’s population and to outline better solutions to stop this unfortunate trend.
On this episode of FOCUS, Kathy Lehr talks with John Young and Ralph Gildehaus to find out what was discussed at the summit and how the event has affected their organizations since the fall of 2007.
GUESTS:
John Young, President and Chief Executive Officer, FreestoreFoodbank
Ralph Gildehaus,Director, Ohio Benefit Bank, Governor's Office of Faith-based and Community Initiatives
For Additional Information on the Ohio Hunger Summit, visit these websites:
the Freestore/Foodbank
the Ohio Benefit Bank
