CANTON, Ohio — The Akron-Canton Regional has opened a new campus in Stark County that will serve as more than a food bank, offering wrap-around services to help families with legal issues, finding jobs and wellness.
The Stark County campus, located at 1365 Cherry Avenue, NE, will increase the food bank’s ability to increase fresh food distribution and expand outreach in the communities with new hunger-relief programs.
Canton has the second-worst child poverty rate among cities over 65,000, according to a 2019 study from Stark Community Foundation.
The new center helps ensure residents in the eight counties it serves have access to safe and nourishing food.
Aside from food distribution, the center will house the following wrap-around services:
- The Aultman Working on Wellness is staffed by registered nurses and will provide health screenings and education at no cost. There will be health information available on a variety of medical topics and can be customized to fit someone’s needs.
- Community Legal Aid will provide free legal services to eligible low and moderate-income persons with civil matters and legal support to small or start-up non-profits. Individuals can receive help with housing problems, criminal record sealing/expungements, court costs and fine and parenting visitation, among other services.
- Goodwill will provide skill-building programs for job opportunities.
- Stark County Job and Family Services will help provide information on SNAP food benefits and job-related services.
- Stark County THRIVE works to improve infant vitality by reducing infant mortality and inequities in birth outcomes. The program will help pregnant mothers to connect with child-care, food, diapers and housing.
The Keith D. Monda Family Food Pantry will open to the public beginning on Aug. 3, every Tuesday and Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Those who are interested in volunteering can begin on July 26.
The Akron-Canton Regional Food Bank is hiring 10 news positions for the Stark County Campus.
There will be a community open house on July 29 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
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