14 Ohio food banks and pantries benefit from $2.5 million six-state program
The FirstEnergy Foundation is supporting local communities as part of its Hunger Action Month initiative – awarding $535,000 in grants to 14 Ohio food banks and pantries. In total, the initiative is granting $2.5 million to 104 hunger relief organizations across New Jersey, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Virginia, marking the Foundation’s largest hunger-relief investment to date, according to a release.
The foundation’s grants will provide more than 1.5 million meals to families in communities served by Ohio Edison, The Illuminating Company and Toledo Edison.
Tackling A Growing Hunger Epidemic
Food insecurity is a growing crisis across the U.S., according to Feeding America and the USDA. More than 1.8 million people – 15% of the population – in Ohio face food insecurity due to rising prices, climate-related disruptions and supply chain vulnerabilities.
Torrence Hinton, FirstEnergy’s President of Ohio: “The FirstEnergy Foundation is bringing a can-do spirit to the table – working hand-in-hand with trusted local partners to help reduce hunger and make healthy meals more accessible during Hunger Action Month. Food means more than just nourishment – it’s a source of comfort that brings people together and strengthens bonds with a community. Our employees support that by volunteering and organizing food drives, showing that when we come together, we can make a meaningful impact.”
Feeding the Community
FirstEnergy’s giving includes a $100,000 grant to the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank, announced at the FirstEnergy Akron Marathon’s VIP reception on Wednesday evening.
“Our collaboration with the Akron Marathon reflects a shared commitment to nourishing our communities – not just through energy, but through access to healthy food,” said Hinton. “The Blue Line Charity Program uplifts organizations like the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank, whose mission aligns perfectly with Hunger Action Month.”
Ohio foodbanks receiving grants include:
- Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank – $100,000
- Childrens Hunger Alliance – $25,000
- Country Neighbor Program – $5,000
- El Centro De Servicios Sociales Inc – $5,000
- Feeding Medina County – $5,000
- Greater Cleveland Food Bank – $100,000
- Lakewood Community Services Center (senior delivery program) – $10,000
- Mid-Ohio Foodbank – $75,000
- SeaGate Food Bank of Northeast Ohio – $20,000
- Second Harvest Food Bank of North Central Ohio – $45,000
- Second Harvest Food Bank of Clark, Champaign and Logan – $15,000
- Second Harvest Food Bank of Mahoning Valley – $50,000
- Toledo Northwestern Ohio Food Bank – $75,000
- Victory Kitchen – $5,000
Volunteering to Combat Hunger
In addition to grant funding, FirstEnergy demonstrates its commitment to community support by empowering employees with dedicated volunteer time-off (VTO) hours. This initiative enables employees to provide hands-on, boots-on-the-ground assistance to local nonprofits. In 2024 alone, FirstEnergy employees contributed more than 26,000 volunteer hours across the company’s service territory – supporting causes such as local food banks, pantries and other vital community organizations.
History of Support
The FirstEnergy Foundation and FirstEnergy employees have been dedicated to fighting food insecurity for more than two decades. Since 2021, FirstEnergy employees have donated $650,000 directly to organizations focused on fighting hunger and improving nutrition. Nearly $7 million has been raised by employees over the past 23 years through the annual Harvest for Hunger campaign.
Last year, the FirstEnergy Foundation donated nearly $800,000 to hunger-related initiatives.
Source First Energy Corp
