CLEVELAND — The Greater Stark County Urban League is giving out boxes filled with food for those in need.

"We are excited about the opportunity that we have to give at least 2,000 boxes of food to individuals within the community. And one of the beautiful things about this is that we're able to do that in an area that has been designated a food desert," said Diane Robinson, president and CEO of the Greater Stark County Urban League.

Robinson's mission as president of the Greater Stark County Urban League is to help those in the community. She said making sure the people who live here have access to food is important.

"Consequently, they have to walk, ride a bike, or catch a bus to purchase food and that is not convenient and whenever they go, many times, they can't get the amount of food they need to last for a week," she said.

The Urban League gives out thousands of boxes of food filled with meat, produce, and dairy items to last families a week, but they're not doing it alone.

"It could not have been done without the support of Canton Outside of Canton and the Food Soldier," she said.

Canton Outside of Canton is made up of former athletes who grew up in Canton but no longer live in the area.

They saw a need to give back to their community during the pandemic and worked together to give out thousands of meals in December.

"That's just a start. There's just so many individuals and families that need help and we're just scratching at the surface right now," said Ronnie Stokes, a Canton Outside of Canton member.

With Canton Outside of Canton and the Urban League working together, they'll be able to provide 12,000 boxes of food to the Canton community by the time their giveaways wrap up.

Stokes said he hopes this partnership inspires others to get involved.

"Be a difference-maker. If you live in Canton, you see this message, it starts with you," he said.​