AKRON, Ohio — The Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank unveiled its new Stark County campus Thursday. 

What You Need To Know

  • The Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank unveiled its newest campus in Stark County

  • It is located at 1365 Cherry Ave. NE in Canton

  • The goal is to provide regular access to healthy food and to connect people to community resources

According to Foodbank Vice President Shelly Hinton, one in seven people are now food insecure making the need for foodbanks even greater. 

Aside from food distribution, this location will also offer services to help families with legal issues, wellness and finding jobs. 

"We will have a pantry and a resource center," Hinton said. "In that pantry, we will be able to provide community members with access to safe and nutritious food, produce and shelf-stable items. In addition to that, they will be able to connect with other resources that they might need, so maybe prenatal help or legal assistance or even assistance learning about job opportunities.” 

This foodbank will also engage thousands more volunteers, like Dennis Jordan, in hunger relief efforts. 

Jordan and his wife have been volunteers at the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank since 2014. 

They were both born and raised in northeast Ohio.

"I grew up here, it provided me the life that I have," Jordan explained. "We have been married 48 years, have two great children, went to school here and went to college here. It’s just an opportunity to give back to northern Ohio."

Through the years, Jordan has seen many changes at the Foodbank and was on the frontlines as they navigated COVID-19 challenges.  

"We got swamped," Jordan said. "Just so many people had the need, to be able to keep up and support that was a real challenge, but we did it.” 

Now he’s watching as the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank opens its newest location in Stark County. 

“There is an awful lot of places that you can volunteer," Jordan said. "From the moment we stepped into the foodbank that was the place we were most comfortable with.”

The couple volunteers for several hours every week and said their favorite part is getting to know each person individually. 

"You get to see the sons, and the daughters and the husbands and all of that," he explained "The gratitude for what you are doing is just over the top. It’s very rewarding.” 

The food pantry will open to the public Aug. 3. It will be open every Tuesday and Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.