Shared Harvest Foodbank partners with local area schools to supplement their school-based hunger programming throughout the year. Shared Harvest works to fill the gaps through our Backpack Program, Summer Feeding, and School-Based Food Pantries, because no child should ever have to think about where their next meal will come from.
Shared Harvest serves our neighbors in need through both community partnerships and direct-service programs. In addition to supplying food to local agencies, we help people apply for SNAP benefits, provide monthly food boxes to seniors through CSFP, host an on-site food pantry, and offer monthly drive-thru distributions in select counties. Learn more about our programs below.
Shared Harvest and our Backpack Program partners are careful to ensure that confidentiality is maintained for all the children who receive weekend bags.
In Ohio, more than 500,000 children lack consistent access to essential food they need to thrive.
June through August is an especially challenging time of year when students have limited or no access to the school breakfast and lunch programs.
Through the SUN Meals program, free healthy meals and snacks are available to eligible children ages 18 and under at approved community sites across the state. Individuals through age 21 who have disabilities and approved individualized education programs (IEPs) are also eligible.
Families can easily locate nearby meal sites using Ohio Department of Education and Workforce’s interactive Summer Food Service Program site map. The map is updated weekly throughout the summer months.
Some students who receive SUN Meals may qualify for SUN Bucks, a related program. The Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer Program for Children is a federal program that provides grocery assistance to eligible families with school-age children during the summer. Families receive a one-time benefit of $120 for each eligible child, which can be used at grocery stores, farmers markets, and other authorized retailers. Participation in any of the SUN meal sites does not disqualify a child from receiving SUN Bucks.
Visit the Sun Bucks website for more information.
We partner with several public schools, early childhood centers, and college campuses to provide consistent access to nutritious food for students and their families.
Our current school partners not only serve as food distribution sites in vulnerable areas but also function as vital community resource hubs where families feel welcomed, supported, and safe.
If you are interested in becoming a school-based member agency, please visit the page below for more information.
