Stark County Business News: AKRON-CANTON REGIONAL FOODBANK INVITES COMMUNITY TO HELP KICK OFF 35TH HARVEST FOR HUNGER CAMPAIGN AT LUNCHEON

 

AKRON-CANTON REGIONAL FOODBANK INVITES COMMUNITY TO HELP KICK OFF 35TH HARVEST FOR HUNGER CAMPAIGN AT LUNCHEON

 

 

Foodbank launches spring fundraising campaign as food needs remain high

 

AKRON, Ohio – (Feb. 11, 2026) – The Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank will kick off the 35th annual Harvest for Hunger Campaign with a luncheon on Feb. 27 at the John S. Knight Center in downtown Akron. Community members interested in learning more about the campaign and how they can get involved are encouraged to attend. Tickets can be purchased online at akroncantonfoodbank.org/rsvp.

 

The luncheon hopes to inspire community members, businesses and organizations to support local hunger relief as the need for food remains high across the region. In 2025, the Foodbank provided access to enough food for 32.8 million meals, more meals than any other year in its history, despite a nearly 30% decrease in food support from federal and state sources.

 

“Last year showed us just how quickly the safety net can fray. When critical food assistance was interrupted and government support declined, our community stepped up in remarkable ways to ensure neighbors didn’t go without,” said Dan Flowers, Foodbank president and CEO. “But the need has not eased — and neither can we. As we look to 2026, continued community support remains essential to sustaining access to nourishing food for local families. Together, we can ensure help is there when it’s needed most.”

 

The Harvest for Hunger Campaign is vital to the Foodbank’s ability to meet the demands of the community. It is the organization’s largest fundraising campaign and helps support food distribution all year long.

 

This year’s campaign is being led by Ron Paydo, market president for the Akron/Canton market at Huntington Bank, and Abbey Linville, vice president of public relations and communications at The J.M. Smucker Co.

 

“A community can only be as strong if everyone has access to the necessities, which includes food. Huntington is a proud partner of the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank and we hope to help bring awareness to food insecurity in our neighborhoods,” said Paydo. “Please join Abbey and me in supporting this campaign – together we can make a positive change for our neighbors who need it most.”

 

“There is no more pure and basic human need than that of a meal. Most Ohioans, regardless of background, can recall a time when maybe the promise of a meal was not a certainty,” said Linville. “As a food manufacturer, it’s critical to Smucker that we support community programs that address food insecurity with urgency, dignity and respect. We are proud to partner with the talented teams at the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank and community leaders like Ron to champion Harvest for Hunger so the promise of a meal may one day become certainty – not a question – for all Ohioans.”

 

This year’s campaign goal is to provide the equivalent of 4.8 million meals for the communities served within the Foodbank’s eight-county service area, including $1.6 million and 100,000 pounds of food.

 

The Harvest for Hunger Campaign unites the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank, the Greater Cleveland Food Bank and the Second Harvest Food Banks of the Mahoning Valley and North Central Ohio. The four food banks in Northeast Ohio focus on fighting hunger across 21 counties in the region.

 

To reserve a ticket for the luncheon, please visit akroncantonfoodbank.org/rsvp. For more information on the campaign, visit akroncantonfoodbank.org/harvest.

 

Special thanks to Diamond Sponsors, Huntington Bank and The J.M. Smucker Co., for their support of the event.

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