FINDLAY, Ohio (WLIO) — Schools, colleges and food distributors are working together to tackle food insecurity across northwest Ohio.
Districts including Lima Senior, Bath, Cory-Rawson, Arlington and Findlay City Schools met with Rhodes State College, Bluffton University and other partners today in Findlay. The group is working to create a “Northwest Ohio Food Security Hub,” where schools can grow their own food with support from local colleges and universities. Organizers say about one in eight families in the region face food insecurity.
The plan could include partnerships such as Rhodes State working with Lima Senior on greenhouse production, or the University of Findlay helping Arlington and Findlay City Schools develop hydroponic systems. Leaders say meetings like this help connect organizations so they can share resources and expertise.
“I’ve seen so many people talking about the same topic, about how they have the capacity to grow more, how they would love to do that, but they need a little bit of help,” said Justin Richardson, instructor of environmental safety and occupational health at the University of Findlay. “They need advice, or they might need some help with composting, or they might need help with resources like seeds or propagation tools, and when you look across the board, you see other organizations that have those things in excess at times. So this gives us the ability to share those resources.”
Richardson said they plan to hold another meeting this fall to bring in more districts interested in joining the effort.
