LIMA, OH (WLIO) - Food is on their way to the family table as part of Ohio State's BeKIND project that aims to address food security.
"One in five Ohioans in our area struggle with food insecurities," said Margaret Young, Interim Dean and Director of OSU Lima Campus. "So it's not a problem that if facing Ohioans elsewhere. It's close to home."
Allen County is one of three locations selected for the project, where community organizations loaded their trucks with shelf-stable meals, that will be distributed to families in need.
"Of course, we cover an 11-county area so we have several different partner agencies that they can go out to and somebody may only have enough food for a three-day supply," said Dena Hedrick, West Ohio Food Bank Programs Director. "So they may go to one pantry and then they may go somewhere else in the county to get some more food."
OSU Lima students have been helping to load trucks to help and these students say that the experience is rewarding for them.
"I'm a social work major, and part of that is being an advocate," said Kyira Knous, a Sophomore at OSU Lima. "So anywhere I can advocate and help those people, it's a very promising feeling and effort that brings warmth and community to Lima."
Over 200,000 meals will be handed out in the State of Ohio, hoping to help those who are struggling with answering the question of where they are going to get their next meal -- while also spreading awareness that hunger is everywhere.
"It's one of those things were like 'my community is great, this doesn't happen here!' but it really does, you don't just see it," said Knous.
