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Operation Feed Hopes To Raise 6 Million Meals

Operation Feed Kickoff (Added: March 16, 2010)

The Mid-Ohio Foodbank asks for volunteers to help meet its challenge of raising 6 million meals for hungry Central Ohioans. (more)

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Operation Feed Hopes To Raise 6 Million Meals

The Mid-Ohio Foodbank asks for volunteers to help meet its challenge of raising 6 million meals for hungry Central Ohioans.

By Tom Brockman
Published: March 16, 2010

» 0 Comments | Post a Comment

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The struggling economy has rocked most Central Ohioans, and many of those are relying on food pantries to put food on their tables.

NBC 4 reported with the FAST FACTS.

The need for volunteers continues to increase, officials say.

Willie Colvin is one of those much-need volunteers. Colvin has worked to feed the hungry for the past 25 years.

NBC 4 found Colvin hard at work Tuesday in the kitchen of the Corinthian Missionary Baptist Church on the city's East Side.

He was preparing chicken to send to a kitchen that feeds the hungry.

"It gives you a sense of responsibility back to your community, back to some of those who are less fortunate than you are," Colvin said.

Colvin is the prime example of what Mid-Ohio Foodbank President and CEO Matt Habash said it needs more of -- especially now.

"We have a real belief that if everybody does a little, we can do a lot," Habash said.

The Mid-Ohio Foodbank kicked off its Operation Feed campaign Tuesday.

The Mid-Ohio Foodbank encourages businesses and Central Ohioans to help in whatever way they can through June 30.

"About half of our food comes from the food industry. It's a wonderful surplus of food they can't sell," Habash said. "We get a lot of help from both the state of Ohio and federal government. This is the third leg. It's the community's response to hunger."

More than 150 organizations already have registered to help. Habash wants to double that number.

"Last year, we raised about 4.5 million meals," he said. "We set a goal this year of 6 million meals."

With volunteers such as Colvin, the food bank has a good chance of reaching that goal.

If you would like to volunteer for Operation Feed, call 614-274-7770 or go to http://www.midohiofoodbank.org/act/operation-feed.

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