Standing Together to Support Food Access in Summit County

Families across Summit County are feeling the impact of the temporary disruption to federal SNAP benefits, highlighting a deeper and ongoing challenge. While the potential lapse has drawn attention to food insecurity, the reality is that this challenge has persisted in our community for years.

Summit County’s high cost of living compared to local wages means that many working families, even those not eligible for SNAP, still struggle to buy enough groceries, especially during the shoulder season.

At the Summit Foundation, we are committed to being part of the solution by supporting the trusted organizations that meet these needs every day, providing food assistance, coordinating volunteers, and stretching every donated dollar to help feed our community.

Through these partnerships, the Foundation remains steadfast in collaborating with local leaders, staying flexible as the situation evolves, and raising awareness of how we can support one another, both in moments of crisis and in addressing the long-term challenges of food insecurity.

How You Can Help Right Now

Consider joining the Summit Foundation and your neighbors in supporting the local food access network that makes Summit County stronger:

1️⃣ Support Our Food Access Partners

Give directly to the organizations that have the infrastructure and experience to deliver food efficiently and equitably:

  • FIRC (Family & Intercultural Resource Center) — sources approximately 85% perishable items to ensure families have access to fresh, nutritious food that promotes long-term health and stability.
  • Smart Bellies — focuses on children, providing snacks and weekend food for kids who may otherwise go without meals when school is closed.
  • Café Food Rescue — recovers and redistributes fresh food from local businesses, reducing waste while increasing access to healthy meals.

Every $1 donated provides up to $10 worth of food purchasing power through FIRC’s buying network.

2️⃣ Donate Grocery Gift Cards

Gift cards for City Market, Safeway, or other grocery stores are an easy way to help families purchase culturally preferred foods or other essentials like baby formula or prescriptions.
Gift cards can be delivered directly to FIRC for distribution to families in need.

3️⃣ Volunteer Your Time

Lend a hand with FIRC, Smart Bellies, Café Food Rescue, or another local food provider. Each relies on community volunteers to sort, pack, and deliver food to neighbors across Summit County.

4️⃣ Share & Advocate

Share this message and encourage others to get involved.
Support local, state, and community initiatives that expand access to nutritious food and reduce barriers for working families.

Summit County’s greatest strength has always been our compassion and shared action. By standing together now  and trusting our partners who know this work best we can ensure that every family in our community has access to nutritious food and the support they deserve.