United Relief

What now? From a county treasurer’s “Hunger Run” to co-ops and community gardens, from civic focus to shared goals—how ordinary neighbors can move a county toward no child hungry . You’ll hear from: John Kennedy Sabrina Christian-Bennett Ben Wolford, Publisher of The Portager Ben and Patrick Childers , co-founder Odd Conduit Media In this episode: Why focus matters: align orgs and volunteers on a...

A day with Rural Relief Mobile Food Pantry shows what it takes to move food the final mile into rural communities—real-time shortages, handwritten intake logs, and intimate acts of neighbor-to-neighbor care. You’ll hear from: Jason & Rena , Rural Relief Mobile Food Pantry Dennis , a neighbor on fixed income Becky Lehman , Portage County Health Commissioner (drive-through pop-up) Bill Childers...

Inside the organizations that stitch the safety net together—United Way Portage County and the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank—where logistics, dignity, and scarcity collide. You’ll hear from: Bill Childers , President & CEO, United Way Portage County Heather Rainone, United Way Portage County Raven Gayhart, Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank Brooke Durow , Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank In this ep...

A ground-level primer on Portage County’s hunger crisis—how the pandemic exposed long-standing gaps, what ALICE reveals that federal poverty stats miss, and how county leaders tried to plug holes with ARPA funds. You’ll hear from: John Kennedy , Portage County Treasurer Sabrina Christian-Bennett , Portage County Commissioner In this episode: The moment hunger got personal: families living in cars...

In Portage County, Ohio—like so many places across the country—food insecurity isn’t just a statistic, it’s a lived reality. This podcast follows two brothers as they return home to uncover the complex web of causes, challenges, and grassroots solutions shaping the fight against hunger in their community. Through intimate interviews and on-the-ground reporting, we explore the local food ecosystem—...