ORRVILLE, Ohio — The Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank calls it their most significant donation ever. The J.M. Smucker Company is donating a 19,000-square-foot building, 30 acres of land, and $1 million over five years to the food bank.
"It's an opportunity for us to deepen our impact, deepen our reach across the community and make sure that we can serve as many people as need us," said Katie Carver Reed, VP of Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank.
The building is currently home to the Smucker Retail Store, but it will close in January, with the food bank expected to take possession in the spring.
There are 34 food programs in Wayne County, and the food bank plans to meet with its hunger relief partners in the coming weeks and months to discuss the best way to utilize the building.
"So, it's possible it could be a warehouse. It's possible that it could be a space to directly serve the community. It could be a host of things," Carver Reed said.
According to Carver Reed, people often overlook rural areas when considering food struggles. However, she pointed out that more than 15,000 people in Wayne County face food insecurity, which accounts for approximately 10-15% of the population.
She believes that the donation from Smucker, a dedicated food bank in Orrville, will help alleviate that need in the long run.
"With more awareness, more proximity and presence, people may feel more comfortable speaking out and asking for help. They may have a better understanding of what resources are available to them," Carver Reed said.
Nearby, the Salvation Army Orrville Maiwurm Service Center, located in Orrville, serves approximately 2,500 people annually through its food pantry.
"These rural areas, where sometimes they might get left behind in favor of denser populations, we have a quite a bit of need here as well," said Nicholas McFarren, the director of the center
McFarren believes the Salvation Army shelves will be better stocked, and more food can reach the hands of those who need it more quickly as a result of the donation.
"Having a location of the food bank in Wayne County, specifically in this location it's going to be at, is going to really bring a new efficiency," he said.
Over the coming weeks and months, the food bank plans to meet with Wayne County leaders to discuss how to best utilize the building, with the intention of moving in the spring of 2026.
