Portage County food pantries face shortages because of federal cuts

Managing supervisor Pat Blair (left) helps volunteers Jerry Taylor (center) and Joel Barrett load boxes of food for Kathy Englehart at the Brimfield Community Cupboard in 2021. Michael Indriolo/The Portager

Portage County food pantries face shortages because of federal cuts

- Wendy DiAlesandro

Portage County’s food pantries and programs are among the first local victims of federal funding cuts, and the state is poised to compound the blow.

Kent Social Services, Ravenna’s Center of Hope and 50 other food pantries and programs in Portage County receive much of their food from the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank, which in recent weeks learned the federal government terminated two of its food programs. That translates to 177,550 fewer pounds of food flowing into Portage County food pantries and programs.

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