May 4, 2026 - 9:07am -- atlas.24@osu.edu

Are you passionate about supporting our community, but aren’t sure how to help? The Madison County Local Food Council is working to increase access to nutritious food in our community, and there are several ways you can participate over the summer to help advance that mission.

Serve

There are opportunities to serve in our community at various levels of time commitment. Some folks help once a month, and others may volunteer several times a week. All volunteers are greatly appreciated, no matter how much time they can give. Open opportunities are listed below along with information on how to sign up.

  • Driver - Good Samaritan Food Pantry
    • Looking for individuals with a truck to transport food. Note: must be able to carry 40-50 lb boxes.
    • Pickup at 8 AM on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays
    • More information: (614) 379-3212 (call or text), goodsamfp.1995@gmail.com
  • General help - Madison County Food Pantry
    • Looking for help with stacking boxes, unpacking or bagging boxed goods, and handing out food during distribution times.
    • Any Wednesday or Saturday from 8:45-11:45 AM
    • More information: (740) 852-5822
  • General help & truck crew - Plain City Food Pantry
    • General food pantry volunteers: assist with receiving donations, restocking pantry shelves, freezing and refrigerating perishable food items, and assisting shoppers with food pantry visits. Volunteers should be physically capable of lifting, bending, and standing.
    • Morning truck crew: pick up food from grocery stores on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings. Each run needs a box truck driver and one strong lifter to move boxes. Volunteering frequency is up to you; we will work with your schedule.
    • More information: www.dnaplaincity.org/pcfp/, foodpantry@dnaplaincity.org, 614-264-5591
  • General help – London Church of the Nazarene Free Summer Lunch Program
    • Help us distribute food during our summer lunch program from June 1 through July 31, Monday through Friday, 10:30 AM to 1:30 PM.
    • Reach out for more information, or feel free to stop by during program hours to jump in and help.
    • More information: (740) 852-3498, londonnaz4u@gmail.com

Donate

Donations are welcome and needed, whether financial or food related. Check out the organizations below to see what is needed and how to donate.

  • Madison County Local Food Council
    • From June through September, we’re collecting and distributing fresh produce and eggs at locations throughout the county. The purpose of this campaign is to ensure everyone in our community can enjoy healthy meals all summer long.
    • Find the donation drop-off locations and needed items here: go.osu.edu/summerproduce
  • Good Samaritan Food Pantry
    • Needs monetary donations to purchase food. Most food is purchased through the Mid-Ohio Food Bank, and a $10 donation buys 125 lbs of food.
    • More information: goodsamfp.com/donate
  • Madison County Food Pantry
    • Food and monetary donations are welcome. Canned goods and other shelf stable food items can be brought to the pantry on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 9 AM to 11:45 AM.
    • More information: (740) 852-5822
  • Plain City Food Pantry
    • Food supplies are needed for their free food market. Items can be dropped off between 7:15 AM and 10:45 Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday.
    • Click the “donate food” button on their website to find the list of needed food items: https://www.dnaplaincity.org/pcfp/. Email foodpantry@dnaplaincity.org with questions or to arrange an alternate food drop-off time.

Spread the Word

Even if you don’t have time to serve or resources to give, you can still help the cause by spreading the word. Follow the organizations listed above on social media to learn about upcoming food distributions and share those posts within your network to help get food to the people who need it. We also need your help to spread awareness of our summer produce campaign. Please share this flyer digitally or print and display it locally: go.osu.edu/summerproduce.

Join the Cause

The Madison County Local Food Council is jointly facilitated by Madison County Public Health and OSU Extension Madison County, with a long list of participating organizations that include local governments, farms, food pantries, and schools. We welcome new members, and invite your organization to connect with us if you are interested in joining. More information: go.osu.edu/foodcouncil.

Article written by Natasha Atlas, Extension Educators Coordinator with OSU Extension Madison County. To connect with the Madison County Local Food Council, reach out to the Extension office at 740-852-0975 or Madison County Public Health at 740-852-3065.