MOUNT VERNON — The annual Food For The Hungry Drive officially kicked off on Friday morning, Nov. 6, as a community-wide effort to raise food and funds for Interchurch Social Services, the Salvation Army, and other organizations throughout the county with food assistance initiatives.
In Food For The Hungry’s (FFTH) 45th year of helping the community, it has established a financial Drive Goal of $345,000 and hopes to collect as many non-perishable food items as the community can donate.
In 1982, Charlie Kilkenny of WMVO utilized his radio platform and rallied together the community to collect food and money for local factory workers who were laid off shortly before Christmas.
Growing from that grassroots campaign, FFTH is now a nonprofit organization focused on providing food and financial support to entities striving to reduce hunger in Knox County. In order to accomplish this mission, there is an annual drive made up of multiple community-led events, culminating in the FFTH Live Broadcast and Drive Day.
The 2026 Drive will take place on Dec. 11, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. with collection points open throughout the county. The food and funds collected by FFTH are distributed to local agencies that work firsthand with those in need of food in Knox County. All donations made to FFTH stay in Knox County.
It is no mystery that inflation has altered the lives of countless people. While many people feel the weight of their grocery bills getting higher, the number of people who struggle to buy food to feed their families or themselves is rising.
The Knox County Food Council estimated that more than 14,000 individuals in Knox County experience food insecurity. That number has likely grown.
In 2022, Interchurch Social Services of Knox County (ISS) served up to 200 families a month. In 2026, ISS served nearly 900 families a month, an increase of almost 500%. The Mid-Ohio Food Collective (formerly known as Mid-Ohio Food Bank) is also feeling pressure. Mid-Ohio Food Collective is a major source of food for the agencies that are supported through FFTH.
The buying power of $1 at the Mid-Ohio Food Collective has dropped to $4.56 – half of what it was several years ago.
Despite the decline in the buying power of $1, FFTH is confident that those less fortunate in this community can continue to count on its generous donors to address food insecurity and to disrupt the poverty cycle in Knox County. A food pantry can still use a single $1 to buy $4.56 worth of food from Mid-Ohio Food Collective.
That means a couple of dollars could provide dinner for an entire family. Therefore, no effort to support the FFTH mission is too small! Fundraising events for previous drives have ranged from county-wide Service Club challenges to Middle Schoolers selling homemade bracelets. You can make a difference by participating in the 2026 FFTH Drive!
The people of Knox County exceeded the Drive Goal last year and raised $394,301.89 and 23.5 truckloads of food.
Funds from the 2025 FFTH Drive were allocated for this year’s Summer and Winter Grants. In June this year, a total of $30,500 in grants was awarded to 12 different Knox County organizations, prioritizing projects that focused on feeding children who rely on school meals throughout the school year.
Winter grants will enable local food pantries and hot meals to provide food to those in need through the 2026-2027 winter. Grant recipients will be announced in Mid-November.
As always, the largest portion of the Drive Goal (68%) and all food collected go to FFTH community partners, Interchurch Social Services and The Salvation Army in Mount Vernon. The remaining funds will be awarded in 2026 through both the Summer Grants (8%) and Winter Grants (14%), as well as a small portion for organizational expenses (10%).
A way to contribute to the 2026 Food For The Hungry goal is by donating at local events or community collections that support FFTH. Some upcoming events include:
- Knox County Jazz Orchestra Benefit Concert – Saturday, Nov. 14, 7 p.m. Rosse Hall at Kenyon College.
- Patsy Cline Benefit Concerts – Friday, Nov. 20, 7:30 p.m., and Saturday, Nov. 21, 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Woodward Opera House.
- Turkey Trot 5K – Thursday, Nov. 26, 8 a.m. registration, 9 a.m. race start. MVNU Chapel.
- Knox County Park District’s Fire and Ice – Saturday, Dec. 6. 5:30 to 8 p.m. Millwood Church of Christ and Honey Run Waterfall.
- FFTH LIVE Broadcast and Drive Day – Friday, Dec. 11, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Collection points open throughout the county.
- Snowflake Gala – Friday, Dec. 11, 6 p.m. Lowry Center at Kenyon College.
For more information on local events and collections, visit www.FoodForTheHungryCares.org.
To celebrate the kick-off, follow FFTH on Facebook (@FoodForTheHungryKnoxCounty) and Instagram (@FFTHCares) to stay up to date on all things FFTH. Get involved by attending events, donating, volunteering, or even hosting your own event for FFTH! If you are hosting an event, make sure to fill out the Community Event Form on the FFTH website.
To learn more about FFTH, donate, and see the new historic timeline that celebrates 45 years of service to Knox County, visit www.FoodForTheHungryCares.org. To volunteer with FFTH, call or text Annual Drive and Community Relations Director Tanner Cooper-Risser at (330)-521-8474 or email at Director@
The 2026 FFTH Live Broadcast will take place on Friday, Dec. 11, at the Memorial Theater inside the Knox Memorial. FFTH Live will simulcast on www.WNZR.tv, as well as 100.9 FM and 93.7 FM HD2 – WMVO, with reports given on 90.9 FM WNZR and 93.7 FM the Super Q. This is a Knox County tradition you won’t want to miss.