The Hunger Network

We have a network of 70+ Hunger Centers strategically placed throughout Cuyahoga County. Hunger Network food pantries provide a three-day supply of groceries for each member of the household once a month based on requirements. We have hot meal programs throughout our network that offer complete and nutritious congregate meals, which are free and open to the community.

Because our Hunger Center clients live in food desserts, they also live in areas that lack access to basic health resources. Since 2016, Hunger Network staff, students, and healthcare professionals have completed more than 15,000 preventive health screenings to 2,300 Cuyahoga County residents. We continue to present materials on topics such as nutrition, healthy cooking, and mental health to increase wellness in our community.

Hunger Network Food Rescue launched in November of 2018 with one goal: to bridge the gap between food waste and hunger. 40% of food is wasted while 1 in 5 Clevelanders face hunger. Our food rescue program bridges that disconnect while also promoting environmental sustainability. The Food Rescue Hero app, developed by 412 Food Rescue in Pittsburgh, connects food suppliers to nonprofits through a dedicated corps of volunteers who transport fresh produce daily.

Over 40 years ago, cuts in public welfare programs and the national recession led the Interchurch Council of Greater Cleveland to create the Hunger Taskforce to address hunger in Cuyahoga County. In 1995, the Hunger Taskforce became an independent organization renamed Hunger Network of Greater Cleveland. Today, we are the largest provider of emergency food in Greater Cleveland. With a network of 70+ Hunger Centers, we have a strong and proven model for meeting the nutritional needs of Northeast Ohio's most underserved communities.

Food awaiting distribution in a box or on a shelf does not feed a community. It is in transferring food to hungry people that it becomes nourishment. The Hunger Network distributes food to over 37,000 hungry individuals monthly through our neighborhood-based hunger centers. By providing infrastructure and financial support, the Hunger Network is the critical "last mile" partner that gets food from suppliers to the tables of those most in need. The Hunger Network serves individuals of all ages and abilities who are unable to meet their basic food needs. Additionally, our programs serve as an "entry ramp" into the health care and social service systems to help to address issues that commonly co-occur with hunger.