Matthew 25 Ministries
11060 Kenwood Road
Cincinnati, OH 45242
Local Fresh Food Program
Grant Application:
Through collaboration with corporate in-kind product donors and with local partners, Matthew 25: Ministries receives approximately 25 – 30 pallets of perishable and ambient food per week (100 – 120 pallets of food/month) or the equivalent of 3.7 – 4.4 truckloads per month. These pallets of top-quality fresh produce as well as additional perishable and non-perishable food items are distributed to local partners to supplement the great and essential work they are doing feeding our community. The Fresh Food Program serves approximately 2,200 - 2,500 families a week through predominantly small and medium sized partners. These partners provide assistance to a variety of underserved and vulnerable populations including at risk children, youth and young adults, the homeless and the homebound as well as families and members of communities living in areas that have limited access to affordable and nutritious food.
Grant Evaluation Report:
The Fresh Food Program focuses on small and medium sized pantries that often serve a non-mobile neighborhood population and have limited additional resources for their supplies. The Fresh Food Program has also provided significant assistance to partners who serve niche groups of individuals in creative ways. The Fresh Food Program works with approximately 60 partner pantries and shelters a week to provide food and additional basic supplies for their beneficiaries.
Because of the efficiency and dedication of the FFP staff, and the commitment of our partners, thousands of families every week have better access to fresh and non-perishable, nutritionally-dense food. This is especially important with the rising cost of groceries and other living expenses. Families receiving help from these partners can then use their limited income to pay other bills or buy other needed items.
Matthew 25: Ministries works with partners to develop additional distribution programs that will fill gaps in current distribution activities and that will enhance distribution diversity and mobility. Because many of our local partners receive not only food but other essential supplies from us, the Fresh Food Program is expanding to include our essential supplies focus and in 2023 will be called The Greater Cincinnati Outreach Program. The Fresh Food Focus will continue to be a core part of this program, serving the needs of our pantry and shelter partners.
Additionally, in the summer of 2023, Matthew 25 hopes to implement a Mobile Farmers Market program that will bring fresh food to areas that have limited access to fresh and nutritious food.
Results:
For all programs and activities, Matthew 25 measures organizational output by the number of pounds, pallets and containers of aid dispensed. Organizational outcomes are measured by the quantity of pounds distributed, type of products distributed, number of locations helped, number of organizations helped and/or number of people helped. For the Fresh Food Program, we daily track pounds/pallets of food received by the program as well as pounds/pallets distributed to partners. Each partner provides us with information on their program including people/families served, communities covered etc. and we use this information to estimate the number of communities and families helped by the program. Organizational efficiency is measured by the percentage of financial and in-kind donations that are used for program activities.
Through collaboration with corporate in-kind product donors and with local partners, Matthew 25: Ministries received approximately 20 pallets of perishable and ambient food per week (approximately 85 pallets of food/month) or the equivalent of 3 truckloads per month. These pallets of top-quality fresh produce as well as additional perishable and non-perishable food items were distributed to local partners to supplement the great and essential work they are doing feeding our community.
In 2022, Matthew 25 received over 1 million pounds of food and distributed more than 1,850 pallets of fresh and nonperishable food to our partner pantries and shelters. In 2022, Matthew 25 increased the number of local pantries, shelters and other nonprofits that benefit from the program. The Fresh Food Program has been able to fulfill the needs of a wide variety of small and medium sized partner organizations.
The Fresh Food Program serves approximately 2,500 plus families a week through predominantly small and medium sized partners. These partners provide assistance to a variety of underserved and vulnerable populations including at risk children, youth and young adults, the homeless and the homebound as well as families and members of communities living in areas that have limited access to affordable and nutritious food.
Undernourishment negatively affects people’s health, productivity, sense of hope and overall well-being. A lack of food can stunt growth, slow thinking, sap energy, hinder fetal development and contribute to mental retardation. Under- or malnutrition intensifies the impact of every disease or illness. By causing poor health, low energy levels, and even mental impairment, hunger can lead to even greater poverty by reducing people's ability to work and learn.
Program Impact:
•Helping reduce the negative effects of undernourishment helps to improve general health, energy levels and cognitive function in children and adults
•Helping reduce the impacts of hunger on poverty by enhancing people's ability to work and learn, results in children who do better in school and adults who are better able to get or maintain a job
•Better educational achievements and better performance in the workplace results in families that are better able to support themselves and children who have a better, brighter future
Website:
http://www.m25m.org Amount: $25,000
Date: June 2022
