How and when did the non-profit get started?
Need to Feed started this past April. After being sent home from college due to the pandemic, I wanted to do something useful with my time and give back to the community.
The banning of large gatherings led to many homeless shelters having to turn people away and shut their doors. This made it even more difficult than it already is for homeless people to find food and shelter. Cuyahoga County is higher than the national average for food insecurity at around 20% of the population, and that number got even higher due to COVID-19. I knew I had to do something to help.
What are the mission and vision of the non-profit?
The mission of Need to Feed is to provide the homeless with filling meals and to put a smile on their face. A little bit can really go a long way for these individuals.
What is your focus in now? Who do you help and why?
Our focus is Cleveland and surrounding areas, but we are expanding our program to Akron as well. As I said above, Cuyahoga County has a food insecurity crisis and a homelessness crisis, and any amount of help is beneficial. We want to make these tough times a little bit easier on them and to have them at least know where their next meal will be coming from.
Where is the non-profit headed? What do you hope to accomplish in the future?
As we approach our fourth delivery date on August 1st, this is unfortunately going to be the last one in the area for right now. I am headed back to college in Los Angeles where I plan on continuing this program out there though! As much as I love feeding these individuals and seeing the community come together, I hope that there will be real change so that the percentage of those who are food insecure or homeless is not so high.
How can people get involved? (Volunteer, donate, support, etc.)
People can sign up to volunteer to deliver meals through our website and can also donate through our GoFundMe page.
Follow Need to Feed on social media
- Instagram: @need.to.feed
Special thanks to Kendall Lord, founder of Need to Feed for sending these answers and providing photos. If you’d like a non-profit you’re involved with to be featured on the Everyday Akron blog, please reach out.
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