ACCEL to Give Out 10,000 Pounds of Free Food

ZANESVILLE, Ohio – The Appalachian Center for Collaborative and Engaged Learning (ACCEL) has partnered with one of the state’s largest food banks to help provide 10,000 pounds of free produce to residents in need.

ACCEL and Mid-Ohio Foodbank in Columbus hope that they will be able to reach 300 people at the free produce market. Opal Lambert, who is the site coordinator for the ACCEL said that this is the first free produce market held this year but she hopes that in the future this event will be held the first Wednesday of each month.

“This is our very first one,” said Lambert. “We are really excited to partner with Mid-Ohio and with Zane State and OUZ. It’s been an ongoing process to try to get everything in order.”

The event will be June 1 from 11 a.m. till 2 p.m. at the Rogge Pavilion behind the Zane State-OUZ campus. The food distributed will be provided to those who are live 200 percent above the poverty line. Lambert said for a single-person household that would be $23,539 annually. For each additional person in the household you would add $8,320. However, Lambert says those who come to the event will not have to provide any documentation on the amount of income they receive.

“They are going to come, they’re going to sign up, they’re going to have a seat, and when we call your name, you go an pick out the produce. The only reason we have them sign up is so the pantry can keep receiving grants,” said Lambert.

The food provided will consist of whatever food is in season. Lambert asks that anyone who comes to the event bring their own bags or boxes.