‘We can’t dial it back’: Meet 5 more groups helping residents in Akron’s food deserts

Donte Cargill will never forget watching his mother wither away from cancer and malnutrition.

When Donte was growing up, his mother, Patricia, worked multiple jobs to keep food on the table for him and his four siblings. Despite her best efforts, the family experienced food insecurity. Often, Donte wasn’t sure when his next meal would come. Sometimes, he simply went hungry.

Their father, Fredrick , died of bone cancer when Donte was 13.

Four years later, doctors discovered Patricia had stomach cancer.

She underwent a gastrectomy, a procedure to remove part or all of the stomach. When his mother could keep food down, she could only sip teaspoons of liquid or pureed food at a time.

Donte recalls visiting a local hospital for her post-op appointment, where she was told to avoid any heavy lifting during her recovery.

A few weeks later, Donte saw his mom packing boxes with items from their cupboards to take to community members who were struggling to obtain food.

About two years later, the cancer returned with a vengeance. At that point, she was too weak and malnourished to go through chemotherapy.

She died a few months later in 2001, her throat so wrecked from radiation treatments that she couldn’t drink water. But a seed was planted in Donte.

He remembered his mother packing boxes with food to help her neighbors despite her own struggles.

“What’s my excuse?” he asked himself in 2022.

Donte’s experience with poverty, food insecurity and the excruciating death of his mother inspired him to launch a nonprofit in her honor: Patricia Ann Cargill Charities.

“It just really did something to me, living through that at such a young age,” he said.

Around 29,000 Summit County residents live in a food desert, an area defined as high-poverty census blocks more than one mile from a large retail food establishment. People living in these areas are less likely to have proper nutrition, which raises their risk for obesity, diabetes and heart conditions while simultaneously lowering their life expectancy.

As part of our Grocery Gap series, the Beacon Journal is continuing to highlight community members like Donte and organizations working to eliminate Akron’s food deserts.

Here are five groups seeking to combat hunger and food insecurity in Greater Akron:

Patricia Ann Cargill Charities

Donte, his family and various volunteers with Patricia Ann Cargill Charities distribute groceries and hot meals to 150-200 people from 1 to 3 p.m. each Wednesday between Akron’s Kenmore and Summit Lake neighborhoods.

The organization takes a wrap-around approach to addressing food insecurity, as seen by its many programs.

Those hungry for information as well as food can attend nutrition education classes hosted by business partners like Aladdin’s. Institutions like US Bank and Edward Jones Investments also have worked with the charity to provide financial literacy courses.

“We’re not just providing a Band-Aid of food,” Donte said. “We go above and beyond just being a pantry. So, with Patricia Ann Cargill Charities, we’re going to try our best with our program to really lift people out of food insecurity.”

In 2024, the group fed 7,000 people and distributed over 353,000 pounds of food. Cargill said firsthand experiences with food insecurity and hunger have made him passionate about helping others.

“It’s easy for me to put myself in some of the people’s shoes that we serve because I’ve been in that place,” he said. “I’ve been in lines at food pantries. I’ve been to churches. I know what it’s like to go hungry for a night or two or three. I know what it’s like to have, ‘Hey mom, I’m hungry.’ ‘No, you just go to sleep.’”

Donte would like to expand the organization’s impact by providing packed meals to those impacted by natural disasters across the nation.

For more information, visit patriciaanncargillcharities.org.

Food Rescue US

Food Rescue US is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to reducing food waste and increasing food access with 44 locations in 23 states.

About a year ago, Katie Evans and Kim Johnson founded the Akron-area chapter. Now, more than 135 volunteers coordinate rescues throughout Medina, Summit and portions of Portage County. 

Food rescuers pick up excess food from local food donors, including retail stores, restaurants, gas stations, farmers markets and other food providers, and deliver it to local social service agencies to distribute.

So far, 18,000 pounds of food have been rescued from places like Peace Love & Little Donuts in Hudson and Tilted Farmer in Seville and donated to food pantries, senior programs, community kitchens, shelters, sober housing facilities and other groups.

Food Rescue US also educates donors about the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act and Food Donation Improvement Act, both of which provide protection from liability for donated food and promote the donation of quality food.

To learn more or sign up as a food donor or volunteer, go to htttps://foodrescue.us or email the organization at [email protected].  

Good Neighbors

Good Neighbors Food Pantry helps residents in need with emergency food, clothing and support.

The nonprofit organization has six Summit County distribution locations: Tallmadge, Cuyahoga Falls, Green and Akron’s Sherbondy Hill, Ellet and Goodyear Heights neighborhoods.

Some locations offer food, clothing, layettes, diapers, wipes, school supplies, toilet paper, personal care items, pet food, cleaning supplies, household items and Christmas giving programs.

About 100 volunteers serve about 1,000 families each month. Volunteer manager George Camilletti, 79, has volunteered at Good Neighbors for the last decade.

“We’ve increased it to a five- to seven-day amount of food, so a family of six will leave with two grocery carts,” said Camilletti, who will retire at the end of March. “And frankly, we can’t dial it back because of inflation. People are coming here that have jobs that they just can’t afford enough food to feed their families.”

The organization prefers new clients obtain a referral from a school, church, medical professional or government agency or register on the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank website to be placed on the list of recipients. Following registration, visits to a distribution location are permitted every 30 days with identification.

The federal income guidelines to qualify are $30,120 for one person; $40,880 for two people; $51,640 for three people; and $62,400 for four people. For additional household sizes, visit Good Neighbor’s website.

Good Neighbors has been around since 1957 and was founded by friends Laura McClure and Frances Watson in Akron’s North Hill neighborhood. The two started collecting clothing in their basements to help those in need.

Each Good Neighbors location has its own hours and availability of items. To learn more, visit good-neighbors.org.

Good Samaritan Hunger Center

Good Samaritan Hunger Center is a mobile food pantry that has been in operation for more than 40 years.

The organization hosts weekly food distributions in various locations across the Akron area during the last three weeks of every month. At each event, attendees are given a three- to five-day food supply.

All services are on a first come, first served basis. Participants are not required to sign up or have a referral. There is no limit to the number of times someone may attend a distribution.

Good Samaritan also operates a kids bag program at 17 Akron-area schools and programs twice a month. Volunteers meet every other Wednesday to assemble bags filled with food for students to take home for the weekend, when they may otherwise go hungry.

The group participates in the USDA’s Commodity Supplemental Food Program, which provides monthly food boxes to eligible seniors. Good Samaritan distributes the boxes, each of which provides an additional 30 pounds of food and are specifically designed to supplement nutrients typically lacking in participants’ diets. 

The Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank is the primary food source for the Good Samaritan Hunger Center. It also receives food from area businesses and through canned food drives.

The nonprofit’s long history began with Sister Jordan Haddad, a Dominican Sister of Peace who died in 2006.

For more information on volunteering opportunities or ways to donate, visit goodsamaritanhungercenter.org.

OPEN M Ministry

Opportunity Parish Ecumenical Neighborhood Ministry (OPEN M) is a nonprofit organization that provides food, health and employment services to those in need with the intent to create pathways out of poverty.

Located in Akron’s Summit Lake neighborhood, OPEN M uses its alliance of churches, businesses and thousands of volunteers to serve more than 76,000 individuals annually.

Those in need of food can choose from five food programs, ranging from food distributions to grab-n-go lunch to outdoor pantry boxes when the pantry is closed.

The organization’s health services provide free dental care, health education and prescription medications to adults who are uninsured.

OPEN M’s employment services deliver free one-on-one employment support, access to over 50 employer partners and workshops focused on job readiness, placement, retention and financial empowerment.

OPEN M was formed in 1968, when four churches came together to establish a ministry within a house on Princeton Street. They began ministering to people in backyards and on front porches.

For more information on services or to volunteer, visit openm.org.

Got a story recommendation? Contact Beacon Journal reporter Tawney Beans at [email protected] and on Twitter @TawneyBeans. And follow her adventures on TikTok @akronbeaconjournal.