About Us
1 in 5 Kids in Ohio are Food Insecure
Childhood Hunger in Ohio
Over 500,000 children across Ohio live in food-insecure households. That means 1 in 5 children are unsure of where their next meal is coming from. This is the lowest number in decades due to many special programs available during the pandemic.
Our Mission
Children’s Hunger Alliance helps children reach their full potential, providing nutritious meals and food education right where they are, every day of the year.
How Children's Hunger Alliance can help
Founded in 1970, Children’s Hunger Alliance is a statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to ending childhood hunger.
We collaborate with organizations throughout Ohio to provide nutritious meals to at-risk children who need them most. CHA partners with in-home childcare providers, childcare centers, afterschool and summer programs to provide balanced, healthy meals to children in their care. Additionally, we work with schools to increase breakfast participation and provide weekend meals to students. Our team of educators also deliver nutrition education and lead children in physical activities to provide a balanced approach to childhood health.
Children’s Hunger Alliance has a team of 50 professionals throughout the state who are passionate about ending childhood hunger in Ohio’s 88 counties. Our home office is in Columbus, Ohio with regional offices in Cincinnati, Cleveland and Toledo.
Our Programs
IN-HOME CHILDCARE PROVIDERS
We partner with more than 500 In-Home Childcare providers to ensure they offer nutritious meals to children in their care.
CHILDCARE CENTERS
We partner with approximately 65 Childcare Centers to provide healthy meals to the children in their centers.
TEACHING HEALTHY HABITS
Education is key to ensuring kids and their caregivers understand the importance of nutrition and how it fuels overall health. We provide nutrition education in childcare centers, afterschool programs, and at summer sites.
SCHOOL BREAKFAST
We work with schools to increase school breakfast participation and in some situations, we provide financial grants to ensure students start the day with a healthy meal.
AFTERSCHOOL MEALS
We partner with approximately 250 afterschool programs to provide healthy meals and snacks to children at the end of their school day.
SUMMER MEALS
We sponsor approximately 150 summer sites to help fill the meal gap many children face during the summer. Only 10% of children who receive free or reduced meals during the school year have access to a summer meal program, much works needs to be done to provide children with the food they need during the summer.
Our Leadership
Michelle M. Brown
President and Chief Executive Officer
Michele Marra
Senior Vice President, Finance & Operations
Shannon Amos
Vice President, Programs
Joy Kouns-Lewis
Vice President,
Human Resources & Risk
Cindi Marshall
Vice President, Development
Governing Board of Directors
Nikki Scarpitti (Chair)
Executive Director
Walter Foundation
Frank Combs (Vice Chair)
Executive Director, CPP
PPAC at Nationwide Children’s Hospital
Aaron Ockerman (Past Chair)
President
Ockerman Consulting
Steve Rigdon (Treasurer)
Managing Director
KPMG
Janice Innis-Thompson (Secretary)
SVP, Corporate Litigation & Legal Operations
Nationwide Insurance
Masa Abdelhadi (Development Chair)
Partner
EY
Skyler Kalady (At-Large Member)
Pediatrician
Nationwide Children’s Hospital
Lisa Kelso (At-Large Member)
Vice President, Customer Experience
AEP
Chana Russell (At-Large Member)
Accounting Manager
Paul Werth
Sathu Alagappan
Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Access, and Belonging
Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
Irene Alvarez
Chief Marketing and Communications Officer
The Columbus Partnership
Heather Brockler
Vice President, People and Culture
Cleveland Cavaliers
Trish English
SVP, Finance
Cardinal Health
Steve Forry
Corporate Counsel
BMW Financial Services
Dr. Carolyn Guther
Associate Professor
Ohio State College of Nursing
Jennifer Jarrell
Chief Communications Coordinator
Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services
Erica Krumlauf
COO
Leading EDJE
Jeff Marx
Vice President and Treasurer
Hexion
John Oberle
Partner
Ice Miller
Chris Potelicki
Account Manager
Eclipse Creative
Brett Radulovich
SVP, Financial Planning & Analysis
NiSource Inc.
Dawn Riedel
Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer
CAS
Ryen Stewart
Commercial Banking Relationship Manager
Fifth Third Bank
Bryan White
Vice President
Huntington National Bank
Lisa Dodge (Emeritus Member)
President
Statehouse Impact Group
Regional Development Boards
Ann Whisler (Chair)
Key Account Director, Berkshire Hathaway Footwear
Eric Brummett
VP Finance, Safelite
Lauren Drinkwine
Vice President, Continental Building
Kim Frey
VP Business Transformation, The Marzetti Company
Stephanie Johnson
Project Manager, Nationwide Children's Hospital
Jason Roche
VP Marketing, Bob Evans Farms Portfolio
Jean Showalter
AVP, Corporate Legal Ops. Mgr. & Asst. Secretary, Grange Insurance
Lindsey VanMeter
SVP, HR & Operations, CASTO
Tyler Smith (Chair)
Director, Community Health, Mercy Health-St. Rita's Medical Center
Todd Boyer
VP Corporate Communications, Ohio Mutual Insurance Group
Jeremy Hartle
Wealth Management Associate, Croak Asset Management
Jennifer Kovacs
Production Manager, Designetics, Inc.
Jeff Little
Director of Wealth Management, Sun Federal Credit Union
Holly Taylor
Financial Service Officer, Superior Credit Union
Vince Direnzo (Chair)
Manager Business Development and Mergers and Acquisitions, Bendix Corporation
Roopa Thakur
M.D Medical Director of Youth Strategies and Community Health Strategies, Cleveland Clinic Foundation
Bridget Hawes
Donor Advised Fund Officer, The Cleveland Foundation
Tiffanie Riggs
Manager - Health Equity and Community Relations, Humana Healthy Horizons of Ohio
Natalia Steel, Esq.
Partner, Vorys
Steven Shein, M.D.
Chief of Pediatric Emergency Medicine and Critical Care, Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital of University Hospitals of Cleveland
Steve Denny (Chair)
Superintendent, Winton Woods City Schools
Shawn Cable
Manager, Distribution System
Cathy Ponitz
Community Volunteer
Jesse Reed
Director Life Services Ohio, CareSource
Nicole Taulbee
Senior Data Analyst, Ameritas
Donors
We are very grateful for the generosity of the individuals, groups, businesses, foundations and friends that partner with us in the fight against childhood hunger. Together, we’re making a difference in the lives of the food-insecure children throughout Ohio. The gifts and grants reported here reflect funding received between October 1, 2023 and September 30, 2024.
400,000+
100,000+
Mercy Health - St. Rita’s Medical Center LLC
The Ronald and Paula Raymond Foundation
50,000+
Fischer Family Foundation
The Hire Family Foundation
In Kind:
25,000+
Harry C. Moores Foundation
Margaret and Robert Walter Foundation
10,000+
Beth Crane and Richard McKee
ASG + Chute Gerdeman
Burton E. Stevenson Fund
Champion Foodservice, LLC.
Charter Next Generation
Children’s Practicing Pediatricians
Citizens National Bank
Crane Group
Edelweiss Foundation
First Merchants Bank
FirstEnergy Foundation
Greif, Inc.
Happy Daz Charities
HealthSCOPE Benefits, Inc.
Hexion Inc.
Huntington National Bank
Ingram-White Castle Foundation
J.E. Fehsenfeld Family Foundation
Kettering Family Philanthropies
KeyBank Foundation
Leading EDJE
Liberty Mutual Insurance | State Auto Insurance
M&O Property Solutions
Mathile Family Foundation
NJM Insurance Group
Nordson Corporation Foundation
Ohio Children’s Foundation
Owens-Illinois
Performance Columbus
PPG Foundation
Roach Family Foundation
SC Ministry Foundation
Siemer Family Foundation
Springfield Foundation
Synthomer Foundation
T. Marzetti Company
Thatcher Family Fund
The AES Ohio Foundation
The Andrew Jergens Foundation
The National Machinery Foundation, Inc.
The Ohio State University Office of Student Life
The Robert Weiler Company
The Sam S. and Rose Stein Foundation
Universal Pallets Inc.
US Bank
Wohlgemuth Herschede Foundation
Worthington Moose Family Center 1427
In-Kind
Because I Said I Would
Universal Pallets Inc.
5,000+
Gillian Thomson and Kent Johnson
Jasmine and Robert Ryu
American Electric Power
Ar-Hale Family Foundation
Columbus Foundation Fellowship Fund
Crowe LLP
Dana Open
DLZ Corporation
Eaton Corporation
Encova Insurance
Ernst & Young
First Financial Foundation
General Mills Foundation
Kaulig Capital LLC
KPMG LLP
Meijer Store #114
Nationwide Children’s Hospital
Ohio Education Association
Quantum Health
Stonehenge Partners
Superior Credit Union, Inc.
Sysco
The Ohio State University
TSG Advice Partners
Westerville Sunrise Rotary Foundation
In-Kind
Mills James
Eclipse Creative
Careers
Join Our Team
Children's Hunger Alliance is looking for dedicated people who want to make an impact on the lives of Ohio's kids.
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