Explanation
BACKGROUND
This ordinance authorizes the City Clerk to enter into a grant agreement with Greater Columbus Community House, a non-profit corporation, in support of Christmas Cares/Unions Share 2026 event.
Greater Columbus Community House & the Central Ohio Labor Council, AFL-CIO are collaborating for the 72nd year to brighten the holiday season for those individuals and families who find themselves in a critical position due to situations such as stretched incomes, job lay-offs, today’s economy, and rising food costs. In 2025, Greater Columbus Community House and the AFL-CIO served 3,491 households, distributing 150 pounds of food - meat, grains, non-perishables, fresh produce and frozen foods to each household. Requested funds will assist the program in purchasing food for distribution.
Council deems the distribution of food and non-alcoholic beverages associated with Christmas Cares/Union Shares to be in the pubic interest in that it serves to mitigate the impact of food insecurity.
Fiscal Impact: Funds ($70,000.00) are available within the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund.
Emergency Designation: 30-day legislation would not go into effect until late December, which is after the completion of the Christmas Cares/Unions Share efforts. To have funds be available for support in a timely manner, and to have the purchase order be in effect prior to the start of the initiative, emergency action is required.
Title
To authorize the City Clerk to enter into a grant agreement with Greater Columbus Community House in support of Christmas Cares/Unions Share; to authorize an appropriation and expenditure within the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund; and to declare an emergency. ($70,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, Christmas Cares/Unions Share is a collaboration between Greater Columbus Community House and the Central Ohio Labor Council as well as many community partners; and
WHEREAS, the goal of the program is to help with food insecurity during the Christmas Holiday through the distribution of a 150-pound food basket to those households who are finding themselves in a financial hardship due to job layoffs, fixed/stretched incomes, evictions, or rising costs of rent and utilities; and
WHEREAS, this is the 72nd year of the Christmas Care/Unions Share initiative which serves thousands of families each year; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the City Clerk in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the City Clerk to enter into a grant agreement with Greater Columbus Community House in support of Christmas Cares/Unions Share to provide timely funding prior to completion of the Christmas Cares/Unions Share efforts, all for the immediate preservation of the public health, peace, property, safety and welfare; and NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the City Clerk is hereby authorized to enter into a grant agreement with Greater Columbus Community House in support of Christmas Cares/Unions Share.
SECTION 2. That the Auditor is hereby authorized and directed to appropriate $70,000.00 within the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund, fund 1000, subfund 100018, per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That the expenditure of $70,000.00, or so much thereof as may be needed pursuant to the action authorized in SECTION 1, is authorized in the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund, fund 1000, subfund 100018, per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance, and that all or part of said expenditure may be used for the purpose of procuring food and non-alcoholic beverages, which City Council hereby finds to be for a proper public purpose, provided however that, in no case may food or alcoholic beverage expenses incurred prior to the effective date of this Ordinance be paid or reimbursed from funds authorized by this Ordinance.
SECTION 4. That the funds necessary to carry out the purpose of this Ordinance are deemed appropriated, and the City Auditor shall establish such accounting codes as necessary.
SECTION 5. That the City Auditor is authorized to make any accounting changes to revise the funding source for all contracts or contract modifications associated with this ordinance.
SECTION 6. That for the reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this ordinance is hereby declared to be an emergency measure and shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage and approval by the Mayor or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.