Explanation
This ordinance authorizes the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a grant agreement with the Clintonville-Beechwold Community Resource Center (CRC) in support of the Family Services and Choice Food Pantry.
CRC’s Family Services and Choice Food Pantry provided a record nearly half million (450,000+) meals to hungry neighbors from 66 zip codes in 2017. This figure does not include the thrice-weekly community dinners and sack lunches CRC provided. Refugees and immigrants make up 40% of Family Services clients. Some clients include homeless families, but many are “working poor” with insufficient income to meet basic needs. Many decide between paying bills and feeding their children.
Of U.S. families visiting pantries, 55% are eligible for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Of remaining 45% of households, 13% are eligible for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) and federal school lunches. Thus, approximately 32% rely solely on agencies like CRC. In a household survey, 57% of CRC’s clients indicated that their family did not have enough food to eat for at least one day out of each month. With every pantry visit, families receive 7-10 days of shelf-stable food and access to weekly fresh produce. On average, CRC hands out 10,000 pounds of fresh produce per week through a partnership with the Mid-Ohio Foodbank.
CRC is a neighborhood-based settlement house with a wide array of service and 45 years of experience. Clients know that when emergency food needs are met, CRC Family Services can then provide help and referrals for housing, clothing, finances and other necessities. CRC provides critical services for families in need, and this grant support will help to ensure the sustainability of programming.
Fiscal Impact: Funding is available within the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund.
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a grant agreement with the Clintonville-Beechwold Community Resource Center (CRC) in support of the Family Services and Choice Food Pantry; and to authorize an appropriation and expenditure within the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund. ($33,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the Clintonville-Beechwold Community Resource Center’s (CRC) Family Services and Choice Food Pantry provided a record nearly half million (450,000+) meals to hungry neighbors from 66 zip codes in 2017; and
WHEREAS, refugees and immigrants make up forty percent of Family Services clients, with some clients experiencing homelessness, while many more are “working poor” with insufficient income to meet basic needs; and
WHEREAS, nearly one-third of CRC clients rely solely on agencies like CRC for food security, and more than half indicated that their family did not have enough food to eat for at least one day out of each month; and
WHEREAS, on average, CRC hands out 10,000 pounds of fresh produce per week through a partnership with the Mid-Ohio Foodbank; and
WHEREAS, CRC provides critical services for families in need, and this grant support will help to ensure the sustainability of programming; and
WHEREAS, it has become necessary in the usual daily operation of the Department of Development to authorize the Director to enter into a grant agreement with the CRC in support of the Family Services and Choice Food Pantry; now, therefore,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Director of the Department of Development is hereby authorized to enter into a grant agreement with the Clintonville-Beechwold Community Resource Center (CRC) in support of the Family Services and Choice Food Pantry.
SECTION 2. That the City Auditor is hereby authorized and directed to appropriate $33,000.00 in the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund, fund 1000, subfund 100018, to the Department of Development per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That the expenditure of $33,000.00 or so much thereof as may be needed pursuant to the actions authorized in SECTION 1, is hereby authorized in the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund, fund 1000, subfund 100018 per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 4. 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 legislation.
SECTION 5. That this ordinance shall be in force and take effect at the earliest date allowable under law.