About Us

LSS offers a system of food pantries, providing nourishment and hope throughout Ohio.

Through storefront pantries, mobile distributions and produce distributions in 11 Ohio counties, thousands of families and individuals count on the LSS Food Pantries every month. The LSS Food Pantries were honored to provide more than 2 million meals last fiscal year.

The majority of our clients use our pantries occasionally to weather unexpected or temporary situations such as a car repair or a reduction in the week’s work hours.  Our pantries can help sustain families through these one-time or temporary events, so they don’t spiral into deeper poverty and require additional community resources.

However, seniors and persons with disabilities on fixed incomes use our pantries as much as possible. Our pantry provides access to healthy food they otherwise can’t afford or helps stretch their resources so they can purchase needed medication or pay their rent.  We can help prevent an extreme health or housing crisis requiring more public resources.

Pantries provide both shelf-stable and perishable groceries to Ohio families suffering from food insecurity and hunger.

The Choice Model

The choice food pantry model allows clients to select their own foods within the USDA food groups. Individuals and families can choose the food they like and will use. The choice food pantry concept respects the dignity of our participants by allowing them to choose what they want and need to support their households. It also allows the LSS Food Pantries to be a better steward of our donated or purchased food by eliminating the chance of giving out items that will not be used. Each family receives enough food for every family member to eat for at least three days.

What’s the difference between a food pantry and a food bank?

Food pantries and food banks are both important sources of emergency food for our hungry neighbors but serve different functions. Typically, food banks offer food to food pantries, and food pantries offer food directly to families. Our food pantries serve Ohio residents who suffer from hunger and food insecurity in very specific cities and zip codes. Pantries rely on partners like a food bank to provide the food that we distribute to hungry families. However, there is a nominal maintenance charge the food pantry must pay to the food bank to help offset the cost of handling and delivery, and a food bank does not typically provide assistance directly to the public. The LSS Food Pantries supplement the food purchased from Mid-Ohio Foodbank with donations from local businesses, congregations and organizations, as well as purchases from wholesalers.

About Us

The Choice Model

What’s the difference between a food pantry and a food bank?

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