About Us
1 in 5 Kids in Ohio are Food Insecure
Childhood Hunger in Ohio
Over 400,000 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
Our mission is to ensure that children without access receive healthy food, nutrition education and physical activity.
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
*Aaron Ockerman (Chair)
President
Ockerman Consulting
Nikki Scarpitti (Vice Chair)
Executive Director
The Walter Foundation
*John Kompa (Past Chair)
Vice President, Inv. Relations & Public Affairs
Hexion
*Ryan Hecht (Treasurer)
Assurance Partner
BDO USA, LLP
*Steve Rigdon (Secretary)
Managing Director
KPMG US
Lisa Dodge (Advisory Member)
Vice President
Sean P. Dunn & Associates
Masa Abdelhadi
Partner
EY
Sathu Alagappan
Community Member
Christine Arvay
Board Member
The Haven Home
*Kelli Berner
Chief People Officer
The Champion Companies
Heather Brockler
Vice President, People and Culture
Cleveland Cavaliers
Sheldon Clarke
Vice President of Engineering, Head of Claims & Benefits Platforms
Northwestern Mutual
*Frank Combs
Executive Director, CPP
PPAC at Nationwide Children’s Hospital
Trish English
SVP, Finance
Cardinal Health
Steve Forry
Corporate Counsel
BMW Financial Services
Abigail Goolsby
Director of Operations
UPS
Janice Innis-Thompson
SVP, Corporate Litigation & Legal Operations
Nationwide Insurance
* Executive Committee Member
Jennifer Jarrell
Deputy Chief Communications Officer
Ohio Department of Commerce
*Skyler Kalady
Pediatrician
Nationwide Children’s Hospital
Lisa Kelso
Vice President, Regulatory & Finance
AEP Ohio
Erica Krumlauf
COO
Leading EDJE
Brenda Lemon
Library Media Specialist
Logan-Hocking School District
Nicole Loar
Vice President
U.S. Bank
Theresa Olson
M&A Integration Program Manager
JPMorgan Chase & Co.
Chris Potelicki
Account Manager
Eclipse Creative
Brett Radulovich
Vice President, Strategy & Risk Operations
NiSource
Dawn Riedel
Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer
CAS
Chana Russell
Accounting Manager
Paul Werth
John Singleton
Partner
Government Advantage Group, LLP
Tyler Smith
Director
Community Health-Lima at Bon Secours Mercy Health
*Laurie Starner
Sr. Communications Strategist Lead
JPMorgan Chase & Co.
Ryen Stewart
Commercial Banking Relationship Manager
Fifth Third Bank
Bryan White
Vice President
Huntington National Bank
Regional Advisory Boards
Brett Radulovich (Chair)
NiSource/Columbia Gas
Ann Whisler (Vice Chair)
Berkshire Hathaway Shoe Holdings
Ashley Allen
Crowe LLP
Jessie Flowers
The Ohio State University
Stephanie Johnson
Battelle
Jason Roche
Bob Evans
Mike Walter
United Healthcare
Tyler Smith (Chair)
Mercy Health
Jeremy Hartle
Croak Asset Management
Bailey Koester
Renhill
Dave Kontur
Lucas County Family & Children First Council
Jeff Little
Sun Federal Credit Union
Christine Arvay (Chair)
Cleveland to Community Member
Vince Direnzo
Eaton Corporation
Jeff Markowski
UPS
Tiffanie Riggs
Humana
Roopa Thakur
Cleveland Clinic
Brenda Lemon (Chair)
Logan-Hocking Local School District
Steve Denny
Winton Woods City Schools
Jess Mayambi
Nordson
Cathy Ponitz
Community Volunteer
Jesse Reed
CareSource
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, 2021 and September 30, 2022.
100,000+
Ronald And Paula Raymond Charitable Foundation
Elaine & Henry Fischer
50,000+
In Kind:
The Hire Family Foundation
25,000+
Harry C. Moores Foundation
Mercy Health - St. Rita’s Medical Center LLC
10,000+
The AES Ohio Foundation
The Andrew Jergens Foundation
Children’s Practicing Pediatricians
Crane Group
Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation
Edelweiss Foundation
First Merchants Bank
Genworth Life Insurance
Greif, Inc.
HealthSCOPE Benefits, Inc.
Ingram-White Castle Foundation
J.E. Fehsenfeld Family Foundation
Johnson Charitable Gift Fund
Kettering Family Philanthropies
Mathile Family Foundation
Ohio Children’s Foundation
Owens-Illinois
The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc.
PNC Foundation
Roach Family Foundation
Rocky Community Improvement Fund
The Spirit Airlines Charitable Foundation
Synthomer Foundation
T.J. Maxx
Thatcher Family Fund
United Way of Central Ohio
US Bank
The Robert Weiler Company
Wohlgemuth Herschede Foundation
InKind
Else Nutrition GH LTD
5,000+
American Electric Power
Cardinal Health, Inc.
Champion Foodservice, LLC.
The Champion Companies
Cincinnati Bengals
Cleveland Browns Foundation
Columbia Gas/NiSource Charitable Foundation
Community Health Foundation
Crowe LLP (Columbus Office)
Crown Battery
DLZ Corporation
Encova Insurance
Enterprise Holdings Foundation
First Financial Foundation
Innovation Foods
J.P. Morgan Chase & Co.
Gillian Thomson and Kent Johnson
Kaulig Capital LLC
KPMG LLP
Michael Lefenfeld
Nestle
Northwestern Mutual - The Kemelgor Financial Group
Ohio Education Association
The Ohio State University
The Reynolds and Reynolds Company
Jasmine and Robert Ryu
Burton E. Stevenson Fund
TSG Advice Partners
Unnewehr Foundation
The Wendy’s Company
Whole Foods Market
InKind
Eclipse Creative
Financials
FISCAL YEAR 2023
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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