Daily News
Apr 09, 2025
The Cincinnati Health Department (CHD), Hamilton County ReSource, CareSource, Cincinnati Recreation Commission (CRC), and La Soupe teamed up to create Cincy Freeze & Feed, a program that allows residents to pick up free, nutritious meals for their families. This collaboration between health care organizations, and public and private entities is a great example of how diverse organizations can work together to benefit the communities they serve.
Hamilton County ReSource provides grant funds to local businesses, communities, nonprofits, schools, and churches that are working to reduce their landfill waste and/or increase recycling while providing valuable services to the community. ReSource provided a $15,000 Waste Reduction Innovation Grant to the City of Cincinnati Health Department’s Healthy Communities Program. CHD partnered with nonprofit CareSource, which purchased and operates two large freezers to preserve donated meals from La Soupe for those in need.
Two communities will benefit from this special program with free meal distribution at two locations: Millvale Recreation Center, serving the surrounding neighborhoods in the Beekman corridor, and Hirsch Recreation Center, serving the community of Avondale. The Cincy Freeze & Feed weekly program debuts on Wednesday, April 9, at Millvale, and Thursday, April 10, at Avondale. During the event, residents may pick up healthy meals from 5 to 7 p.m. After, freezers can be accessed during CRC’s normal operating hours.
This grant’s success is due largely to the partners that are excited to achieve the shared goal of reducing wasted food while tending to the needs of Cincinnati residents. “This Cincy Freeze & Feed project is a unique collaborative effort, years in the making, between multiple organizations with a united goal of improving access to healthy foods while simultaneously reducing food waste. By working together, we've been able to bring forward a program that will make a bigger impact on food security in Cincinnati than any of our organizations could achieve alone,” said Tiffany White, MPH, RD, LD, CLC, Healthy Communities Programs Manager, Cincinnati Health Department.
“The Waste Reduction Innovation Grant program is designed to prioritize landfill waste reduction programs that makes the best use of resources. When it comes to surplus food, donation and upcycling is the most preferred method, making this project an ideal grant recipient,” stated Resource’s Cher Mohring, Resource Recovery Senior Specialist.
La Soupe’s mission to bridge the gap between food waste and hunger by transforming surplus ingredients into nutritious meals for those in need through the power of chefs, aligned perfectly with the grant’s objective. “In 2024, La Soupe transformed over 1.2 million servings and shared them with agencies across Cincinnati. This partnership with CHD and CareSource ensures that our meals are making it into the hands of our neighbors through trusted and accessible community locations,” explained Amy Scarpello, La Soupe’s Rescue Share Director.
“As a local resident and someone deeply committed to the well-being of our communities, I am thrilled about the Cincy Freeze & Feed Program,” said Judith Davis, Ph.D., Vice President, Clinical Operations CareSource Ohio. “This initiative will create a crucial food access point for two neighborhoods in Cincinnati, providing essential resources to those who need it most. Additionally, it will educate our community on nutrition and food waste reduction. This program took many months of collective impact to build. I’m proud of the launch and shared vision among each partner.
CareSource is a nonprofit, nationally recognized managed care organization with over two million members. CareSource administers one of the largest Medicaid managed care plans in the U.S. The organization offers health insurance, including Medicaid, Health Insurance Marketplace and Medicare products. As a mission-driven organization, CareSource is transforming health care with innovative programs that address the social determinants of health, prevention and access to care.
The Cincinnati Health Department is committed to protecting and improving the health of the people of Cincinnati and is a nationally recognized leader in public health. CHD advocates for responsive health and human services that promote healthy living environments and social wellbeing. It strives to reduce inequities such as poverty and unemployment, which often negatively impact people’s health.
“Providing free, healthy food resources anonymously helps reduce the stigma often associated with hunger and food insecurity, allowing families to access support without fear or judgement, especially in areas that have been historically underserved by Cincinnati’s food system,” said Jasmine Robinson, Public Health Educator for the Healthy Communities Program at the Cincinnati Health Department.
Daniel Betts, Director of Cincinnati Recreation Commission, stated: “Access to healthy, nutritious food should be a fundamental right for everyone. Through partnerships with the Cincinnati Health Department, Hamilton County ReSource, CareSource, and La Soupe, we’re taking meaningful steps to address food insecurity while supporting the dignity of our community members. Our recreation centers are more than just spaces – they’re places of nourishment and support. This program reflects the power of collaboration and our commitment to healthier, more resilient neighborhoods.”