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Manage episode 500726429 series 3683402
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A ground-level primer on Portage County’s hunger crisis—how the pandemic exposed long-standing gaps, what ALICE reveals that federal poverty stats miss, and how county leaders tried to plug holes with ARPA funds.
You’ll hear from:
- John Kennedy, Portage County Treasurer
- Sabrina Christian-Bennett, Portage County Commissioner
In this episode:
- The moment hunger got personal: families living in cars at a single pantry stop.
- Kent vs. Ravenna: visible prosperity, hidden need—and why Portage is a microcosm of the country.
- ALICE vs. poverty rate: why 23% under ALICE (and 60%+ in Kent City) reframes the scale of hunger locally.
- What ARPA enabled (and couldn’t): rapid grants, pop-up pantries, moving dollars to the Foodbank to cut red tape.
- Rural barriers: food deserts, no transit, the cost of distance.
- The collaboration problem: breaking “silo mentality” so people actually find help.
Resources mentioned:
- ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) methodology
- Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank
- United Way Portage County
- 211 (call or 211.org) for local services
Credits:
Reporting/hosting by Ben & Patrick Childers. Editing/mix/master by Patrick. Fact-check by Dash Lewis. Story edit by Jenna Marson. Artwork by Migs Sunny. Original music by L.T. Headtrip.
Mentioned in this episode:
Neighbors In Need: Portage County Emergency Support Drive
5 episodes
