Gallia County Foundation campaign aims to fight hunger – one pig at a time
GALLIPOLIS, Ohio – The Gallia County Foundation (GCF) is uniting local residents, businesses and organizations in a shared effort to help community members facing food insecurity.
GCF will hold its fourth annual Fill the Freezer campaign at the 2026 Gallia County Fair. The campaign invites buyers at the Aug. 8 livestock sale to donate their hog purchases and others to donate money to cover the meat processing costs to fill the freezers of the county’s food pantries and fight hunger – one pig at a time. This year’s campaign is being supported by a funding award from the Pallottine Foundation of Huntington.
GCF debuted its Fill the Freezer campaign at the 2023 Gallia County Fair. To date, the campaign has yielded nearly 11,000 pounds of sausage to feed Gallia County residents.
“Year after year, the people of Gallia County have proven their generosity by putting thousands of pounds of protein into the hands of our neighbors who need it most while also supporting our 4-H and FFA youth,” said Olivia Rees, GCF committee member. “Every hog donated and every dollar given toward processing is a meaningful investment in the well-being of our communities.”
GCF’s Fill the Freezer campaign is held in partnership with the Gallia County Fair board, local 4-H and FFA members, the Southeast Ohio Foodbank, and local food pantries and meat processors.
Meat donated through Fill the Freezer helps individuals and families in Gallia County, where 17 percent of the population experiences food insecurity, as well as the food pantries striving to fill that need. The Southeast Ohio Foodbank, which serves 10 Appalachian Ohio counties including Gallia County, reports that only 12 percent of the commodities it receives and distributes to its member food pantries is perishable protein like frozen meat, poultry and seafood.
GCF is one of a growing number of Foundation for Appalachian Ohio affiliate foundation partners spearheading or supporting Fill the Freezer and similar campaigns. In 2025 alone, more than 33,000 pounds of fresh, local protein – one of the most expensive staples for both families stretched thin and the food pantries that serve them – were donated through these programs. The campaign is expanding to several additional counties this year.