In Appalachian Ohio, food insecurity rates top 20 percent in some counties. But across the region, communities are putting food on the tables of neighbors with not enough to eat – thanks to an innovative and growing campaign spearheaded by FAO’s affiliate foundation partners.

In 2021, the Community Foundation for Perry County, one of FAO’s 15 affiliate foundation partners, debuted the Fill the Freezer campaign. The campaign invited buyers at the Perry County Fair’s livestock sale to donate their hog purchases to fill the freezers of the county’s food pantries, and others to donate money to cover the meat processing costs. The goal? To fight hunger – one pig and pound at a time.

What started as a pilot program has grown into a summer tradition of giving that is putting food on the tables of those who are struggling while supporting those working on the front lines of food insecurity.

Tony Fiore, Community Foundation for Perry County president

In partnership with FAO, county fair boards, local 4-H and FFA members, local foodbanks and pantries, and meat processors, the campaign has now expanded to 12 additional counties:

The NiSource Charitable Foundation and Columbia Gas have awarded the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio a grant through its Columbia Promise Fund to support several Fill the Freezer campaigns across our region. The Columbia Promise Fund awards transformational grants to organizations committed to becoming agents of change and supports new or expanded programs.

The impact

In 2026 alone, 465 animals were donated through these campaigns, generating 42,635 pounds and counting (pending final numbers from the Guernsey County campaign) of fresh, local meat to feed those who need it most. Over the past six years, the campaigns have provided a combined 134,000+ pounds of meat. And in Perry County, Fill the Freezer has provided enough meat to stock the county’s food pantries year-round for the past four years.

Fill the Freezer helps to fill a need among those experiencing food insecurity and the food pantries who serve them – providing high-quality protein. The Southeast Ohio Foodbank, which serves 10 Appalachian Ohio counties and partners with many of our affiliate foundations on Fill the Freezer, reports that only 12 percent of the commodities it receives and distributes to food pantries include perishable protein like frozen meat, poultry and seafood. Meat is among the most expensive grocery items, making it often unaffordable for families living on lower incomes and food pantries who often must opt for less expensive options like peanut butter or dry beans.

2026 Fill the Freezer results

Across our region, communities are putting food on the tables of families in need, supporting those working on the front lines of food insecurity and demonstrating the difference we can all make when we work together.

To learn about how you can support these programs, email info@ffao.org or call 740.753.1111.