Changemaker of the Year Award

Fill the Freezer – 2025

It started with a simple question: What if the individuals, businesses and organizations who support local 4-H and FFA youth by buying the pigs they raise and then sell at the county fair’s livestock sale donated those purchases to fill the freezers of local food pantries?

The Community Foundation for Perry County (CFPC), an FAO affiliate foundation partner, put that question to the test in 2021. Forty-four pigs were donated, others provided funds to cover the meat processing costs, and more than 5,000 pounds of sausage were provided to Perry County’s food pantries. By its third year, CFPC’s Fill the Freezer campaign was providing enough sausage to stock the county’s food pantries for an entire year.

Over the past five years, similar campaigns have expanded to six additional counties served by FAO affiliate foundation partners: Hocking, Gallia, Vinton, Harrison, Lawrence and Morgan counties. In 2025, a total of 225 animals were donated through these campaigns, resulting in 33,011 pounds of meat to feed those who need it most.

Since 2021, the program has provided a combined 92,000 pounds of fresh, local protein – vital nourishment that is among the most expensive grocery items for both households and the food pantries that assist them. Earlier this year, the program received state recognition when Philanthropy Ohio presented Julie Paxton, the driving force behind CFPC’s Fill the Freezer campaign, its Philanthropy Innovation Award.

Learn more about Fill the Freezer.

Watch the Fill the Freezer Changemaker of the Year video

Ohio Optometric Association and Foundation, Vision To Learn and the Ohio Treasurer of State’s Office - 2023

These visionaries and collaborators behind FAO’s iSee with Vision To Learn program are a testament to the collective impact of giving and the results made possible through partnership. iSee with Vision To Learn provides free vision screenings, eye exams and prescription glasses through mobile vision clinics at schools.

Each partner brought their own unique gifts to make this program possible and successful. The Ohio Optometric Association and Ohio Optometric Foundation provided technical knowledge of vision care and funding, connected eye doctors with the program and created a continuum of care for students. Vision To Learn, a national nonprofit, brought expertise in mobile vision service delivery to work with schools and other youth-serving organizations to coordinate the program across the region. The Ohio Treasurer of State’s office recognized the promise of this program as its first ResultsOHIO pay-for-success project, measuring its success through vision exam and eyeglasses rates.

In 2023, iSee with Vision to Learn became the first project to successfully complete the ResultsOHIO program, and the Ohio Legislature appropriated funds to begin statewide expansion of the program.

Read about the impact of iSee with Vision To Learn

African American Community Fund committee - 2022

The leaders of the African American Community Fund (AACF), one of FAO’s 15 affiliate foundation partners, are a beautiful example of what a group of diverse individuals united by passion can achieve together.

This group was recognized for growing philanthropic resources that are elevating the quality of life for Appalachian Ohio’s African American community.

Established in January 2020, AACF serves as a vehicle to address disparities in the African American community and to improve the physical, economic and structural conditions that affect quality of life. In less than three years, the Fund had received more than 150 gifts, totaling nearly $500,000, and awarded more than 25 grants benefiting Black-led and Black-serving nonprofit and public organizations across the region.

Behind all that generosity is a dedicated group of visionaries and leaders who have invested time, talent, treasure and a lot of love into strengthening not only African American populations in the region, but entire communities.

Learn more about AACF

Athens County Food Pantry Board - 2022

The Athens County Food Pantry board was recognized for its visionary leadership in stewarding the outpouring of generosity following Joe Burrow’s 2019 Heisman Trophy acceptance speech.

Burrow’s words prompted thousands of donors – individuals, businesses and organizations – to give to fight food insecurity in his home county. With an eye toward making a lasting difference with these gifts, the Athens County Food Pantry invested $350,000 in July 2020 to create the Joe Burrow Hunger Relief Fund at FAO. With support from the Ohio Legislature, FAO matched that initial investment dollar for dollar, resulting in $700,000 for the fund. The Joe Burrow Hunger Relief Fund has grown to more than $1.65 million, and its impact has expanded beyond Athens County.

Established in 1980, the Athens County Food Pantry is an all-volunteer nonprofit organization delivering aid in the form of direct food distribution. The creation of the Joe Burrow Hunger Relief Fund, a permanent endowment, will strengthen the pantry’s mission in perpetuity.

Read more about the Joe Burrow Hunger Relief Fund