Holding the Line When Stability Faltered

As we look back on 2025, one phrase echoed again and again in conversations at the Food Pantry:

“I never thought this would happen.”

We heard it as federal funding cuts reduced the amount of food available through the Mid-Ohio Food Collective, leaving pantry shelves thinner than we had seen in years.
We heard it as rising housing and food costs pushed more neighbors into crisis, even those who had never needed help before.
We heard it during the federal shutdown, when paychecks stopped coming and uncertainty took hold.
And we heard it in early November, when SNAP benefits were cut off, something that had never happened before in the history of the program.

For many of our neighbors, 2025 was the year that stability quietly disappeared.

But alongside that refrain was another, one that carried a very different tone:

“I knew this would happen.”

When the need increased, Broadstreeters showed up.
Food donations increased.
Financial gifts arrived right when they were needed most.
Volunteers stepped forward, often on short notice, to make sure no one was turned away.

There were days when as many as 110 families came through the pantry doors, each one greeted with dignity, compassion, and care because people said yes to serving.

Because of you, more people received more food.
Because of you, shelves were refilled.
Because of you, neighbors were reminded that they are not alone.

Thank you for the time you gave, the resources you shared, the energy you offered, and the care you continue to show. This ministry exists because of a community that believes responding to need is part of who we are.

As we step into a new year, I am deeply grateful for your generosity, your faithfulness, and your willingness to act when it mattered most.

Happy New Year,

Kathy Kelly Long
Food Pantry Director