Millersburg Food Run Raises $3,600 for Love Center Pantry
The seventh annual Millersburg Food Run, held July 27 and hosted by the Millersburg Seventh-day Adventist Church, donated $3,600 to the Love Center Food Pantry. Organizers say the donation can be leveraged through bulk purchasing to stretch into hundreds of thousands of pounds of food, an important boost as families brace for a pause in November SNAP benefits.
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The Millersburg Food Run on July 27 delivered a timely infusion of resources to the Love Center Food Pantry, organizers reported, donating $3,600 from the event’s proceeds. Now in its seventh year and growing with the support of local sponsors, the race has become a predictable local fundraiser feeding into the pantry’s seasonal preparedness efforts.
Love Center leaders say the donated dollars carry outsized purchasing power because of bulk buying arrangements. According to the pantry, the $3,600 can buy up to 360,000 pounds of food when procured at wholesale rates, a leverage that allows a modest cash gift to translate into a substantial volume of staples for families in need. Pantry staff have focused recent acquisitions on frozen foods and affordable turkeys to prepare for holiday demand, anticipating heavier need around Thanksgiving.
The donation arrives amid heightened concern in Holmes County about food security. Pantry leaders noted the contribution comes as families brace for a pause in November SNAP benefits, a change that can leave low-income households with a gap in assistance during a critical time for food preparation and holiday expenses. For local residents who rely on a combination of nutrition programs and charitable food distribution, those kinds of interruptions can increase pressure on community food resources.
Public health advocates highlight how consistent access to adequate food affects more than hunger. Food insecurity correlates with poorer management of chronic diseases, higher stress levels, and increased need for healthcare services. In a rural county like Holmes, where transportation and access barriers already complicate resource use, the pantry’s ability to procure and store frozen items and turkeys is an important component of community resilience.
The Millersburg Food Run’s growth reflects the wider role of community events and local sponsorships in sustaining emergency food systems. While bulk purchasing stretches every donated dollar, food pantries still contend with storage needs, volunteer capacity, and fluctuating demand that follows policy changes and economic pressures. Organizers and pantry leaders say continued local support — through donations, volunteer time, and sponsorships — will be essential to meet both everyday needs and spikes in demand.
Beyond immediate relief, the situation underscores broader questions about long-term solutions to food insecurity and the safety net’s responsiveness to seasonal and policy-driven shifts. For Holmes County residents, the annual food run is more than a race; it is a local mechanism that converts charitable participation into measurable supplies for neighbors facing hardship. As the community prepares for the holiday season and a potential SNAP pause in November, that local solidarity will remain a crucial buffer for households under strain.
