In 2024 more than 130,000 tons of food were disposed of in Hamilton County, Ohio. With one in eight adults and one in five children food insecure in Hamilton County, it is more important than ever to keep this resource out of the landfill and get it to people who need it. Conversations with food rescue and distribution partners revealed four stressors that limited the ability of partners in the secondary and emergency food system to distribute more food to people: no cooling infrastructure; a lack of nutritious, appealing meals; limited staff capacity to extend operations into more convenient hours; and undesirable food donations.

By partnering with the Cincinnati Health Department, Hamilton County ReSource funded a pilot project in collaboration with CareSource, the Cincinnati Recreation Commission, and La Soupe. CareSource is a not-for-profit health plan that serves a diverse population with nearly 2 million members. Addressing chronic disease and food insecurity are central to its mission to improve the health and well-being of its members. The Cincinnati Recreation Commission provides recreational, cultural, leisure and educational activities for Cincinnatians of all ages and abilities. It’s accessible facilities and well-trained staff provide services to meet the diverse needs of community members.

La Soupe is an important partner in reducing food waste in Hamilton County. Founded in 2014 by Chef Suzy DeYoung, the agency uses its chef-driven model to upcycle discarded food to produce meals that other nonprofit agencies then distribute. Through the partnership, community freezers were placed in recreation centers and stocked with culturally relevant, nutritionally dense food. Soups, casseroles, and individually frozen meals are stocked weekly. Medically tailored meals are available for individuals with hypertension or diabetes as well as vegetarian options. The freezers are monitored by recreation center staff and restocked by La Soupe, owned by CareSource, which partners with the Cincinnati Health Department to give the community access to expanded food options. The operation diverted almost 2 tons of food from the landfill in the first month and is gaining popularity.