The Freestore Foodbank team is comprised of more than 100 employees working together to solve hunger. With one in seven neighbors in our tristate area at risk of hunger, we are dedicated to addressing the need. We provide 47 million meals each year in 20 counties in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana.
Now under the leadership of Kurt Reiber, the Freestore Foodbank is one of Ohio’s largest food banks, distributing 47 million meals annually through a network of 611 community partner agencies serving 20 counties in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana. This includes food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, community centers, program sites, senior centers and daycare facilities.
Become more familiar with Kurt and our team working each day to help fight hunger and bring hope to those who need it most. Our Board of Directors is leading the way for us to find innovative ways to be self-sustaining in today’s economy.
About Freestore Foodbank:
The Freestore Foodbank is the largest emergency food and services provider to children and families in Greater Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky and Southeast Indiana. The organization distributes 47 million meals annually to low-income individuals and families. The Freestore Foodbank supports 611 community partners in 20 counties throughout Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana, including food kitchens, homeless shelters, emergency food pantries, social service centers and program sites. By providing emergency food distribution, the Freestore Foodbank responds to the issue of poverty and food insecurity in our community and provides an array of services (emergency clothing, housing services, SNAP assistance, Medicaid outreach and others) aimed at creating self-reliance. The Freestore Foodbank is a member of Feeding America.
Freestore Foodbank is not a religiously affiliated organization and the food we provide may not be restricted to any recipient based on faith. We do have over 611 partner agencies across the tristate, many of which are diverse faith-based organizations.
Our Mission, Vision and Objectives
Freestore Foodbank’s mission is to improve lives by eliminating hunger in partnership with our community, and our vision is to create a hunger-free, healthy, and thriving community. To achieve this vision, our objectives are to provide nutritious food, connect to support services and offering a pathway from crisis to stability.
The Freestore Foodbank began in 1971. Its early beginnings come with a story – a man with a heart to help others. Frank Gerson, a worker at Cincinnati’s incinerator, saw useable household items being tossed away. He began collecting those items and distributing them to disadvantaged families.
Gerson named his practice the Free Store. He incorporated it as a public charity, quit his job, and opened for business in his apartment. In 1979, the Free Store became a founding member of Feeding America, evolving into the Freestore Foodbank, and began distributing food to our hungry neighbors. Today the Freestore Foodbank is one of over 200 food banks within the Feeding America network serving communities across the nation. It’s all thanks to a man with a heart to help others.
Addressing a Vital Need
Freestore Foodbank provides nearly 47 million meals to hungry children and families each year to help address a vital need in our local communities. We sure couldn’t do it alone!
Working Together to Fight Hunger
Our member network of community partners spread across 20 counties in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana help us to distribute food to our hungry neighbors. Together, we fight hunger and help bring hope to those who need it most.
Who Are Our Community Partners?
Emergency feeding organizations such as food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, community centers, program sites, senior centers and daycare facilities are working with Freestore Foodbank to help give hope to those who need it most.
How It Works
Supporting our partners and collaborating to strengthen communities is part of Freestore Foodbank’s commitment.
Training workshops at the Leadership Institute and Capacity Development Center are one way Freestore Foodbank helps its partner agencies build capacity. The workshops cover an array of topics including: fundraising, finances, staff/volunteer management and more. We foster and support coalitions, as well as the sharing of resources and best practices across our partner network.
Got Questions?
We’ve got answers! Michael Truitt would be happy to answer any additional questions you have about our community partner agencies by email or by phone 513-482-4525.
A Career at the Freestore Foodbank
At the Freestore Foodbank, we are committed to those we serve in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana. We encourage our employees to embody our mission, vision and values while upholding the highest standards of community service. We encourage a healthy level of personal and professional time, and offer wellness programs to assist our employees in maintaining a work/life balance. Our diverse and dedicated staff includes over 100 full-time employees who come from many different areas of our region and all walks of life. We respect and cultivate our many differences, but find unity in our work at the Freestore Foodbank, “to be the leader of a community mobilized to end hunger and address its causes.” Being a part of the Freestore Foodbank team can include positions in any of the following divisions…
Administration
- Human Resources
- Information Technology
- Finance
- Development
- Communications
Customer Connections
- Case management
- Outreach workers
- Food distribution
Foodbank
- Warehouse
- Sous chefs
- Children’s programs
- Agency Relations
- Truck drivers
Benefits
We offer a competitive benefits package to both full-time and part-time employees*. The benefits package includes: Medical Insurance Dental Insurance Vision Insurance Flexible Spending Account (FSA) 403 B Life Insurance Short-term Disability Long-term Disability Health & Wellness Program Paid Leave Benefits (Vacation, Sick and Personal Days). *Part-time employees are not eligible for all benefits listed.
Health & Wellness Program
Our employees’ health and well-being is important to us, as it is essential to maintaining a high level of performance. We offer the following under our Health & Wellness Program: Smoking Cessation Walk Club Weight Management Physical Fitness Classes Health Club Membership Lunch & Learn Sessions Health Screenings.
Internal Training and Development
The Internal Training and Development Department offers training sessions that foster a safe, healthy working environment, and helps our employees build their professional skills. “Empowering Leaders, Releasing Passion, Inspiring Excellence” is the hallmark for our Internal Training and Development Department. Freestore Foodbank employees fulfill both minimum training requirement and individual development plans. Trainings cover a wide variety of topics including: Equity Leadership Competencies Maintaining Ethical Boundaries Sexual Harassment and Workplace Violence Coaching Roundtables Supervisor Roundtables Successful Supervisor Series.
Our trainers include knowledgeable and qualified internal staff members as well as community leaders, teachers and specialists with a wide range of expertise. If you would like to inquire about donating your time as a trainer, contact Tim Weidner at tweidner@freestorefoodbank.org.
The Freestore Foodbank is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all laws enforced by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission which include the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1995, and other applicable employment laws, and will not unlawfully discriminate because of age, color, disability, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, or sex in any term, condition, privilege or employment policies and practices.