Today, two city buses could be found traveling through Massillon, Hartville, Dalton and all throughout Stark County making unusual stops. Rather than picking up residents, the buses were visiting businesses and organizations that collected food for the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank.
The partnership between the Foodbank and the Stark Area Regional Transit Authority (SARTA), known as Stuff the Bus, is a unique way in which SARTA supports the Foodbank’s Harvest for Hunger Campaign. Stuff the Bus has taken place for more than 20 years, helping to provide enough food for thousands of meals for the local community.
This year’s event saw an increase in community participation. Food and financial contributions collected will help provide enough food for nearly 25,000 meals for the region. SARTA saves both the Foodbank and the participating businesses time, energy and fuel costs by delivering the donations directly to the Foodbank’s Stark County Campus.
“SARTA has consistently shown up as a meaningful partner, finding impactful ways to support the Foodbank and our neighbors experiencing hunger,” said Dan Flowers, Foodbank president and CEO. “We deeply appreciate their ongoing dedication to hunger relief and the strength of our continued partnership.”
Visits were made to past participants including Fresh Mark, Gervasi Vineyard, AWP Safety and many more. Among the new businesses participating this year are Shanklin Heating & Cooling in Dalton, The Timken Company, the Pro Football Hall of Fame, iCRYO Wellness Center and many more.
Legendary Arizona Cardinals player and Class of 2026 Hall of Famer Larry Fitzgerald helped the Pro Football Hall of Fame staff load their collected food items onto the bus.
“You would be blown away by how many people have food insecurity in our country,” said Fitzgerald. “What the Foodbank is doing here to support this local community is really important, and the Hall of Fame, along with many others, is a great partner in providing essential resources for people that really need it.”
A centerpiece of this event is the participation of Lake Center Christian School in Hartville. The school has participated for many years, encouraging students to think about food insecurity in their own community. Each year, the school tries to surpass its goal from the previous year. This year, students and staff collected more than 7,000 pounds of food and created a human chain to help load the donations onto an entire bus.
The Harvest for Hunger Campaign is the Foodbank’s largest fundraising campaign and helps support food distribution all year long. The community’s support directly correlates to the organization’s ability to serve neighbors experiencing hunger. To learn more, visit akroncantonfoodbank.org.