This week, the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank announced the release of its Emergency Preparedness Plan, a key component of its Foodbank 2020 strategic plan, which positions the Foodbank as a significant responder during disaster situations in coordination with local emergency management organizations.
During the past year, the Foodbank went above its work of responding to the daily crisis of hunger, to bring a team of local emergency management experts and a Feeding America Disaster Capacity Advisor together, to ensure a comprehensive disaster plan focusing on emergency food was developed.
“Over the past two decades, food banks across the country have emerged as key responders in disasters of all kinds, and the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank wants to be ready to answer the call to serve our community if a disaster occurs,” said Dan Flowers, President & CEO of the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank. “We assembled a planning team comprising of local and national experts, partners and responders, and completed a year-long, collaborative deep dive into the preparedness process. We now have a coordinated plan that represents a best practice in our industry.”
The Foodbank’s Emergency Preparedness Committee included experts from the Summit County Emergency Management Agency, American Red Cross, The University of Akron Emergency Management, Oswald Companies, Homeland Security Department and the Ohio Military Reserve. The committee prepared the Emergency Preparedness Plan with various protocols and best shared-practices, focusing on key communication pieces and the importance of collaboration with stakeholders during emergency situations.
“As they say, ‘it’s better to have a plan and no crisis, then a crisis and no plan’,” said Flowers. “We’ve seen first-hand from sister food banks that disasters create a desperate and long-term hardship for those affected, and the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank along with partner disaster-relief organizations, are as prepared as possible to bring food assistance and comfort to people suffering the effects of potential disasters.”
For more information, or to learn more about the Foodbank, please visit akroncantonfoodbank.org or call 330.535.6900.