Today, June 23, the Cleveland Clinic put serious money behind the fight against hunger, pledging $25 million to the Greater Cleveland Food Bank to expand food distribution and open a new Community Resource Center on the city’s West Side. Of that total, $5 million is earmarked for the new site, with the remaining funds set aside to purchase and distribute nutritious food across the food bank’s network.
In a press release via Cleveland Clinic Newsroom, the health system said most of the donation will go toward buying and distributing nutritious food for the food bank’s roughly 1,000 partner programs and tackling childhood hunger. “No child should go hungry, and no family should have to wonder where their next meal will come from,” Cleveland Clinic Chief Community Officer Vickie Johnson said in the release.
Numbers on the ground
According to the Greater Cleveland Food Bank, more than 404,000 individuals were served in FY2025, and the organization distributed over 53 million meals through its network of partner agencies. Cleveland Clinic said its pledge will help meet that demand by expanding food distribution and programs that focus on childhood hunger.
Local health systems join the effort
Local coverage shows the gift is part of a broader push by hospitals and city leaders to shore up food access. News 5 Cleveland reported that MetroHealth has committed $1 million over five years and that University Hospitals estimates roughly $18 million in expanded food-access programming over the same period.
Part of a broader plan
The $25 million for the Greater Cleveland Food Bank builds on what Cleveland Clinic Newsroom previously described as a five-year, $50 million commitment to reduce hunger and improve access to nutritious food across Ohio, Florida, and Nevada. That earlier pledge included grants and program funding meant to strengthen community infrastructure and extend clinic-based food-is-medicine initiatives.
Why community leaders say it matters
“Food insecurity rarely exists in isolation,” Kristin Warzocha, president and CEO of the Greater Cleveland Food Bank, said in the Clinic’s release, noting that the new Community Resource Center will connect families to housing, employment, and other services. Food bank leaders said the Clinic funding will help them “meet neighbors where they are” by pairing emergency food with longer-term services designed to build stability.
Local leaders marked the start of work at the 9830 Lorain Ave. site with a ceremonial sledgehammer moment this week, and officials said the CRC will include the Cleveland Clinic Healthy Choice Food Market, benefits assistance, and referrals to healthcare and education resources. No opening date has been announced, but leaders expect the investment to reduce pressure on pantries and expand nutritious options for families through the summer months.
