Two more Portage County food programs will receive part of a $1 million settlement from a lawsuit charging Dollar General used deceptive pricing practices in Ohio.

Raven Packs and the Randolph-Suffield-Atwater Food Shelf will each receive $1,200 from the settlement, Portage County Auditor Matt Kelly said.

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost previously announced that $750,000 of the settlement would be split among food banks and hunger relief organizations within the state's 88 counties. Kelly said initially, each county auditor in Ohio was asked to select two food pantries to benefit from the settlement. Kelly chose the Center of Hope in Ravena and Kent Social Services, which received $7,400 each.

Raven Packs

Laura Wunderle, director of operations for Raven Packs, said the funding will be used to provide food for children in the program. Raven Packs serves 527 youth in preschool through fifth grade in Ravenna City Schools, plus the Education Alternatives program at the former Tappan Elementary School. The program provides food to children on weekends and school breaks, as well as classroom snack packs for children who can't bring snacks from home.

The program purchases food from the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank, sometimes supplementing the packs with produce from local growers.

"The cost of food is definitely higher than it used to be," she said.

Food Shelf reports growing demand

The Randolph-Suffield-Atwater Food Shelf serves up to 80 clients a month from its building, next to the Knights of Columbus headquarters in Randolph, which opened in 2022. Diane Jones, one of the directors of the Food Shelf, said the pantry struggles to get the things clients need, and sometimes turns to local retailers to purchase items out of stock at the Foodbank.

"The Foodbank is great, but they work on donations, too," she said. "The Akron Canton Foodbank is cheaper, don't get me wrong, but we still pay for it."

Clients can come once a month, and get a pack that is based on their family size. Items include eggs, milk, bread, baked goods and meat. The Food Shelf often pays full price for items clients need, such as shampoo, dish soap and toilet paper.

People who come to the Food Shelf must get a referral from the United Way's 2-1-1 line, and service is by appointment. Clients must show proof that they live in Randolph, Suffield or Atwater.

Reporter Diane Smith can be reached at 330-298-1139 or dsmith@recordpub.com.

This article originally appeared on Record-Courier: Raven Packs, Food Shelf get funds from Ohio Dollar General settlement