Millersburg Food Run raises support for Love Center Food Pantry

The Millersburg Food Run is again channeling runners and walkers into direct support for the Love Center Food Pantry, which processes about 660,000 pounds of food a year and served 250 families in March. Holmes County still carries the pressure behind that need: USAFacts puts the county’s poverty rate at about 9.3% for 2020-2024, and the Census Bureau lists median household income at $31,481.

The race gives participants three ways to take part, with 10K, 5K and 1-mile events on the schedule. That mix has helped the fundraiser draw serious runners, casual walkers and families with children into the same event, keeping the focus on the pantry rather than on competition alone.

The Food Run has been held since 2018 through the Millersburg Seventh-day Adventist Church, and its numbers have climbed. In 2024, the race set a record with 91 registered participants and raised $8,000 for the pantry. Earlier fundraisers brought in $6,800 in 2023 and $3,500 in 2021, and race director Eva Durbin has said she is proud of the event’s growth and the difference it makes for the community.

The pantry’s reach extends well beyond race day. A 2023 account said Love Center distributed 450,000 pounds of food that year, and the pantry later said it processes about 660,000 pounds annually. The Ohio Association of Foodbanks says rising everyday costs continue to strain household budgets, especially for households with children, a pressure that shows up in local pantry use across Holmes County.

Love Center says it serves Holmes County families and welcomes volunteers of all ages, with area residents making up its volunteer family. The pantry is at 1291 Massillon Road, Suite A, Millersburg 44654, and can be reached at (330) 674-2504. Director Edgar Raber can be reached at (330) 763-4757, giving residents a direct way to help the pantry keep pace with demand.