Ashley Walterbusch, right, led a team of over 200 volunteers who packed and distributed thousands of meals to children this summer. With her here are, from left, Andrew Antry, Aidan Antry and Melissa Antry. (Photo by Sheri Trusty)

BY SHERI TRUSTY

PORT CLINTON – Many people have that sweet aunt who wants to feed them as soon as they walk in the door. They laugh and say, “Nobody leaves Auntie’s house hungry.” Ottawa County Family Advocacy Center Program Director, Ashley Walterbusch, is the county’s doting aunt who has made it her compassionate mission to ensure that no child in Ottawa County goes hungry. According to information provided by the Ohio Association of Foodbanks, 1,210 Ottawa County children face food insecurity. Walterbusch wants that number to be zero.

Because no one goes hungry in Auntie Ashley’s county.

In 2024, Walterbusch set an astounding goal to serve 200,000 meals to children through the Summer Lunch Program. She not only reached that goal, but she far surpassed it this year, serving over 286,000 meals. The meals were served three ways: grab-and-go drive-through service; home delivery to Put-in-Bay and State Street Mobile Home Park; and congregate meals at Unity Behavioral Health in Port Clinton.

About 19,5000 meal bags and nearly 41,000 half gallons of milk were distributed this summer with the help of over 200 volunteers.

Volunteers pack grab-and-go meal bags this summer. (Submitted photo)

“The increased cost of food is the biggest factor impacting food insecurity,” Walterbusch said.

As the Family Advocacy Center transitions to winter food service, it wants to highlight that September is Hunger Action Month. The initiative is designed to raise awareness of food insecurity and provide nutritious food to families in need. In Ottawa County, there are several collaborating resources fighting hunger.

Now that school is in session, the Family Advocacy Center is focusing on Fuel for Kids, which provides weekend and holiday food bags for children identified as in-need by school staff. Volunteers are needed for monthly bagging events. Schedules can be found soon on the Center’s social media sites.

Volunteers distribute meals bags to families. (Submitted photo)

The Family Advocacy Center Community Garden has been producing food all summer that is available for free on the Farmstand in front of the center, and locals who have excess produce are welcome to drop it off on the Farmstand, too.

The Free Shed, which also sits on the Center’s property, provides 24/7 access to food and personal hygiene items. Locals are welcome to stop by and take what they need, and donations of unexpired, shelf-stable food and hygiene items are always welcome.

“September 30 will be our one-year anniversary,” Walterbusch said. “Everything in the Free Shed goes very quickly.”

The Center hosts Community Table, a free, community meal the 4th Tuesday of the month at 6 p.m. The meals are hosted in conjunction with area churches and the Fresh Bread organization.

“We’re always looking for sponsors for the meals,” Walterbusch said.

Other organizations offering free community meals include Bistro 163, which offers curbside pickup or delivery meals on the 2nd and 4th Monday of each month. Oak Harbor Alliance Chapel offers a free community meal on the 4th Wednesday of the month at 5 p.m. Fresh Bread hosts a free community meal on the 4th Monday of the month at 5 p.m. at Firelands Presbyterian Church.

Meal bags, including milk, were delivered to families on Put-in-Bay this summer. (Submitted photo)

A list of Ottawa County’s many food pantries can be found at https://ottawafcfc.org/no-wrong-door. Little Free Pantries are located at North Point Educational Services at 1661 N. Walker St. in Graytown and at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church at 514 Church Rd. in Marblehead. The Ottawa County Health Department also helps fight food insecurity through the Creating Healthy Communities initiative, which includes a mission to connect local residents with healthy food.

The Family Advocacy Center’s food programs are supported by the John Henry Eldred, Jr. Foundation; Ottawa County Community Foundation; St. John Lutheran Church, Rocky Ridge, Endowment Trust Fund; and the Center’s Reverse Lenten Calendar.

Collaboration from funding sources, donors, volunteers and organizations is helping address food insecurity. Countless generous locals, with Walterbusch at the forefront, are joining hands to ensure every child’s belly is full in Ottawa County.

The Family Advocacy Center is located at 570 McKinley Dr. in Port Clinton. For more information, call 419-301-0225 or visit www.ocfamilyadvocacy.org.