Clarksburg resident receives ServeOhio Award for work with food insecurity

Chillicothe Gazette

CLARKSBURG — When Clarksburg resident Lou Ann Drummond sees a need in her community, she doesn't hesitate in offering a hand.

Having grown up in an altruistic family, volunteering came naturally to Drummond. Five years ago, her work became focused on addressing food insecurity — especially among school-aged children. And because of her efforts, Drummond received a state service award from ServeOhio.

"This is just something I do. It's a passion," she said.

In 2016, Drummond was working in special education at the Adena Local School District when Superintendent John Balzer joined on. Balzer, who's from Jackson County, wanted to bring a food program to the district.

At the time, Drummond was already involved in community service work through the Clarksburg United Methodist Church. She and Balzer connected and began working with COAD/RSVP of the Scioto Valley — a non-profit volunteer management organization serving 8 counties in rural Southeast Ohio — to create a food distribution program.

The first week, only 13 kids participated, but by the end of the summer, the number had already increased to 100. Since then, it's only continued to succeed. The impact was clear to Drummond and school administrators.

Monica Downing controls traffic as a huge line stretches down the road of people waiting to get boxes of food that Drummond and several volunteers are able to give to people.

"They can't feed their minds if they haven't fed their stomachs," she said.

Since the launch of the program, Drummond continued to volunteer packing and distributing food boxes to families in need. But when the coronavirus pandemic started last March, her concern for families experiencing food insecurity grew.

In April, the federal government launched the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program which allowed the USDA to purchase agricultural products from farmers. The produce, along with dairy and meat products is packaged into family-sized boxes and transported to nonprofits and volunteers across America. Once the supplies are delivered, families are able to pick them up at no cost. Unlike other food distribution initiatives, there are no eligibility requirements for the USDA boxes.

When Drummond learned about the Farmers to Families Food Boxes, she knew that Clarksburg and other surrounding communities would benefit from it. She took the mission on, found a group of volunteers and began scheduling shipments.

Lou Ann Drummond, left, talks with Clarksburg resident Paul Parker, right, as he picks up two boxes of food from Drummond and local volunteers with the COAD/RSVP of the Scioto Valley, a food resource organization, in Clarksburg on March 19, 2021. Parker who has no legs and is wheelchair bound comes and picks up food every week of delivery. Drummond received this year’s Southeast Ohio ServeOhio award because she and other volunteers are able to supply food to needy residents with the help of the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program

Each week, a semi-truck carrying produce from Michigan arrives at the Clarksburg Fire Department. As volunteers unload one truck, they begin placing 200 boxes in another destined for Frankfort. When that one's loaded, they prepare a second one for Greenfield. An additional 100 boxes are set aside for Adena teachers to distribute.

There are others on Drummond's list, too, who take boxes and deliver them to elderly, disabled, or working family, friends and neighbors. Starting at 10 a.m., volunteers distribute the boxes to the public.

Since the fall, 1,300 boxes of food have been distributed throughout the community almost every Friday.

Although she was the one to be nominated for the ServeOhio Award, Drummond affirms that it's because of the support and collaboration from the community that the initiative has been successful. And without her team of volunteers, Drummond said it wouldn't be possible at all.

The Farmers to Families boxes will be available at least through April, but Drummond is hopeful the program will receive additional funding to continue in the future.

And someday soon, Drummond hopes to launch Evelyn's House of Hope as another community service project in Clarksburg. The home will serve as another outlet for Drummond to address food insecurity and care for her neighbors.

Farmers to Families food boxes contain many staples, including cheese, milk, fruits, and vegetables.

"I just feel like I gotta keep doing something. This is my [purpose]," she said. "This community has offered me hope in my times of need and I just have to return it by offering more."

The ServeOhio Awards will be presented during National Volunteer Week; April 18 to 24. For more information about the Farmers to Families Food Boxes program in Clarksburg or to volunteer, contact Lou Ann Acton Drummond on Facebook.

Have a story tip or comment? Contact Toria at tbarnhart@gannett.com or 740-349-1106. Follow her on Twitter @ToriaBarnhart.