Avalanche Pizza Gives Back: Providing Meals to Fight Food Insecurity in Athens County

Avalanche Pizza, a local eatery in Athens County, recently made a generous contribution by distributing 600 pounds of food to those facing hunger. On February 1, they donated 206 meal bags, which were handed out at the former Chauncey Elementary School and the Federal Valley Resource Center in Stewart, Ohio.

John Gutekanst, the owner of Avalanche Pizza, explained that each meal bag is designed to provide two people with enough food for an entire day. The bags included a variety of items: a slice of pizza, cheese bread with dipping sauce, a mega sandwich loaded with meats and veggies, three bean salad, potato salad, fruit salad, macaroni salad, peanut butter crackers, sun chips, condiments, a Nutri-Grain bar, chocolate cookies, and even chocolate truffles.

Due to high demand, Gutekanst noted that the food ran out quickly. “We ran out of food before 11 AM at the Chauncey location and had to bring in more from Stewart. It lasted just 10 minutes,” he shared.

JoAnna Duquette, vice president of the Federal Valley Resource Center, praised Avalanche Pizza for their initiative. “We only needed to provide the space. They took care of the food and staffing, which made things much easier for us,” she said. “Their willingness to help was truly wonderful.”

Athens County faces significant challenges with food insecurity, which is higher than in other parts of Appalachian Ohio. According to a 2022 report from Feeding America, 18.3% of people in Athens County struggle with food insecurity, impacting over 11,000 individuals. This is a pressing issue, especially when compared to the broader statistics for Appalachian Ohio, where many families, particularly children, experience hunger.

Avalanche Pizza has been actively addressing these challenges for over a decade. During the COVID-19 pandemic, when many food assistance programs were unavailable, they stepped up by reaching out to private food banks and providing meals. Between 2020 and 2021, the restaurant prepared and delivered more than 5,300 meals, totaling around 10,696 pounds of food.

Despite the struggles with food insecurity, many organizations and businesses in Athens work hard to combat this issue. Professor Stephen Scanlan, who teaches about poverty and food justice, points out the need for systemic changes to improve food access in isolated regions like Appalachia. “The food system often fails to reach those in need, and we need to build a better network,” he explained.

Scanlan emphasizes that relying on goodwill or government policies isn’t enough; real changes in the food system are necessary for long-term solutions.

Athens is home to numerous organizations dedicated to helping those in need. Community Food Initiatives, the Veggie Van, Chesterhill Produce Auction, Rural Action, Live Healthy Appalachia, Food Not Bombs, the Appalachian Center for Economic Networks, and the OHIO Student Farm are just a few of the groups working diligently to reduce hunger in the area.