The world isn’t kind to impoverished people. In a city with increasing housing prices, fewer well-paying jobs and a lack of social mobility, even buying groceries can be a struggle for some. This is why the work of the Freestore Foodbank is so valuable. The foodbank dedicates itself to fighting food insecurity and poverty in Greater Cincinnati, offering a food market that is open to anybody, for free. A trip through their doors reveals how important their work really is: dozens upon dozens of people, some of them clearly experiencing homelessness or suffering from unemployment, are able to get fruit, vegetables, cereal and a myriad of other products when they otherwise could have gone hungry. The staff are friendly and helpful, and capable of dealing with large quantities of people, in a compassionate and kind way. Not only does the foodbank offer food products, but it also helps with drug addiction, mental illness and even workforce development. In an age where we uplift individual billionaires and millionaires who offer a portion of their fortunes to the needy, it’s time for organizations like the Freestore Foodbank to get their place in the sun. As so many other institutions fail the poor, the freestore, and entities like it, are the chain keeping the social contract from collapsing. freestorefoodbank.org. 

1. JD Vance
2. Liz Keating
3. Joe Deters

1. 3CDC
2. Al Neyer
3. Over-the-Rhine Community Housing

1. Matthew 25: Ministries
2. Longbottom Bird Ranch
3. Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden
4. La Soupe
5. ArtWorks Ohio
6. Innocence Project
7. Life Food Pantry
8. ArtsWave
9. The Friends of the Public Library
10. Aubrey Rose Foundation

1. Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden
2. Cincinnati Recycling & Reuse Hub
3. Longbottom Bird Ranch
4. Great Parks of Hamilton County
5. Cincinnati Parks
6. Keep Cincinnati Beautiful
7. Krohn Conservatory
8. Cincinnati Nature Center
9. Indigo Hippo
10. The Friends of the Public Library

1. Bob Herzog (WKRC)
2. Jessica Schmidt (FOX19)
3. Megan Mitchell (WLWT)
4. Tana Weingartner (WVXU)
5. Lucy May (WVXU)
6. Tricia Mackie (FOX19)
7. John Matarese (WCPO)
8. Keith Pandolfi (Cincinnati Enquirer)
9. Nick Swartsell (WVXU)
10. Becca Costello (WVXU)

1. Jimmy Longbottom
2. Jim Tarbell
3. Missy Spears

1. Cincinnati Animal CARE
2. Planned Parenthood Southwest Ohio
3. Longbottom Bird Ranch
4. Matthew 25: Ministries
5. Freestore Foodbank
6. SPCA Cincinnati
7. ArtWorks
8. Cincinnati Public Radio
9. Aubrey Rose Foundation
10. ArtsWave

1. Aftab Pureval
2. Greg Landsman
3. Charmaine McGuffey

1. Cincinnati's Crime Vault: Beyond the Broadcast
2. Cincinnati Zoo Tales
3. Jungle Jim's Podcast

1. University of Cincinnati
2. Xavier University
3. Northern Kentucky University

1. George Clooney
2. Nick Clooney
3. Maryanne Zeleznik
4. Kathrine Nero
5. Missy Spears
6. Cris Collinsworth
7. Otto M. Budig Jr.
8. Amy McGrath
9. Gary Holland
10. Lucy May

1. Covington
2. Newport
3. Union

1. Smale Riverfront Park
2. Eden Park
3. Ault Park
4. Washington Park
5. Devou Park
6. French Park
7. Mt. Airy Forest
8. Alms Park
9. A. J. Jolly Park
10. Bellevue Beach Park

1. Cincinnati Nature Center
2. Sharon Woods
3. Winton Woods

1. Anthony Munoz
2. Bootsy Collins
3. James “Jungle Jim” Bonaminio

1. Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden
2. Findlay Market
3. Jungle Jim's International Market
4. Over-the-Rhine
5. Smale Riverfront Park
6. The Banks
7. Cincinnati Art Museum
8. Cincinnati Reds Game
9. Cincinnati Museum Center
10. The Friends of the Public Library Warehouse

1. Smale Riverfront Park
2. Washington Park
3. Parky's Farm

1. Cincinnati Waldorf School
2. Elder High School
3. Saint Xavier High School

1. Aftab Pureval
2. Jan-Michele Lemon Kearney
3. Kari Bloom