SNAP Cuts Prompt Nationwide Movement
When Jimmy Gibson and Kimberly McCune Gibson adopted a child who had experienced food insecurity, they witnessed the lasting impact of hunger firsthand.
When Jimmy Gibson and Kimberly McCune Gibson adopted a child who had experienced food insecurity, they witnessed the lasting impact of hunger firsthand.
That realization inspired a project outside their Bainbridge Township restaurant Hungry Bee — a small blue cooler filled with free meals — that has since grown into a nationwide movement to help those most affected by cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
“That journey opened our eyes to how deeply that experience stays with you and how hunger exists everywhere, even in our own backyards,” Kimberly said.
Many Ohioans have been affected by the halt of SNAP payments this month due to the U.S. government shutdown, according to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.
In Geauga County alone, 2,671 children and adults receive SNAP benefits, according to Geauga County Job and Family Services.
The Gibsons launched the Blue Cooler Project outside their restaurant, at 8326 E. Washington Street, in 2016 to assist local residents with limited access to food.
“What makes this project unique is its accessibility and dignity,” Kimberly said Nov. 3. “By placing the cooler outside, anyone can take what they need without feeling judged or having to answer questions. It allows people to receive help quietly whenever they need it — no forms, no barriers, just kindness and a meal. It’s another way to get good food to the people who need it most while helping restaurants reduce waste in the process.”
The Gibsons began to notice the food disappearing quickly during the COVID-19 pandemic and decided to continue the project permanently.
“When COVID hit and so many in our community were struggling, the blue cooler became a permanent fixture outside Hungry Bee, filled with meals for anyone who needed them,” Kimberly said. “It would empty almost as soon as we filled it, so we kept refilling it.”
Now, the couple is working to expand the initiative nationally.
They are in the process of establishing the Blue Cooler Project as a 501(c)3 nonprofit, with the goal of enlisting chefs and restaurant owners across the country to participate.
“We moved quickly to address an immediate community need with recent challenges like SNAP benefits being reduced, but we’re formalizing everything so we can continue to grow responsibly and invite broader community involvement,” Kimberly said.
Restaurants often have excess food and this project gives them a meaningful way to share it, she added.
“Our hope is to make participation easy by providing a structure and support system that helps (restaurants and chefs) set up their own blue coolers or contribute meals locally,” she said, adding the program is designed to complement, not replace, local food banks.
“There will always be an important role for food banks as they’re vital resources,” she said. “Our goal is to provide families with fully prepared, nutritious meals that come directly from restaurants and chefs who have excess food or the means to give back easily.”
The Gibsons are currently in talks with potential partners and cooler brands to supply participating restaurants with their own cooler.
“As we move into a larger space and connect with chefs and restaurateurs nationwide, we see an opportunity to unite the hospitality industry around one shared mission: fighting food insecurity together,” Kimberly said. “After all, there’s nothing better than breaking bread together — except ensuring everyone has bread to break.”
