Market and Community Hub First Initiative of New Toledo Institute

Share On Social!

ProMedica, a non-profit healthcare provider has partnered with Philanthropist Russell Ebeid to address poverty and other social issues in Toledo, Ohio. To accomplish this, Ebeid has generously funded the ProMedica Ebeid Institute for Population Health.

In Ohio, more than 1 in 4 children live in food insecure households and in Toledo Public Schools, the number of children eligible for free and reduced breakfast and lunch is nearly 80% with some schools as high as 98%, according to the ProMedica press release.

With the approval of Toledo City Council, the first initiative of the Ebeid Institute will be working to establish a full-service market and community hub in central Toledo. They picked this area because of the lack of grocery stores nearby, hoping the market would bring relief to residents here.

Plans for the four-story facility include a food market, kitchens and education workstations for nutrition classes, and basic health screenings. ProMedica anticipates having other services offered via partnerships, including mental health counseling, dental care and literacy training, among other services. The Institute hopes to bring together nutrition, job training, education and health care in a model unique to Toledo that will, in turn, serve as a model for other communities.