SALEM The Salem-based Brightside Project will hold a food distribution event today, Wednesday, Nov. 5, to provide immediate support to children affected by the ongoing federal government shutdown.

The Crisis Relief for Kids initiative will be available for children ages 3 to 18 whose families are experiencing hardship due to the shutdown, including federal workers and those receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits.

The distribution will take place from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at The Brightside Project headquarters, located at 1909 N. Ellsworth Avenue in Salem. A second distribution is also scheduled for the same time on Wednesday, Nov. 12.

Each child will receive a food bag containing child-friendly, nutritious items designed to offer stability during a period of financial uncertainty for their families. In addition to the food bags, the Mt. Olivet United Church of Christ Mission Team will be serving hot meals for the children and their families during both events.

"The government shutdown has created real challenges for many families in our community," said Lisa Vittorio, Co-Director of The Brightside Project. "We’re grateful to be able to offer immediate relief and encouragement to children who may be feeling the stress of these circumstances.”

The program is open to children in Columbiana County and rural Mahoning County, specifically those residing in the South Range, West Branch, Sebring, Jackson-Milton, Springfield Local, and Western Reserve school districts.

To receive the food bags, families are asked to bring their children to the event. If children are not present, families must bring either a SNAP benefit letter listing the children in the home or a combination of proof of federal employment and birth certificates for each child.

The Brightside Project is a faith-based non-profit organization established in 2016 by a father-daughter team, Scott Lewis and Lisa Vittorio. The organization works to remove barriers preventing children ages 3 to 18 from having a safe and healthy childhood across Columbiana and surrounding communities in Northeast Ohio. The organization focuses on meeting a child’s basic needs as a foundation for their overall well-being.

The non-profit’s Crisis Relief efforts have a history of offering essential support to local families during times of widespread hardship, including the East Palestine train derailment and the COVID-19 pandemic. The organization served more than 17,000 children throughout 2024 through various programs aimed at building hope and nurturing children's development.

The continued federal government shutdown has disrupted food assistance programs across the state. The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services announced on Tuesday that it received federal guidance to provide a partial November payment for SNAP recipients, reducing maximum allotments by 50%. The Brightside Project’s efforts work to supplement the needs of families facing this reduction in assistance.

For those interested in supporting The Brightside Project’s work or learning more about their programs, information is available on their website at www.brightsideprojectohio.org.