Ohio University’s ‘Cooking for Souls’ Fights Food Insecurity in Athens
Athens, OH – The Ohio University chapter of ‘Cooking for Souls,’ a newly established student organization, is actively working to combat food insecurity within the Athens community. The group, which commenced its activities this academic year, is dedicated to preparing and delivering meals to underserved areas of Athens, alongside orchestrating food drives and fundraising initiatives.
The club’s mission directly addresses a significant local challenge: according to a 2023 study by Data USA, 22.1% of Athens residents live below the poverty line. This figure is almost double the national average of 12.4% for the same year. Furthermore, the Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service reports that 760 Athens residents experience food insecurity. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has classified substantial portions of Athens as “low-food access areas,” citing factors such as proximity to stores, transportation access, and affordability.
Origin and Expansion of ‘Cooking for Souls’
Robert Palmer, a junior studying business pre-law, business analytics, and finance, serves as the president of the OU chapter. Palmer discovered ‘Cooking for Souls’ through a high school friend, Amal Aboumerhi, who founded the original organization at UCLA. Aboumerhi sought to expand the initiative to other colleges, leading to the establishment of chapters at institutions such as the University of Cincinnati and the University of Pittsburgh, now including Ohio University.
Kate Colan, a freshman journalism student and the OU chapter’s marketing chair, highlighted the club’s early successes in fundraising. During the fall semester, ‘Cooking for Souls’ organized a ‘Pie the President’ event on College Green. For a $2 donation, participants could pie Palmer in the face. The event successfully raised $56, with some individuals choosing to donate without participating in the pie-throwing, indicating a strong community interest in their cause.
Community Partnerships and Future Plans
‘Cooking for Souls’ is collaborating with several other campus organizations, including Cat’s Cupboard, an on-campus food pantry providing food options for OU students, faculty, and staff. Cat’s Cupboard facilitates donation bins for ‘Cooking for Souls’ upcoming food drives.
Donations collected through these food drives are channeled to organizations such as Good Works, which supports impoverished and homeless individuals in rural Appalachia, and the American Red Cross. Palmer noted that ‘Cooking for Souls’ is also actively fundraising for the American Red Cross, having already achieved 30% of their $1,000 goal.
As the OU chapter develops, Palmer envisions hosting at least two major events each semester, comprising a cooking event and a food drive. He expressed a desire for the organization to continue its growth and impact in Athens even after his term as president concludes, aiming to build strong, lasting relationships within the community.
The chapter conducts bi-weekly outreach meetings on Thursdays at 6 p.m. Interested individuals can find more information and an interest form on the chapter’s Instagram page.
Source: https://www.thepostathens.com/article/2026/02/cooking-for-souls-feature-athens-ohio-university-chapter-food-insecurity
