One day after Gene Smith, Ryan Day, Chris Holtmann and their wives announced they would contribute $175,000 to the Mid-Ohio Foodbank's COVID-19 Emergency Fund, Ohio State's assistant football coaches have banded together to follow their lead.
Per a release by Ohio State on Wednesday, the Buckeyes' assistant coaches have collectively pledged to donate $47,000 to the Mid-Ohio Foodbank, which acquires and distributes food for families in need and is facing increased demand from families impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.
“This is something we all wanted to do, almost immediately, after learning about the emergency fund,” Ohio State defensive line coach and associate head coach Larry Johnson said in a statement. “Our program and players have made many visits to the Mid-Ohio Foodbank over the years and we all feel a responsibility to assist during this time of crisis.”
Every dollar donated allows for the Mid-Ohio Foodbank to secure $9 worth of groceries, meaning that collectively, the donations from the Smiths, Days, Holtmanns and assistant coaches could enable the Foodbank to provide nearly $2 million worth of groceries to Central Ohio families in need.
Anyone who is interested in joining the coaches' efforts and making a donation of their own to the Mid-Ohio Foodbank can do so through the Foodbank's website, which has created a donation page specifically for Buckeye Nation.
