December 9th, 2025 - Solon Rotary Food Pantry

Rotary Club of Solon's Monthly Food Pantry Sets Record

Ten volunteers in warm clothes holding up frozen turkeys in front of bags of canned goods on a table.
Rotary Club of Solon food pantry volunteers distributed food to 187 families on Nov. 18 at their monthly food pantry, adding a turkey for each family. A record number of families sought food assistance this month.
On Tuesday, November 18th, the Rotary Club of Solon's monthly food pantry at the Chagrin Valley Islamic Center --  made possible through the efforts of Rotary Members, community volunteers, and students from the Interact club -- distributed over 12,000 pounds of food to a record 187 families. Started in 2012, the monthly food pantry has been going for 158 straight months.
 
"While this turnout was a record, it is not cause to celebrate, in my eyes, as too many families in our community are struggling with food insecurity. What is cause to celebrate amongst us, is the fact that we have long recognized the problem and have been part of a solution for over 13 years." -- Jim Hyde, President of the Rotary Club of Solon
 
Read the write-up by Michele Collins in the Chagrin Valley Times below.
 
 

Turkeys for Thanksgiving

 
The Rotary Club of Solon purchased twice as much food as it usually does this month from the Greater Cleveland Foodbank in anticipation of increased need this holiday season. Masroor Malik, Rotary Member and representative of the Chagrin Valley Islamic Center, expressed gratitude. “With so many families feeling the pinch right now, especially with SNAP benefits dropping, we wanted to open the doors and to increase the orders and make sure no one goes without. Getting this food pantry ready before the holidays means a lot of us. We just want people to feel supported, welcomed and reminded that this community looks out for each other.”
 
Club President Jim Hyde said of the event, "I am still overwhelmed by the experience we had at the distribution. We had over 12,000 pounds of food to give away and we were expecting 150 families, which was approximately a 70 percent increase from what we had been experiencing monthly. When it was over, 187 families, including 58 new families, came through and received food from our distribution.” 
 
Special thanks to Michele Collins with the Chagrin Valley Times for covering the event. You can read her full article below.
 

If you value service above self, reach out to find out how you can join our club!