The Ohio Department of Development’s Office of Community Development has approved the City of Tiffin’s application for a $150,000 Community Development Block Grant allocation to support pilot programming at the Tiffin Community Kitchen. The grant, which is awarded to the city every two years for community development projects supporting low-to-moderate income residents, will be used to help Seneca County Common Ground begin pilot programming while they wait for their new space as part of Old Trinity Episcopal Church to be built.
Tiffin Mayor Dawn Iannantuono said, “I’m grateful that the City of Tiffin can take advantage of funding through the Community Development Block Grant program to support projects like The Tiffin Community Kitchen, which will grow to become valuable resources for our residents.”
Common Ground plans to use the funding they receive from the CDBG program to lease the space at 45 S. Washington Street in Downtown Tiffin to provide cooking instruction and meal prep for low-to-moderate income residents in Tiffin. They will also use the funds to hire both the kitchen manager and assistant kitchen manager who will run the day-to-day operations and help source outside partners.
Seneca County Common Ground Board President Aaron Gerlach said that he was “thankful for the city’s support of this project and City Council’s willingness to help fund the creation of innovative approaches to nutrition and local foods in Tiffin.”
About the Tiffin Community Kitchen
Since 2019 Seneca County Common Ground has been promoting the growth, purchase, and use of locally sourced foods. The Tiffin Community Kitchen is one component of this initiative and is focused on engaging residents in the preparation of local foods. Eventually to be sited in an addition to Old Trinity Episcopal Church, the Kitchen is currently operating out of a leased space at 45 S. Washington St. in Tiffin where they operate a pilot program focused on teaching low-to-moderate income individuals about how to prepare fresh ingredients and eat healthy.
