Mid-Ohio Food Collective President & CEO Matt Habash To Retire after Four Decades of Distinguished Service

Region’s Largest Hunger Relief Organization Positioned for Continued Excellence as Board Undertakes Comprehensive National Search for Next Leader

GROVE CITY, Ohio — Mid-Ohio Food Collective (MOFC) announced today that President & CEO Matt Habash has shared plans to retire following an extraordinary 42 years of service. His retirement will follow a thoughtful leadership transition led by MOFC’s board of trustees, ensuring continued excellence and long-term stability for the organization.

MOFC has grown into one of the country’s most impactful hunger relief networks under Habash’s leadership. As Ohio’s largest food bank, the Food Collective’s service network helps feed over 500,000 food insecure Ohioans every year. MOFC has also established a national reputation for innovative, customer-focused solutions that improve access to healthy food and address the root causes of hunger. 

“It has been the honor of my life to lead alongside the extraordinary team at Mid-Ohio Food Collective and serve our Ohio neighbors for over four decades,” said Habash. “As I embark on retirement, I do so with the utmost confidence in MOFC’s One Team to shepherd the next exciting chapter. I’m certain that we will continue advancing our mission of ending hunger one nourishing meal at a time while co-creating communities where everyone thrives.”

Habash’s vision, compassion, and unwavering commitment to the community have shaped the Food Collective’s mission and focus. He has guided the organization through periods of transformational growth while building a robust, community-driven infrastructure of caring that will carry the work forward seamlessly. At MOFC’s core there is a simple truth: that nobody should be hungry in a community as strong as ours.

In 1984, Habash became executive director of the then-called Mid-Ohio Foodbank, a scrappy young organization that distributed three million pounds of grocery products that year. In 2025, MOFC distributed over 73 million pounds of fresh, packaged, and prepared foods through more than 600 agency programs and partners across central and eastern Ohio. MOFC has also become “more than a food bank,” with aligned strategies and assets (Foodbank, Farm, Farmacy, Kitchen, and Market) to improve community health and provide neighbors with the food and resources they need to thrive.

In conjunction with the announcement, MOFC’s board of trustees is activating a comprehensive succession process to identify the organization’s next president & CEO. The board has engaged Kittleman & Associates, LLC, a national search firm focused on nonprofit CEO recruitment, to lead an inclusive and transparent search for MOFC’s next leader. Habash will continue to lead the organization through the search and transition process.

“The people of Ohio have been the fortunate recipients of Matt Habash’s selfless service for the past 42 years,” said Board Chair Eric Joyner. “His legacy will be felt for decades to come, both in the strength of Mid-Ohio Food Collective and in the endurance of its community partnerships. We are equally grateful to Matt for his commitment and confident in our ability to create a seamless transition to a new leader who will carry forward the Food Collective’s mission and values.”

As Mid-Ohio Food Collective looks to the future, the organization remains focused on building on its strong foundation and continuing its vital work to serve neighbors and families across central and eastern Ohio. The board encourages the community to join in recognizing Habash’s remarkable contributions while supporting the organization during this next chapter.

“Together, we’ve built something bigger than any one organization,” said Habash. “We’ve built a community that shows up for one another.”

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About Mid-Ohio Food Collective
Mid-Ohio Food Collective (MOFC) is the largest hunger relief organization in central and eastern Ohio. Through our five assets (the Mid-Ohio Foodbank, Mid-Ohio Farm, Mid-Ohio Farmacy, Mid-Ohio Kitchen, and Mid-Ohio Market), MOFC addresses the root causes of hunger while working with more than 600 partner agencies in 20 counties to feed hundreds of thousands of hungry Ohioans every year. Learn how we’re co-creating hunger-free, healthier communities at www.mofc.org.