Mid-Ohio Food Collective Celebrates Opening of Mid-Ohio Market at Bishop Griffin Resource Center

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Mid-Ohio Food Collective (MOFC) and Bishop Griffin Resource Center will jointly celebrate on Aug. 14 the completion of the new Mid-Ohio Market at Bishop Griffin inside the newly rebuilt and expanded Bishop Griffin Resource Center.

The Mid-Ohio Market at Bishop Griffin, located at 2867 East Livingston Ave., will be a key asset for families across Columbus’ east side and nearby areas. Officially opening Aug. 16, it will offer nutritious food with a dignified, no-cost grocery store experience. The Market will boast triple the food pantry space of the old Bishop Griffin Resource Center that was demolished two years ago.

The new Bishop Griffin Resource Center—located on the same grounds as the original location—will offer additional programs, including a free community store, alongside the food available in the co-located Mid-Ohio Market. Families will be able to access clothes, school supplies, and backpacks as well as connections to education and job readiness, technology literacy, and financial training.

Mid-Ohio Market at Bishop Griffin will be the first presence of its kind on Columbus’ east side. The six existing Mid-Ohio Markets, including five in Franklin County, have demonstrated how the market strategy reduces stigma and increases the capacity to serve people and families in need of food assistance.

“By strengthening our relationship with the Bishop Griffin Resource Center, we are empowering our neighbors,” said Matt Habash, President & CEO of Mid-Ohio Food Collective. “The new Mid-Ohio Market at Bishop Griffin builds on a longstanding partnership to advance our vision of hunger-free, healthier communities. Together, we are increasing access to fresh, nutritious food in a grocery-store environment alongside other resources families need to thrive.” 

The new Bishop Griffin Resource Center is the culmination of its multi-year “Lift Up Your Neighbor” campaign to improve the well-being of neighbors in need. Thanks to the support of major donors and steering committee, the campaign raised more than $4.5 million to finance the design and construction of a new, larger facility. The new resource center is 11,600 square feet and includes 3,730 square feet of dedicated space for the Mid-Ohio Market and inventory area.

Father David Schalk, former pastor of Christ the King Catholic Church, envisioned and spearheaded the initiative for the new Bishop Griffin Resource Center. He praised the community’s broad support and the new facility’s potential impact.

“There is no way this project would ever have been realized without God’s grace and the support of the entire community. So many people have been involved in this ministry and our capital campaign,” Schalk said. “Because of their sacrifices, the Bishop Griffin Resource Center is now better positioned to make a difference in the lives of our neighbors in need. That is why we built this center.”

The grand opening event for Mid-Ohio Market at Bishop Griffin is scheduled for Monday, Aug. 14, at 3 p.m. The market officially opens to customers on Wednesday, Aug. 16, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

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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. 

About Bishop Griffin Resource Center
Bishop Griffin Resource Center was initially opened in 2007 in the former Christ the King Church rectory as a project of the diocesan St. Vincent de Paul Society and named in honor of diocesan Bishop Emeritus James Griffin. In late summer 2022, the 2,500-square-foot building—which offered food provided by Mid-Ohio Food Collective—was demolished. BGRC opened a temporary facility off East Broad Street in Whitehall while construction began. It is now returning home to its expanded site in Berwick.