COLUMBUS, Ohio – After 18 years as a pillar of the Central Ohio food justice movement, Local Matters’ last day of programming will be June 6, 2026. Local Matters thanks the staff, board of directors, volunteers, and supporters who spent the better part of the last two decades positioning the organization as a preeminent advocate for a local food system that better serves everyone in the Greater Columbus area. Now, due to an unstable funding environment that caused significant financial difficulties for the organization, Local Matters will begin sunsetting operations in summer 2026.
“No decision as a board has been harder than this one. We exhausted every option before arriving here — and that doesn’t make it hurt any less,” said Luka Papalko, Local Matters’ Board Chair. “The work was real, the impact was real and the loss is real. Local Matters meant everything to this community and to all of us who served it. Some organizations outlive their funding. Local Matters’ work will outlive its closure.”
Local Matters was founded in 2008 by Noreen Warnock and Michael Jones, who saw an opportunity to radically transform the way their community thought about the human right to good food and the growth, distribution and consumption of that food. They consulted with community partners about the direct impact of food insecurity on the health of people’s bodies, the land and the community.
“The beauty of where we are is that we stuck to our mission all these years,” Warnock said. “Local Matters’ mission was always to work with people and never to make decisions for people. It was only possible because of the dedication from staff, volunteers and supporters who understood that mission.”
The decision to close Local Matters was the result of gradual impacts that put the organization in an untenable financial position. A shift in philanthropic attitudes coincided with the unexpected end of major ongoing funding, leading to a significant budget shortfall for the organization. The policy environment has been similarly difficult for food justice advocates—The One Big Beautiful Bill Act cut $233 billion from Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) funding over the next 10 years. The need for better access to healthy food is more important than ever, and there must be individuals and organizations willing to step up to provide access to food.
“We wholly believe in the mission of this organization and the opportunities that it has created for food systems work in Central Ohio–-we are committed to seeking ways to provide continuity of programming through this process as we recognize that there will be a gap in wholesome, delicious food education, dignified and partnership-aligned access and community-guided advocacy in our community,” said Yolanda Owens, Local Matters’ Executive Director.
Local Matters’ leadership is exploring options for continuing critical food education, access, and advocacy programming in Central Ohio through program acquisition as we work to sunset. Organizations that have the capacity to carry out any component of Local Matters’ critical food access, education and advocacy work are encouraged to reach out to media contact Tom Miller, Local Matters Communications and Advocacy Manager, at tmiller@local-matters.org.
