[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":295},["ShallowReactive",2],{"/stories/mobile-pantry":3,"processed-html-56f2e38e":271,"processed-html-ab0634bf":272,"processed-html-f4bac964":273,"processed-html-8f3869fe":274,"processed-html-10f15dca":275,"processed-html-8e2d9f6d":276,"processed-html-e8f39ace":277,"processed-html-bb9b1e10":278,"processed-html-820981e5":279,"processed-html-f844a38f":280,"processed-html-c5ac9049":281,"processed-html-9b7036ac":282,"processed-html-00a5d81c":283,"processed-html-388f00ae":284,"processed-html-b5f50ce9":285,"processed-html-7a0699b1":286,"processed-html-f93b5bc5":287,"processed-html-7c84a153":288,"processed-html-c761f614":289,"processed-html-8355528b":290,"processed-html-27889f32":291,"processed-html-901151cb":292,"processed-html-c99470c7":293,"processed-html-e1596df6":294},{"id":4,"type":5,"path":6,"published":7,"publishDate":8,"author":9,"taxonomy":10,"headerType":13,"image":14,"video":18,"title":20,"subtitle":21,"hideFromSearchEngines":11,"social":22,"bodyBlocks":26,"slug":222,"description":223,"metaDescription":224,"metaTitle":11,"relatedStories":225,"created":260,"changed":261,"breadcrumbs":262},"be4f5677-fd01-4c15-86b2-7d3f44865a4d","story","stories/mobile-pantry",true,"May 26, 2026","Ross Bishoff",{"name":11,"slug":12},null,"","image",{"url":15,"alt":16,"caption":17},"https://editing.intcomm.osu.edu/sites/default/files/styles/widescreen/public/media/image/2026/05/pantry_header1.jpeg","A student stands in front of a food delivery truck.","Ohio State sophomore Jack Swartley has teamed up with classmate Sky Sie to create MobilePantry, a venture that is helping to address food insecurity in central Ohio. (Ohio State)",{"url":11,"transcript":19},{"text":11},"Turning produce into a perfect solution","Jack and Sky are building a startup to fight hunger and waste, one box at a time.",{"title":23,"description":24,"imageUrl":25},"Turning Food Waste Into Doorstep Dignity","Ohio State students Jack Swartley and Sky Sie are rethinking food access—rescuing imperfect produce, reducing waste and delivering affordable groceries to families who need them most.","https://www.osu.edu/images/ohio-state-social-generic.jpeg",[27,34,40,46,52,78,84,90,104,110,116,122,128,134,140,146,156,162,168,174,180,186,192,198,204,210],{"blockName":28,"attrs":29,"innerBlocks":31,"innerHTML":32,"innerContent":33},"core/paragraph",{"uuid":30},"56f2e38e",[],"\u003Cp class=\"bux-paragraph\">The weather is gold in Columbus. Also, it’s Friday.\u003C/p>",[32],{"blockName":28,"attrs":35,"innerBlocks":37,"innerHTML":38,"innerContent":39},{"uuid":36},"ab0634bf",[],"\u003Cp class=\"bux-paragraph\">It’s spring and the sun’s out, temps are lower 80s, the kind of sunny day central Ohioans wait months to enjoy. Jack Swartley and Sky Sie are Ohio State sophomores with no classes on the schedule; they could literally be anywhere doing anything.\u003C/p>",[38],{"blockName":28,"attrs":41,"innerBlocks":43,"innerHTML":44,"innerContent":45},{"uuid":42},"f4bac964",[],"\u003Cp class=\"bux-paragraph\">So they’re at DNO Produce in Columbus loading DoorDash cars with boxes of fruits and vegetables to be delivered to the doorsteps of customers and families in need. The work isn’t glamorous, but for Jack and Sky, it’s the heartbeat of their startup, \u003Ca href=\"https://mobilepantry.org/\" class=\"bux-link\">MobilePantry\u003C/a>, a venture built to address two massive problems: food waste and food insecurity.\u003C/p>",[44],{"blockName":28,"attrs":47,"innerBlocks":49,"innerHTML":50,"innerContent":51},{"uuid":48},"8f3869fe",[],"\u003Cp class=\"bux-paragraph\">“My north star has always been helping others,” Swartley says. “It’s my favorite thing in the world.”\u003C/p>",[50],{"blockName":53,"attrs":54,"innerBlocks":56,"innerHTML":74,"innerContent":75},"sidebar-content/did-you-know-sidebar",{"uuid":55},"5f70f386",[57,66],{"blockName":58,"attrs":59,"innerBlocks":63,"innerHTML":64,"innerContent":65},"media-text/bux-factoid",{"statistic":60,"label":61,"uuid":62},"150K","Franklin County residents who are food insecure","e4f84d3e",[],"\u003Cdiv class=\"bux-factoid\">\u003Cdiv class=\"bux-factoid__item\">\u003Cdiv class=\"bux-factoid__stat\">150K\u003C/div>\u003Cdiv class=\"bux-factoid__text\">Franklin County residents who are food insecure\u003C/div>\u003C/div>\u003C/div>",[64],{"blockName":58,"attrs":67,"innerBlocks":71,"innerHTML":72,"innerContent":73},{"statistic":68,"label":69,"uuid":70},"1M","One million pounds of edible foods are thrown away daily","be838c81",[],"\u003Cdiv class=\"bux-factoid\">\u003Cdiv class=\"bux-factoid__item\">\u003Cdiv class=\"bux-factoid__stat\">1M\u003C/div>\u003Cdiv class=\"bux-factoid__text\">One million pounds of edible foods are thrown away daily\u003C/div>\u003C/div>\u003C/div>",[72],"\u003Caside class=\"wp-block-sidebar-content-did-you-know-sidebar did-you-know-sidebar\">\u003C/aside>",[76,11,11,77],"\u003Caside class=\"wp-block-sidebar-content-did-you-know-sidebar did-you-know-sidebar\">","\u003C/aside>",{"blockName":28,"attrs":79,"innerBlocks":81,"innerHTML":82,"innerContent":83},{"uuid":80},"10f15dca",[],"\u003Cp class=\"bux-paragraph\">MobilePantry launched its current model this spring after winning $50,000 through the \u003Ca href=\"https://keenan.osu.edu/\" class=\"bux-link\">President’s Buckeye Accelerator\u003C/a> in April 2025. The team is building it as a self‑sustaining nonprofit with a simple but powerful system: they purchase cosmetically imperfect produce that grocery stores won’t sell, offer it to subscribers at 30% below retail, and use that revenue to fund free doorstep deliveries for families in need.\u003C/p>",[82],{"blockName":28,"attrs":85,"innerBlocks":87,"innerHTML":88,"innerContent":89},{"uuid":86},"8e2d9f6d",[],"\u003Cp class=\"bux-paragraph\">The scale of the problem they’re fighting is staggering. In Franklin County alone, about one million pounds of edible food is thrown away daily, while almost 150,000 residents are food insecure, according to \u003Ca href=\"https://local-matters.org/columbus-food-rescue/\" class=\"bux-link\">Local Matters, a Columbus nonprofit\u003C/a>. And for many who rely on food pantries, transportation is a barrier, with an estimated 40% struggling to get there at all.\u003C/p>",[88],{"blockName":91,"attrs":92,"innerBlocks":101,"innerHTML":102,"innerContent":103},"core/image",{"id":93,"sizeSlug":94,"linkDestination":95,"mediaAttrs":96,"uuid":100},4710,"full","none",{"data-entity-type":97,"data-entity-uuid":98,"data-image-style":99},"file","ef71e0ae-1f97-4c93-97bd-12e2c9cf7d9a","original","a4cfe048",[],"\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003Cimg src=\"/sites/default/files/inline-images/pantry_2.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4710\" data-entity-type=\"file\" data-entity-uuid=\"ef71e0ae-1f97-4c93-97bd-12e2c9cf7d9a\" data-image-style=\"original\"/>\u003Cfigcaption>MobilePantry got its start when founders Jack Swartley and Sky Sie won the President's Buckeye Accelerator award and received $50,000 in start-up funding. (Ohio State)\u003C/figcaption>\u003C/figure>",[102],{"blockName":28,"attrs":105,"innerBlocks":107,"innerHTML":108,"innerContent":109},{"uuid":106},"e8f39ace",[],"\u003Cp class=\"bux-paragraph\">Jack and Sky, both \u003Ca href=\"https://fisher.osu.edu/academic-departments/department-finance/\" class=\"bux-link\">finance\u003C/a> majors deeply involved in Ohio State’s entrepreneurship ecosystem through the Keenan Center, didn’t start MobilePantry only because they wanted to build a business, but also because they’ve seen the struggle close up.\u003C/p>",[108],{"blockName":28,"attrs":111,"innerBlocks":113,"innerHTML":114,"innerContent":115},{"uuid":112},"bb9b1e10",[],"\u003Cp class=\"bux-paragraph\">Sky began volunteering at food pantries in high school after seeing first-hand how expensive fresh produce was when he began eating healthier.\u003C/p>",[114],{"blockName":28,"attrs":117,"innerBlocks":119,"innerHTML":120,"innerContent":121},{"uuid":118},"820981e5",[],"\u003Cp class=\"bux-paragraph\">“Food and nutrition have been hugely impactful to me,” he says. “But seeing the receipt you can rack up, it’s not accessible for a lot of people, even myself. So I started thinking about ways to make healthy food more accessible.”\u003C/p>",[120],{"blockName":28,"attrs":123,"innerBlocks":125,"innerHTML":126,"innerContent":127},{"uuid":124},"f844a38f",[],"\u003Cp class=\"bux-paragraph\">Jack’s story goes back even further. Growing up outside Philadelphia, he and his mom volunteered at local pantries and helped with food donations from churches.\u003C/p>",[126],{"blockName":28,"attrs":129,"innerBlocks":131,"innerHTML":132,"innerContent":133},{"uuid":130},"c5ac9049",[],"\u003Cp class=\"bux-paragraph\">When he arrived at Ohio State and found his passion for entrepreneurship, Jack never forgot the faces and stories he encountered as a volunteer. He saw building a business as a way to solve a problem he cared deeply about.\u003C/p>",[132],{"blockName":28,"attrs":135,"innerBlocks":137,"innerHTML":138,"innerContent":139},{"uuid":136},"9b7036ac",[],"\u003Cp class=\"bux-paragraph\">“I remember one woman with two kids who walked three miles to get to our pantry every week,” he says. “Another man picked up for six families. Those stories really got me thinking about what we could do.”\u003C/p>",[138],{"blockName":28,"attrs":141,"innerBlocks":143,"innerHTML":144,"innerContent":145},{"uuid":142},"00a5d81c",[],"\u003Cp class=\"bux-paragraph\">He also saw the stigma that often surrounds food pantries, something MobilePantry’s delivery model helps eliminate through its DoorDash partnership.\u003C/p>",[144],{"blockName":147,"attrs":148,"innerBlocks":153,"innerHTML":154,"innerContent":155},"media-text/bux-quote",{"quote":149,"author":150,"source":151,"uuid":152},"\u003Cmeta charset=\"utf-8\">“Food and nutrition have been hugely impactful to me. But seeing the receipt you can rack up, it's not accessible for a lot of people. So I started thinking about ways to make healthy food more accessible.”","Sky Sie","Ohio State finance student","388f00ae",[],"\u003Cbux-quote class=\"wp-block-media-text-bux-quote\">\u003Cspan slot=\"quote\"><meta charset=\"utf-8\">“Food and nutrition have been hugely impactful to me. But seeing the receipt you can rack up, it's not accessible for a lot of people. So I started thinking about ways to make healthy food more accessible.”\u003C/span>\u003Cspan slot=\"author\">Sky Sie\u003C/span>\u003Cspan slot=\"source\">Ohio State finance student\u003C/span>\u003C/bux-quote>",[154],{"blockName":28,"attrs":157,"innerBlocks":159,"innerHTML":160,"innerContent":161},{"uuid":158},"b5f50ce9",[],"\u003Cp class=\"bux-paragraph\">Yolanda Owens, executive director at Local Matters and a mentor to the MobilePantry team, believes that dignity is transformative.\u003C/p>",[160],{"blockName":28,"attrs":163,"innerBlocks":165,"innerHTML":166,"innerContent":167},{"uuid":164},"7a0699b1",[],"\u003Cp class=\"bux-paragraph\">“Transportation is a huge piece of the puzzle,” she says. “To put food on folks’ doorsteps, that’s one less thing they have to worry about. They’re not limited by what they can carry or by lugging kids around to multiple bus stops. It’s important when we think about food access.”\u003C/p>",[166],{"blockName":28,"attrs":169,"innerBlocks":171,"innerHTML":172,"innerContent":173},{"uuid":170},"f93b5bc5",[],"\u003Cp class=\"bux-paragraph\">Owens, a graduate of Ohio State’s \u003Ca href=\"https://cfaes.osu.edu/\" class=\"bux-link\">College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences\u003C/a> with nearly two decades of experience in food access and nonprofit programming, says what sets the MobilePantry model apart is the blend of mission and entrepreneurship.\u003C/p>",[172],{"blockName":28,"attrs":175,"innerBlocks":177,"innerHTML":178,"innerContent":179},{"uuid":176},"7c84a153",[],"\u003Cp class=\"bux-paragraph\">“It’s interesting to see someone come from a business mindset and make this viable,” she says. “It’s a different approach, the practicality of it. And they have tremendous excitement and zeal for this work.”\u003C/p>",[178],{"blockName":28,"attrs":181,"innerBlocks":183,"innerHTML":184,"innerContent":185},{"uuid":182},"c761f614",[],"\u003Cp class=\"bux-paragraph\">Nick Middleton, the Vice President of Supply Chain at DNO Produce, echoes those sentiments.\u003C/p>",[184],{"blockName":28,"attrs":187,"innerBlocks":189,"innerHTML":190,"innerContent":191},{"uuid":188},"8355528b",[],"\u003Cp class=\"bux-paragraph\">DNO — a major Midwest distributor that supplies the packed produce boxes for MobilePantry — has long prioritized sustainability, according to Middleton, donating produce to food banks and even animal sanctuaries to keep it out of landfills. When Jack and Sky emailed him out of the blue, Middleton didn’t hesitate.\u003C/p>",[190],{"blockName":28,"attrs":193,"innerBlocks":195,"innerHTML":196,"innerContent":197},{"uuid":194},"27889f32",[],"\u003Cp class=\"bux-paragraph\">“It was a no‑brainer,” he says. “Food waste is a massive problem, and food rescue is fundamental to what we do. Our missions are aligned. It’s worked seamlessly so far, and we want to be a partner for their growth.”\u003C/p>",[196],{"blockName":28,"attrs":199,"innerBlocks":201,"innerHTML":202,"innerContent":203},{"uuid":200},"901151cb",[],"\u003Cp class=\"bux-paragraph\">Growth is very much on Jack and Sky’s minds. They’re still early in their journey, but they believe they’ve built a model that can scale, first across Ohio, then potentially beyond. Cities like Cleveland and Cincinnati are already on their radar.\u003C/p>",[202],{"blockName":28,"attrs":205,"innerBlocks":207,"innerHTML":208,"innerContent":209},{"uuid":206},"c99470c7",[],"\u003Cp class=\"bux-paragraph\">“I really love what we’re doing, this opportunity to help others through entrepreneurship,” Jack said. “Everything we’ve been able to do comes back to Ohio State and the Keenan Center. It’s been incredible, just incredible.”\u003C/p>",[208],{"blockName":211,"attrs":212,"innerBlocks":219,"innerHTML":220,"innerContent":221},"media-text/story-cta",{"heading":213,"cta_body":214,"cta_text":215,"cta_aria_label":216,"cta_href":217,"uuid":218},"Take your next step","Your Ohio State story begins here.\u003Cbr>Explore majors, schedule a visit and more.","Learn more","Learn more about what Ohio State has to offer undergraduate Ohio State students from out of Ohio.","https://www.undergrad.osu.edu","e1596df6",[],"\u003Cdiv class=\"story-cta center\">\u003Ch2 class=\"story-cta__heading\"> \u003Cspan>Take your next step\u003C/span> \u003C/h2>\u003Cdiv class=\"story-cta__body\">\u003Cspan>Your Ohio State story begins here.\u003Cbr>Explore majors, schedule a visit and more.\u003C/span>\u003C/div>\u003Ca href=\"https://www.undergrad.osu.edu\" class=\"bux-button bux-button--alt\" arial-label=\"Learn more about what Ohio State has to offer undergraduate Ohio State students from out of Ohio.\" style=\"display:inline-flex\">\u003Cspan>\u003Cspan>Learn more\u003C/span>\u003C/span>\u003C/a>\u003C/div>",[220],"mobile-pantry","Two Ohio State sophomores are turning imperfect produce into affordable food access, building a mission-driven startup that fights hunger, reduces waste and delivers dignity to families across Columbus.","Founded by Ohio State sophomores, MobilePantry rescues imperfect produce, cuts food waste and delivers affordable groceries to Columbus families—combining entrepreneurship with purpose-driven impact.",[226,238,249],{"slug":227,"path":228,"title":229,"description":230,"subtitle":11,"taxonomy":231,"image":232,"video":235,"hideFromSearchEngines":11,"hasVideo":237},"building-an-entrepreneurship-mindset","stories/building-an-entrepreneurship-mindset","Building an entrepreneurship mindset","Electrical engineering student Jonah Mikesell turned a repurposed battery project into Phoenix Battery Co., winning major startup funding and finding endless opportunities to learn, build and innovate at Ohio State.",{"name":11,"slug":12},{"url":233,"alt":234},"https://editing.intcomm.osu.edu/sites/default/files/media/image/2026/03/54198071006_b9cc795822_o_1.jpg","Jonah Mikesell receiving a giant check.",{"url":11,"transcript":236},{"text":11},false,{"slug":239,"path":240,"title":241,"description":242,"subtitle":11,"taxonomy":243,"image":244,"video":247,"hideFromSearchEngines":11,"hasVideo":237},"living-and-learning-on-the-water","stories/living-and-learning-on-the-water","Living and learning on the water","Environmental science student Mike Penka found his passion at Ohio State’s Stone Laboratory, conducting aquatic research, presenting at conferences and exploring a future career in water quality and wildlife conservation.",{"name":11,"slug":12},{"url":245,"alt":246},"https://editing.intcomm.osu.edu/sites/default/files/media/image/2026/03/penka2_1.jpg","Mike Penka at Stone Lab.",{"url":11,"transcript":248},{"text":11},{"slug":250,"path":251,"title":252,"description":253,"subtitle":11,"taxonomy":254,"image":255,"video":258,"hideFromSearchEngines":11,"hasVideo":237},"mentorship-is-everything","stories/mentorship-is-everything","‘Mentorship is everything’","Through mentorship and hands‑on research, public health student Emanuel Tewolde presented nationally, earned major honors and discovered his passion for public health research as he prepares for a future career in medicine.",{"name":11,"slug":12},{"url":256,"alt":257},"https://editing.intcomm.osu.edu/sites/default/files/media/image/2026/03/25_6065830_11841_0.jpg","Emanuel Tewolde talks with his professor Min-Ae Song.",{"url":11,"transcript":259},{"text":11},"2026-05-26T14:31:47+00:00","2026-05-28T16:23:46+00:00",[263,266,269],{"title":264,"path":265},"Home","/",{"title":267,"path":268},"Stories","/stories",{"title":20,"path":270},"/stories/mobile-pantry","\u003Chtml>\u003Chead>\u003C/head>\u003Cbody>\u003Cp class=\"bux-paragraph\">The weather is gold in Columbus. Also, it’s Friday.\u003C/p>\u003C/body>\u003C/html>","\u003Chtml>\u003Chead>\u003C/head>\u003Cbody>\u003Cp class=\"bux-paragraph\">It’s spring and the sun’s out, temps are lower 80s, the kind of sunny day central Ohioans wait months to enjoy. Jack Swartley and Sky Sie are Ohio State sophomores with no classes on the schedule; they could literally be anywhere doing anything.\u003C/p>\u003C/body>\u003C/html>","\u003Chtml>\u003Chead>\u003C/head>\u003Cbody>\u003Cp class=\"bux-paragraph\">So they’re at DNO Produce in Columbus loading DoorDash cars with boxes of fruits and vegetables to be delivered to the doorsteps of customers and families in need. The work isn’t glamorous, but for Jack and Sky, it’s the heartbeat of their startup, \u003Ca href=\"https://mobilepantry.org/\" class=\"bux-link\">MobilePantry\u003C/a>, a venture built to address two massive problems: food waste and food insecurity.\u003C/p>\u003C/body>\u003C/html>","\u003Chtml>\u003Chead>\u003C/head>\u003Cbody>\u003Cp class=\"bux-paragraph\">“My north star has always been helping others,” Swartley says. “It’s my favorite thing in the world.”\u003C/p>\u003C/body>\u003C/html>","\u003Chtml>\u003Chead>\u003C/head>\u003Cbody>\u003Cp class=\"bux-paragraph\">MobilePantry launched its current model this spring after winning $50,000 through the \u003Ca href=\"https://keenan.osu.edu/\" class=\"bux-link\">President’s Buckeye Accelerator\u003C/a> in April 2025. The team is building it as a self‑sustaining nonprofit with a simple but powerful system: they purchase cosmetically imperfect produce that grocery stores won’t sell, offer it to subscribers at 30% below retail, and use that revenue to fund free doorstep deliveries for families in need.\u003C/p>\u003C/body>\u003C/html>","\u003Chtml>\u003Chead>\u003C/head>\u003Cbody>\u003Cp class=\"bux-paragraph\">The scale of the problem they’re fighting is staggering. In Franklin County alone, about one million pounds of edible food is thrown away daily, while almost 150,000 residents are food insecure, according to \u003Ca href=\"https://local-matters.org/columbus-food-rescue/\" class=\"bux-link\">Local Matters, a Columbus nonprofit\u003C/a>. And for many who rely on food pantries, transportation is a barrier, with an estimated 40% struggling to get there at all.\u003C/p>\u003C/body>\u003C/html>","\u003Chtml>\u003Chead>\u003C/head>\u003Cbody>\u003Cp class=\"bux-paragraph\">Jack and Sky, both \u003Ca href=\"https://fisher.osu.edu/academic-departments/department-finance/\" class=\"bux-link\">finance\u003C/a> majors deeply involved in Ohio State’s entrepreneurship ecosystem through the Keenan Center, didn’t start MobilePantry only because they wanted to build a business, but also because they’ve seen the struggle close up.\u003C/p>\u003C/body>\u003C/html>","\u003Chtml>\u003Chead>\u003C/head>\u003Cbody>\u003Cp class=\"bux-paragraph\">Sky began volunteering at food pantries in high school after seeing first-hand how expensive fresh produce was when he began eating healthier.\u003C/p>\u003C/body>\u003C/html>","\u003Chtml>\u003Chead>\u003C/head>\u003Cbody>\u003Cp class=\"bux-paragraph\">“Food and nutrition have been hugely impactful to me,” he says. “But seeing the receipt you can rack up, it’s not accessible for a lot of people, even myself. So I started thinking about ways to make healthy food more accessible.”\u003C/p>\u003C/body>\u003C/html>","\u003Chtml>\u003Chead>\u003C/head>\u003Cbody>\u003Cp class=\"bux-paragraph\">Jack’s story goes back even further. Growing up outside Philadelphia, he and his mom volunteered at local pantries and helped with food donations from churches.\u003C/p>\u003C/body>\u003C/html>","\u003Chtml>\u003Chead>\u003C/head>\u003Cbody>\u003Cp class=\"bux-paragraph\">When he arrived at Ohio State and found his passion for entrepreneurship, Jack never forgot the faces and stories he encountered as a volunteer. He saw building a business as a way to solve a problem he cared deeply about.\u003C/p>\u003C/body>\u003C/html>","\u003Chtml>\u003Chead>\u003C/head>\u003Cbody>\u003Cp class=\"bux-paragraph\">“I remember one woman with two kids who walked three miles to get to our pantry every week,” he says. “Another man picked up for six families. Those stories really got me thinking about what we could do.”\u003C/p>\u003C/body>\u003C/html>","\u003Chtml>\u003Chead>\u003C/head>\u003Cbody>\u003Cp class=\"bux-paragraph\">He also saw the stigma that often surrounds food pantries, something MobilePantry’s delivery model helps eliminate through its DoorDash partnership.\u003C/p>\u003C/body>\u003C/html>","\u003Chtml>\u003Chead>\u003C/head>\u003Cbody>\u003Cbux-quote class=\"wp-block-media-text-bux-quote\">\u003Cspan slot=\"quote\">“Food and nutrition have been hugely impactful to me. But seeing the receipt you can rack up, it's not accessible for a lot of people. So I started thinking about ways to make healthy food more accessible.”\u003C/span>\u003Cspan slot=\"author\">Sky Sie\u003C/span>\u003Cspan slot=\"source\">Ohio State finance student\u003C/span>\u003C/bux-quote>\u003C/body>\u003C/html>","\u003Chtml>\u003Chead>\u003C/head>\u003Cbody>\u003Cp class=\"bux-paragraph\">Yolanda Owens, executive director at Local Matters and a mentor to the MobilePantry team, believes that dignity is transformative.\u003C/p>\u003C/body>\u003C/html>","\u003Chtml>\u003Chead>\u003C/head>\u003Cbody>\u003Cp class=\"bux-paragraph\">“Transportation is a huge piece of the puzzle,” she says. “To put food on folks’ doorsteps, that’s one less thing they have to worry about. They’re not limited by what they can carry or by lugging kids around to multiple bus stops. It’s important when we think about food access.”\u003C/p>\u003C/body>\u003C/html>","\u003Chtml>\u003Chead>\u003C/head>\u003Cbody>\u003Cp class=\"bux-paragraph\">Owens, a graduate of Ohio State’s \u003Ca href=\"https://cfaes.osu.edu/\" class=\"bux-link\">College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences\u003C/a> with nearly two decades of experience in food access and nonprofit programming, says what sets the MobilePantry model apart is the blend of mission and entrepreneurship.\u003C/p>\u003C/body>\u003C/html>","\u003Chtml>\u003Chead>\u003C/head>\u003Cbody>\u003Cp class=\"bux-paragraph\">“It’s interesting to see someone come from a business mindset and make this viable,” she says. “It’s a different approach, the practicality of it. And they have tremendous excitement and zeal for this work.”\u003C/p>\u003C/body>\u003C/html>","\u003Chtml>\u003Chead>\u003C/head>\u003Cbody>\u003Cp class=\"bux-paragraph\">Nick Middleton, the Vice President of Supply Chain at DNO Produce, echoes those sentiments.\u003C/p>\u003C/body>\u003C/html>","\u003Chtml>\u003Chead>\u003C/head>\u003Cbody>\u003Cp class=\"bux-paragraph\">DNO — a major Midwest distributor that supplies the packed produce boxes for MobilePantry — has long prioritized sustainability, according to Middleton, donating produce to food banks and even animal sanctuaries to keep it out of landfills. When Jack and Sky emailed him out of the blue, Middleton didn’t hesitate.\u003C/p>\u003C/body>\u003C/html>","\u003Chtml>\u003Chead>\u003C/head>\u003Cbody>\u003Cp class=\"bux-paragraph\">“It was a no‑brainer,” he says. “Food waste is a massive problem, and food rescue is fundamental to what we do. Our missions are aligned. It’s worked seamlessly so far, and we want to be a partner for their growth.”\u003C/p>\u003C/body>\u003C/html>","\u003Chtml>\u003Chead>\u003C/head>\u003Cbody>\u003Cp class=\"bux-paragraph\">Growth is very much on Jack and Sky’s minds. They’re still early in their journey, but they believe they’ve built a model that can scale, first across Ohio, then potentially beyond. Cities like Cleveland and Cincinnati are already on their radar.\u003C/p>\u003C/body>\u003C/html>","\u003Chtml>\u003Chead>\u003C/head>\u003Cbody>\u003Cp class=\"bux-paragraph\">“I really love what we’re doing, this opportunity to help others through entrepreneurship,” Jack said. “Everything we’ve been able to do comes back to Ohio State and the Keenan Center. It’s been incredible, just incredible.”\u003C/p>\u003C/body>\u003C/html>","\u003Chtml>\u003Chead>\u003C/head>\u003Cbody>\u003Cdiv class=\"story-cta center\">\u003Ch2 class=\"story-cta__heading\"> \u003Cspan>Take your next step\u003C/span> \u003C/h2>\u003Cdiv class=\"story-cta__body\">\u003Cspan>Your Ohio State story begins here.\u003Cbr>Explore majors, schedule a visit and more.\u003C/span>\u003C/div>\u003Ca href=\"https://www.undergrad.osu.edu\" class=\"bux-button bux-button--alt\" arial-label=\"Learn more about what Ohio State has to offer undergraduate Ohio State students from out of Ohio.\" style=\"display:inline-flex\">\u003Cspan>\u003Cspan>Learn more\u003C/span>\u003C/span>\u003C/a>\u003C/div>\u003C/body>\u003C/html>",1780328432207]