NSI Food Pantry is dedicated to serving the community kindly, respectfully and equitably.
1 in 8 Ohioans are food insecure. Together, we can end hunger. Our volunteers could turn a blind eye to poverty in Central, Ohio. Instead, they work hard to connect food and other resources to families in need.
According to Feeding America, the average cost of a home-cooked meal in Franklin County, Ohio, is projected to be $4.20 in 2025. Based on that estimate, providing 15 meals per person would cost $63.00. However, thanks to NSI’s resources and partnerships, we can provide those same 15 meals for just $10.18. In 2024, NSI distributed an incredible 1,174,831 meals to 24,423 families—serving a total of 82,306 individuals.
Our Mission & History
Neighborhood Services, Inc Food Pantry responds to the ill effects of poverty in Central Ohio by providing food and material assistance to persons in need. NSI strives to improve the quality of life in our community by compassionately and respectfully serving our neighbors
NSI was founded in 1965 by 12 University District churches, in response to growing need for food in and increased homelessness in the community. The pantry’s convenient, central location, located on the #4 bus line, allows NSI to impact people in need from all over the city of Columbus.
Where we work
Operating on the simple belief that all people deserve to eat, NSI Food Pantry is now open to all Central, Ohio zip codes. No zip code is immune to hunger. In 2020, NSI formally opened it’s doors for people from any zip code to shop up to every month, resulting in NSI serving families from 64 different zip codes last year. This change was made possible by the community that supports us – volunteers, donors, the faith community, activists, businesses and people just like YOU!
What our neighbors say about us
To learn more about food insecurity and food costs in Ohio, check out Feeding America’s Map the Meal Gap study here.