CINCINNATI — If you're heading to the Cincinnati Reds game either Friday or Saturday, you have the opportunity to do a good deed — and receive a free ticket to a future game in the process.
The Reds are teaming up with St. Vincent de Paul for the "Strike Out Hunger" food drive this weekend, when the Reds play the Miami Marlins on Friday at 7:10 p.m. and Saturday at 4:10 p.m. at Great American Ball Park.
Fans who donate at least three non-perishable food items at the two games will receive a free ticket voucher for an upcoming Reds game.
The Reds have not said what game the ticket voucher will be for, but there is a limit of one voucher per person.
For those planning to donate food items, volunteers and donation barrels will be located outside of the GABP main gates on Crosley Terrace, which are the entrances near the statues of Ted Kluszewski, Ernie Lombard, Joe Nuxhall and Frank Robinson. There will also be donate barrels at the stadium gates near the Reds Hall of Fame. The donation barrels will be out on Friday from 5-7:30 p.m. and on Saturday from 2-4:30 p.m.
Any donated food will be distributed through St. Vincent de Paul's Becky and Ted Catino Choice Food Pantry in the West End, as well as the nonprofit's network of 13 neighborhood-based food pantries in Greater Cincinnati.
In 2023, fans donated more than 8,900 pounds of food to the Strike Out Hunger food drive, which was enough to provide nearly 7,500 meals to families.
Brad McMonigle, the CEO of St. Vincent de Paul Cincinnati, said more people are turning to the nonprofit for food assistance now than ever before.
"The support we receive from drives like this is crucial to keeping shelves at our food pantries stocked for our neighbors in need," McMonigle said.
St. Vincent de Paul said the food items it needs most right now include breakfast cereals, oatmeal, canned meat, canned fruit and spices.
"More than 270,000 families across Cincinnati experience food insecurity each year," McMonigle said. "To put that in perspective: one representative from each family would fill the seats in Great American Ball Park six times."
For more information about the food drive, click here.
