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OSU’s Gene Smith, Ryan Day and Chris Holtmann pledge $175,000 to aid in COVID-19 relief
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Ohio State University Athletics Director Gene Smith, head football coach Ryan Day and head men’s basketball coach Chris Holtmann and their families will be helping out an Ohio food bank to help those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tuesday, Ohio State released a statement, saying the two head coaches and athletic director will be donating a total of $35,000 per month between April and August to Mid-Ohio Foodbank’s COVID-19 Emergency Fund. The grand total for the contributions during that five-month span will hit a total of $175,000.
Those donations will help the food bank to acquire and distribute food and supplies to families in need in Ohio. According to the release, the Mid-Ohio Foodbank will be able to provide $1.5 million worth in groceries to Ohioans in need.
“So many people in our community are struggling to feed their families right now,” Smith said. “Our families wanted to do something to support those who need help. By contributing to the Mid-Ohio Foodbank, we know we can make a significant impact.”
Matt Habash, the president and CEO of the food bank, was thankful for the generous donation.
“We understand that this is a marathon, not a sprint, and that it will take months for many of our struggling neighbors to recover,” Habash said. “We are incredibly grateful for the generosity of these amazing families to be on this journey with us.”
Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB