Celebrating Ohio's Urban-Rural Connections

Ohio State University Extension is celebrating “Urban October,” a worldwide campaign the United Nations launched to focus on the opportunities and challenges created by the fast rate of change in cities. 

The 2022 theme of Ohio’s monthlong campaign is “Celebrating Our Urban-Rural Connections—Where We Live, Work, Play, Learn, and Serve.”

As part of that service, Ohio State students, staff, faculty, alumni, volunteers, and families will be involved in providing free meals to those struggling with food insecurity. In partnership with West Virginia University, Ohio State’s Office of Student Life will lead an effort to package more than 150,000 meals. The meals will be distributed through OSU Extension and local community partners in southeast Ohio. OSU Extension is the outreach arm of The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES).

“As a land-grant university, Ohio State is grateful to be a consistent part of Ohio’s diverse urban, suburban, and rural communities through OSU Extension and local community partnerships,” said Jackie Kirby Wilkins, associate dean and director for OSU Extension.

“Many people live in a rural area and commute to a metro area or live in a city and play in a rural community,” said Julie Fox, director of strategic initiatives and urban engagement for OSU Extension. “There’s easy access to the full richness of the state from Lake Erie to the Ohio River.”

“OSU Extension is often associated with rural farms, fairs, families, and 4-H,” Fox said.

“This is a valued and important part of our mission, and we’re here for the well-being of all Ohioans, which includes contributing to healthy urban-rural connections."

Working with Ohio residents across the state, OSU Extension faculty, staff, and volunteers address what matters most to Ohioans, including economic and workforce development, health and wellness, environmental and agricultural sustainability, and much more.

“We engage throughout the year and take this time in October to celebrate with our metro areas and foster urban, suburban, rural relationships,” Fox said.

This is OSU Extension’s second year participating in Urban October. In the coming years, the Extension team looks forward to collaborating with additional university and community partners to build on this foundation and foster local, state, national, and global connections.

For more information about Extension’s Urban October efforts, visit go.osu.edu/urbanoctober.