Portage County Health District

12/30/2025

Happy New Year from the Portage County Health District!

PCHD will be closed on Wednesday, December 31 and Thursday, January 1 in celebration of the New Year. Regular business hours will resume on Friday, January 2.

We wish everyone a safe, healthy start to 2026.

12/29/2025

📣 Important Update: January Pop-Up Food Pantry Date Change!

Due to the holiday, our January Drive-Thru Pop-Up Food Pantry will take place on Thursday, January 8 instead of the first Thursday of the month. Please share to help spread the word!

🍎 Drive-Thru Pop-Up Food Pantry
Stay warm and support your community from the comfort of your car. For the winter months, we are using our convenient drive-thru format at PCHD.

📅 New Date: Thursday, January 8
🕐 Time: 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
📍 Location: Portage County Health District
999 East Main Street, Ravenna, OH 44266

In partnership with the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank, PCHD proudly hosts a Pop-Up Food Pantry each month to provide access to fresh, healthy foods for local families.

🥕 Explore Additional Food Resources:
PCHD Food Resource Dashboard
🔗 https://www.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/c92774ced7894f37a7bc069400a237c0

(Also available on our website under: Our Programs → Community Health → Food Resources Dashboard)

Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank Find Help Tool
🔗 https://www.akroncantonfoodbank.org/find-help

Please share this post to help our community stay informed. Thank you for supporting local families!

12/27/2025

Portage County Safe Communities, a program of the Portage County Health District, reminds everyone to stay focused and distraction free on the road this holiday season.

As celebrations and travel pick up, please remember to keep your phone down and your eyes on the road. A quick glance away can change lives in an instant. Your full attention matters for your safety and for the safety of others sharing the roadway.

Let’s work together to make sure everyone makes it home safely for the holidays.
Stay alert. Stay sober. Stay buckled. Stay safe.

From all of us at Portage County Safe Communities, we wish you a safe and joyful holiday season.

12/24/2025

Happy Holidays from the Portage County Health District!

PCHD will be closed on Wednesday, December 24 and Thursday, December 25 in observance of the holiday. We look forward to serving you again when we resume regular business hours on Friday, December 26.

We wish everyone a safe, healthy, and joyful holiday season.

12/24/2025

Portage County Safe Communities wishes you a safe and joyful holiday season.

As you gather and celebrate with loved ones, please remember to make safety part of your holiday plans. Always wear your seatbelt, drive sober, and never allow friends or family to get behind the wheel while impaired.

Although it is illegal to drive while impaired by alcohol, in 2023 one person was killed every 42 minutes in a drunk driving crash on our nation’s roads. Every life lost is one too many. Together, we can help keep our community safe.

From all of us at Portage County Safe Communities, we wish you Happy Holidays and a safe season ahead.

12/19/2025

Portage County Cares Christmas Event

Join us on TODAY, December 19 for a warm and welcoming community event filled with support, resources, and holiday spirit. This event is free and open to everyone.

We will be distributing (while supplies last):
• Hot soup
• Hats
• Gloves
• Scarves
• Hygiene items
• Narcan kits
• Shelf stable pantry items
• Community resources

Event Details
Thursday, December 19
11 AM to 2 PM

Townhall II
512 N Chestnut Street, Ravenna, OH 44266

Thank you to our partners Portage County Sheriff's Office - Ohio, Townhall II and Mental Health & Recovery Board of Portage County for helping bring this event to life. We look forward to supporting our community together this holiday season.

12/19/2025

Congratulations, Olivia!

We were able to celebrate some truly amazing public health professionals at our recent conference.
One of those awardees was Olivia Card from Portage County Health District
She was awarded the Excellence in Epidemiology Award. Congrats to you, Olivia!

12/17/2025

Portage County Health District will be closed on Thursday, December 18, 2025 from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM for a staff meeting. Services will resume immediately following the meeting.

12/17/2025

📢 New Video Alert!

Check out our latest YouTube video highlighting the Portage County Harm Reduction Vending Machine, a free and confidential resource designed to keep our community safer and healthier.

The Portage County Health District and UH Portage Medical Center have partnered to install Harm Reduction Vending Machines, providing free, stigma free access to life saving and disease prevention resources for our community.

The harm reduction vending machines provide essential items such as naloxone, to***co cessation products including ni****ne gum and lozenges, fentanyl test strips, hygiene kits, first aid kits, portable sharps containers, and medication disposal pouches. They also offer safe s*x supplies such as pregnancy tests, condoms, female condoms, dental dams, and lubricant. All items are available at no cost and are designed to be accessed easily and confidentially.

Our goal is simple: to reduce overdose deaths, prevent the spread of disease, and connect individuals with lifesaving, evidence-based resources when they need them most.

📍 Locations and Hours

UH Portage Medical Center
6847 N Chestnut St, Ravenna
Emergency Room lobby near the snack machines
Open 24 hours a day, seven days a week

Portage County Health District
999 E Main St, Ravenna
Open Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM

🟢 How to Use
Press the pound sign, enter your ZIP code, then press the pound sign again. You may dispense as many free items as you need.

🎥 Watch the full video to learn how the vending machines work and how they support a safer, healthier Portage County.

https://youtube.com/shorts/5yLVj2vyKLE

For questions, please contact Kylee McCracken, Health Educator at the Portage County Health District, at 330 296 9919 ext. 129.

Check out our latest YouTube video highlighting the Portage County Harm Reduction Vending Machine, a free and confidential resource designed to keep our comm...

12/12/2025

Portage County Safe Communities was honored to participate in the 2025 MADD Recognition Ceremony, celebrating officers who have gone above and beyond in their efforts to reduce impaired driving on our roadways and waterways.

This year, we were proud to nominate Duane Hunsicker for his outstanding dedication to promoting traffic safety in Portage County. Duane is an exceptional coalition member who consistently attends events, engages with community members, and offers support whenever it is needed.

We are truly grateful for his service and commitment. Portage County is fortunate to have Duane working to keep our community safe.

12/10/2025

New to septic systems? That little square lid in your yard has a big job.

Your septic system’s distribution box plays a key role in keeping everything flowing smoothly. Our team created this short video to show you what a distribution box looks like, how it works, and why switching sides every 6 months helps your system last longer and function properly.

Proper maintenance can save homeowners time, stress, and costly repairs.

Take a moment to learn how this small part of your yard makes a big difference.

For more information on septic system care, visit our website at: https://portagehealth.net/our-programs/environmental-public-health/waste-water/sts-homeowner-education/