Liberty HealthShare will award 20 grants to Northeast Ohio churches

The application window for Liberty HealthShare's newest grant program closed on Oct. 1, 2026. Christian churches in nine Northeast Ohio counties had until that date to apply for up to $5,000 apiece in grant funding for work with hungry, unhoused, and otherwise vulnerable neighbors.

Sharing Hearts for the Church seeks to award 20 grants worth a combined $100,000. A committee of church leaders and Liberty HealthShare team members is reviewing the applications.

Here is how the program came together, who was eligible to apply and where it fits in the ministry's charitable work.

A breakfast at Malone University

Liberty HealthShare launched the program on the morning of Aug. 11, 2026, at a Faith Breakfast at Malone University in Canton. Pastors and community leaders from across the region were invited to the free event, which included panel discussions with pastors and local leaders.

"We know many churches are already doing incredible work to meet the needs of people in their communities, often with limited resources," Liberty HealthShare Chief Executive Officer Dorsey Morrow said.

At the launch, Morrow added: "At Liberty HealthShare, we believe being a force for good means recognizing that some of the most important work in our communities is already happening in church fellowship halls, food pantries, classrooms, shelters, and neighborhood outreach ministries. Through Sharing Hearts for the Church, we're coming alongside those ministries to help them reach even more people."

Why Northeast Ohio

The nine-county footprint centers on Liberty HealthShare's home. The ministry is headquartered in Canton, the Stark County seat, and it traces its roots to 1995 and the Gospel Light Mennonite Church Medical Aid Plan.

Today the ministry has 155 team members and offers six medical cost-sharing programs to members across the country. Its charitable giving, though, has concentrated close to home, with most Sharing Hearts Fund initiatives aimed at Stark county.

Who could apply

Eligibility was set by geography and purpose, not by membership.

Churches had to be Christian congregations serving communities in one of nine counties: Stark, Summit, Portage, Mahoning, Columbiana, Carroll, Holmes, Wayne, or Tuscarawas. Projects had to support people facing hunger, homelessness, or other hardship.

Participation in Liberty HealthShare's medical cost-sharing programs was not required. A church with no members enrolled in the ministry could apply on the same terms as one with many.

Reviewers score applications on three factors:

- Community impact

- Alignment with program goals

- Strength of the proposal

The need behind the grants

Hunger is one of the program's stated targets, and recent data shows why it remains a regional concern.

About 15% of Ohioans experienced food insecurity, according to Feeding America's Map the Meal Gap analysis of 2024 data, as reported by Axios Cleveland in August 2026. Axios also reported that food insecurity rose slightly from the previous year in the six counties served by the Greater Cleveland Food Bank.

"One of the most encouraging parts of the morning was seeing pastors, ministry leaders, and community organizations talking with one another about how they can work together," said Joshua Grubbs, coordinator of Sharing Hearts for the Church.

How the money is funded

Money for the grants comes from Liberty HealthShare's Sharing Hearts Fund, which gets all of its funding through donations and grants that are kept separate from Liberty HealthShare's operating funds.

That separation matters for members. Liberty HealthShare members pay a suggested monthly share amount, starting at $87 for individuals and $319 for families, which goes toward sharing other members' eligible medical expenses. Church grants have no impact on member SharePower.

The ministry's core work is offering an alternative way of paying for healthcare costs. The Sharing Hearts Fund is its charitable arm.

Where the program fits in the Sharing Hearts Fund

Sharing Hearts for the Church is the latest of several initiatives the fund has started since it launched in spring 2025.

- Stark County families: the fund has provided healthcare assistance to families in Stark County.

- Food insecurity: it has awarded grants addressing hunger, including a $25,000 community initiative.

- Children's wellness care: it has run multiple rounds of grants for children's wellness care in Stark County.

- Akron Children's Hospital: in June 2026, it gave $200,000 to Akron Children's to help families in Stark and Summit counties with pediatric medical expenses.

"Supporting families during difficult times is at the heart of the Sharing Hearts Fund mission," Morrow said when the Akron Children's gift was announced.

What comes next

With applications closed, the review committee's decisions are the next step. Liberty HealthShare has not yet announced which churches will receive the 20 grants.

"These grants are designed to strengthen ministries already making a difference while encouraging partnerships that can multiply their impact. We hope churches across our region will see this as an opportunity to expand the work they're already doing to serve their neighbors," Grubbs said.

"Healthy communities are built when local institutions work together. Sharing Hearts for the Church is about strengthening partnerships between churches, nonprofits, and community leaders so they can continue meeting the needs of our neighbors," Morrow said.

Churches with questions about the program can reach the Sharing Hearts team at [email protected] or 855-585-4237, ext. 1969. Program details are posted at libertyhealthshare.org/sharing-hearts/the-church.

Sharing Hearts for the Church at a glance

- Total: $100,000, split into 20 grants of up to $5,000 each.

- Who could apply: Christian churches serving Stark, Summit, Portage, Mahoning, Columbiana, Carroll, Holmes, Wayne, and Tuscarawas counties.

- Purpose: projects that serve hungry, unhoused, and other vulnerable residents.

- Membership required: no. Churches did not need any tie to Liberty HealthShare's medical cost-sharing programs.

- Deadline: applications closed Oct. 1, 2026. Awards have not yet been announced.

- Funding source: the Sharing Hearts Fund, supported by donations and grants kept separate from Liberty HealthShare's operating funds.