Rea & Associates recently addressed a problem local to the Ohio CPA and consulting firm by donating 9,178 pounds of food to neighborhood organizations through its annual food drive.

Now in its ninth year, the drive has donated more than 15,000 pounds of food to those in need, who, according to State Rep. Dennis Kucinich and verified by The Plain Dealer, were a quarter of the population in 70 of Ohio’s 88 counties last year.

“So many of our neighbors are hungry, and it’s even more important to remember that during the holiday season,” stated CEO Lee Beall. “Our firm was built on values, and giving back to the community is an important part of our culture. The food drive is a way that we can all work together as a firm to support a common cause.”

Though working together, Rea & Associates employees also faced off, engaging in a friendly competition over which office could collect the most pounds of food per employee (and cash, with each donated dollar counting as one pound). The Cambridge office came out on top, weighing in at 114 pounds per person.