News & Updates

“The Ohio Association of Foodbanks applauds Governor Mike DeWine for signing Ohio Senate Bill 315 into law. This legislation will enable important fraud protections that will save taxpayer dollars and protect low-income Ohioans. Through gradual implementation of SNAP EBT card modernization, Ohio will adopt a proven technology solution to prevent organized criminals from continuing to defraud Ohio families to the tune of millions of dollars. On behalf of Ohio’s foodbanks and the 650,000 Ohio households that turn to SNAP for help meeting their monthly food needs, we thank Governor DeWine and the 136th Ohio General Assembly for this important legislation.

The Ohio Association of Foodbanks applauds the Ohio General Assembly for passing important fraud protections that will save taxpayer dollars and protect low-income Ohioans. We want to especially thank Senators Tim Schaffer and Hearcel Craig for their sponsorship of Sub. Senate Bill 315 and Representatives Kellie Deeter and Tristan Rader for their sponsorship of Am. House Bill 163. These bipartisan, bicameral leaders worked with a sense of urgency, alongside Senate President McColley, Speaker Huffman, Senate Finance leadership including Chair Cirino, Vice Chair Chavez, and Ranking Member Hicks-Hudson, House Agriculture leadership including Chair Klopfenstein, Vice Chair Newman, and Ranking Member Miller, and House Finance leadership including Chair Stewart, Vice Chair Dovilla, and Ranking Member Sweeney, to see this critical effort through to the finish line.

“The Ohio Association of Foodbanks and our members are grateful to Senator Husted for his co-sponsorship of the Delivering for Rural Seniors Act. Ohio’s foodbanks, in partnership with USDA and the State of Ohio, proudly operate CSFP to connect about 30,000 seniors with nourishing staple foods every month. This legislation would help us make sure that seniors in need, especially those in rural Ohio, where service delivery is often more challenging, can have healthy food, and hope, delivered to their doorstep. We look forward to partnering with Senator Husted on this impactful bill,” said Joree Novotny, executive director, Ohio Association of Foodbanks.

The Ohio Food Program and Ohio Agricultural Clearance Program help ensure surplus or blemished produce from local farms are distributed to local food pantries.

Anti-hunger groups said the state-level initiatives are especially critical as more families struggle with higher grocery bills. They are also considering ongoing changes to SNAP benefits and regulations, including the introduction of federal work requirements in February.

Sarah Kuhns, external affairs manager for the Ohio Association of Food Banks, said Ohio is making an effort to eliminate agricultural waste and move fresh produce through pantries quickly.

The federal SUN Bucks, or Summer EBT program, provides a one-time $120 benefit to families to purchase food during the summer months.

Experts said it is vital in filling the gap for thousands of families across Ohio. The money can be used at grocery stores, farmers markets and authorized retailers selling food.

Maura O’Connor, a working mom, nursing student and mother of three in Springfield, said SUN Bucks help fuel her son for summer sports games and practices. She explained feeding her kids has become more challenging with the rising cost of household essentials.

"I've had to cut back hours at work to align with my nursing school schedule," O'Connor explained. "I've definitely felt a very big struggle trying to provide groceries for myself and my three children."

Ohio will become only the second state to issue electronic benefits cards to SNAP or food stamp recipients with computer chips in them, after Gov. Mike DeWine signed a law requiring that this week. And it’s something advocates for low-income Ohioans have long pushed for.

Senate Bill 315, known as the Enhanced Cybersecurity for SNAP Act, passed unanimously in the Senate and eight Democrats and two Republicans in the House voting against it.

SNAP cards have been susceptible to skimming devices installed at food retailers by criminals trying to steal benefits, said Ohio Association of Food Banks Executive Director Joree Novotny. She said Ohio's cards are more than a decade behind other payment technology.

"They're magnetic strip cards, and they're very susceptible to fraud unfortunately," Novotny said. "So we've had tens of thousands of Ohio households that have been victimized by criminal fraudsters and had their benefits stolen because those cards aren't secure."

She said not only are Ohio's cards not as secure as those with chips, there's no way to recover benefits after they are stolen.

Ohio Food Recovery’s 2025 Impact Report addresses the issue of food waste, defined as safe, edible food that is discarded instead of eaten. This waste occurs at many points across the food system, including homes, farms, grocery stores, restaurants, and manufacturing facilities. Common causes include produce that does not meet cosmetic standards, food nearing sell‑by or expiration dates, overproduction, and rejected or distressed food loads. Foodbanks play an essential role in addressing this challenge by working with local partners and farms, retailers, manufacturers, restaurants, and distributors to rescue and redistribute surplus food that would otherwise go to waste across all of Ohio's 88 counties. We are pleased to have coordinated with the Ohio Department of Health and local food recovery partners on this report.

The Ohio Association of Foodbanks is pleased to present this Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) Cookbook. This book highlights special recipes from Celebrate Your Plate, utilizing CSFP focused ingredients to make simple and delicious meals, to nourish your household.

Here you can find the methodology and sources for our 2026 County Fact Sheets.