Media Coverage
Hunger crisis grows in central Ohio; Ohio food banks seek $100M amid rising demand
He said October 2024 marked their busiest month in 44 years of operation.
This surge in need comes at a critical time.
The Farm Bill, the largest funding source for food banks, has not been renewed since 2018. Mid-Ohio Food Collective warns that flat funding is effectively a cut due to inflation and reduced buying power.
"No amount of fundraising or philanthropy will make up for those federal and state programs. If those are not taken care of, these shelves behind us will not have as much food," Hochron said.
In response to the crisis, the 12 food banks in the state have requested $100 million over two years from the state. However, it remains uncertain what lawmakers will approve.
For families who face higher food prices and rising rents, the situation is dire.
We’re here to support those folks' | Freestore Foodbank helps those in need during the holidays
Freestore Foodbank kept its doors open through Christmas Eve to make sure families had groceries for the holidays.
The market gave 50 pounds of food to each family who shopped.
"It's nice because not everybody has someone who cares," shopper Victoria Sprechera said.
According to the Ohio Association of Foodbanks, food banks in 2023 saw a 34% increase in families taking home groceries from food banks compared to 2022. That's a 56% increase from 2019.
Truitt said some families come in with difficult decisions, and he hopes the market alleviates some of their stress.
West Ohio Food Bank Podcast Ep 2 Sarah Kuhns and Legislative Breakfast
Sarah Kuhns on the West Ohio Food Bank Podcast!
"Sarah Kuhns from the Ohio Assoc of Food Banks joins us to talk politics, the farm bill, and much more, plus we recap out elected officials breakfast we had at the food bank on Dec. 16."
Food-stamp theft jumps in Cuyahoga County - and federal repayment for victims is at risk
CLEVELAND — Cuyahoga County is seeing a spike in electronic benefits theft, just as a lifeline for victims is about to expire.
Last week, Patricia Warren was shocked to realize that her EBT, or food-stamp, card had been drained. Her monthly payment of $153 arrived at midnight and disappeared while she was sleeping, leaving only a few dollars in her account.
“How can they do this?" she said on Monday while sitting in the living room of her house on Cleveland’s East Side.
The 65-year-old great-grandmother isn’t alone.
Cuyahoga County has received a record-high 1,199 reports of EBT theft this month – and it’s only mid-December. Such thefts, carried out by sophisticated criminal rings using card-skimming devices to steal data, are a growing problem across the country.
Ohio has processed more than 25,000 food-stamp theft reports since June of 2023. And the state has repaid upwards of $12.6 million in stolen benefits, using federal money to make families whole.
Free, unbiased health insurance help available for Ohioans
Ohioans have until Jan. 15 to sign up for health insurance coverage during the open enrollment period.
Programs like Get Covered Ohio are available to help people navigate their options on HealthCare.gov or apply for Medicaid.
Grace Wagner, director of health initiatives for the Ohio Association of Foodbanks, said the program's navigators are certified by the federal government and licensed by the state of Ohio, and they are not trying to sell anyone anything.
"Navigators through Get Covered Ohio are here to provide free and unbiased assistance to anyone looking to find coverage and assess their options," Wagner explained.