Media Coverage

Congresswoman Emilia Sykes (OH-13) introduced the Food is Medicine Access Act to ensure that food farmacies, produce prescription programs, and medically-tailored meals are available to patients in need. Food is Medicine programs integrate nutritious food and nutrition support into health care to prevent or manage diet-related conditions and improve health outcomes. This bill helps ensure that Food is Medicine programs are not targeted under the Anti-Kickback Statute, allowing more providers to offer these services, while maintaining existing safeguards against fraud and abuse.

“Food farmacies have been shown to make a positive impact in the lives of patients battling chronic illness. I’m proud to have led the legislation that established food farmacies in Ohio and to be leading bipartisan legislation to expand the program nationally,” said Rep. Sykes. “I’m introducing this bill to ensure more providers can offer food farmacies and produce prescriptions to their patients and I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to ensure every American can access healthy food.”

This bill has been endorsed by the Ohio Association of Foodbanks, Cleveland Clinic, and Akron Children’s Hospital.

“Foodbanks in Ohio and across the country work alongside hospital systems, primary care doctors, and other healthcare providers to provide access to foods that promote health and healing. This legislation will remove a critical barrier to working across sectors to improve the health of Americans,” said Zach Reat, Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives at the Ohio Association of Foodbanks.

Food banks across the country are under growing strain as more people seek assistance amid cuts to federal nutrition programs, rising living costs, and increasing uncertainty about access to government benefits.

As Ohio families face rising costs, changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) are raising concerns about access to food, particularly for people who rely on neighborhood convenience stores.

Jayla Jemison, who previously received SNAP benefits, said the assistance helped her feed her family.

“If it wasn't for SNAP benefits, I would not have been able to feed myself or my family,” Jemison said.

New eligibility requirements have contributed to a decline in the number of Ohioans receiving benefits. In August 2025, nearly 1.4 million Ohioans received SNAP benefits. By August 2026, that number had fallen to just over 1.2 million, according to figures cited in the reporting. Nearly 70,000 children also lost coverage during that period.

The changes come as food banks report continued demand for assistance.

Local agricultural producers and a community pantry were recognized for their work fighting hunger across the region during a visit from the Ohio Association of Foodbanks.

The statewide organization stopped in Washington Court House on Tuesday, Oct. 13, presenting its inaugural Food Champion Awards to Saddleberk Farms, Cockerill Berkshire Farms and the Paint Valley Ministries Pantry. Saddleberk and its agricultural partners have supplied more than 115,000 pounds of pork products to Ohio food banks to date.

The local visit marked the final stop of four regional farm tours conducted by the association to showcase how partnerships between the state’s agriculture sector and charitable food networks deliver fresh, nutritious food to families facing hunger.

Worthington's experience lines up with a wider pattern playing out across Ohio. The Ohio Association of Foodbanks analyzed more than 2,600 verified responses from food pantry visitors across 77 of the state's 88 counties and found that Ohio families are visiting food pantries as they work to keep up with rising food costs, inflation and other external pressures. The association also reported that nearly six in 10 surveyed households had to choose between paying for food or utilities during the past year.

More than 100,000 Ohioans are no longer receiving government help to buy food after federal overhauls to the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program.

According to state data, 137,000 fewer Ohioans were enrolled in SNAP from July 2025, when President Donald Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, through July 2026. That includes roughly 60,000 children, and under drastic changes to the program's eligibility requirements, likely veterans, young people aging out of foster care, and certain noncitizen populations.

The loss comes at a time when Americans, regardless of financial status, are struggling to afford basic needs like groceries, rent, utilities and health care. Since 2019, at-home food costs have risen 33%. According to the Economic Policy Institute, the average cost of groceries per month for a single person in Franklin and Hamilton counties is more than $350. The average monthly SNAP benefit for an Ohio household is $191.