Media Coverage

The Thanksgiving holiday is known to include tables full of food, but with Ohioans still feeling the effects of federal cuts to SNAP and food banks still bending under the weight of demand, for some the table won’t be quite as full.

The federal government’s shutdown and the hold-up it caused for existing SNAP benefits didn’t help matters. The Ohio Association of Foodbanks served 46% more people at state food pantries from Nov. 1 to Nov. 21 than it had on average in each of the previous months this year.

“This situation underscored the critical importance of SNAP as the first line of defense against hunger for many families, seniors, and disabled Ohioans that would regularly face food budget shortfalls without support from SNAP,” Joree Novotny, executive director of the association, told the Capital Journal.

Even prior to the shutdown, the association was already seeing increases in the first quarter of this year, and had concerns about how they would sustain the help amid growing demand.

“While the impact of the shutdown shined a light on the issue, food insecurity was far too prevalent before the shutdown and remains far too prevalent in its aftermath,” Novotny said.

From July to September of this year, the network saw a 6.7% increase in food provided compared to the same period in 2024, a 14% increase from 2023, and a nearly 41% increase from 2022. This included take-home groceries, hot meals and meals provided at community sites.

Food banks had to accommodate reductions in federal contributions from the USDA, which Novotny said they did by sourcing more than 28 million pounds of donated food, and spending monetary donations on 16.2 million pounds on food. That sourcing made up 70% of all the food provided through the network.

“Normally, federal and state (contributions) represent about half of all of the food our network distributes,” Novotny said. “This level of private purchasing cannot be sustained, particularly by food banks serving areas of the state facing philanthropy gaps and wider disparity in resources.”

A simple addition to Ohio's benefit cards could save thousands of Ohioans from millions of dollars in stolen food assistance.

Unlike most credit cards, Ohio's benefits cards don't have a chip. That makes the cards, known as the Direction Card of Ohio EBT, more susceptible to skimming technology that steals Ohioans' food benefits.

The first week of December coincides with Ohio's annual statewide gun season for deer, and officials are encouraging hunters to think of their communities this fall.

Hunters are being encouraged to donate white-tailed deer throughout December.

Donations will be accepted on Dec. 1, Dec. 3, Dec. 6 and Dec. 7. ODNR said Division of Wildlife staff will be at donation locations to help with drop-offs. For 2025, the division is partnering with the Ohio Penal Industries’ meat processing facility at the Pickaway Correctional Institution (PCI) where all donated deer will go for processing and packaging. The Mid-Ohio Food Collective and the Ohio Association of Foodbanks will handle distribution of the meat.

Officials said one deer can provide up to 200 meals, and the division added that donated venison will go to local food pantries around those who donated.

A simple addition to Ohio's benefit cards could save thousands of Ohioans from millions of dollars in stolen food assistance.

Unlike most credit cards, Ohio's benefits cards don't have a chip. That makes the cards, known as the Direction Card of Ohio EBT, more susceptible to skimming technology that steals Ohioans' food benefits.

Thieves stole nearly $17 million in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits from more than 34,000 Ohio households between June 2023 and December 2024. At that time, the federal government used taxpayer dollars to reimburse benefits that were stolen. Now, victims have to eat that loss.

This year, the Division of Wildlife began a partnership with the Ohio Penal Industries’ meat processing facility at the Pickaway Correctional Institution (PCI). Division of Wildlife staff will transport all donated deer to PCI for processing and packaging. Once packaging is complete, the Mid-Ohio Food Collective and the Ohio Association of Foodbanks will distribute all donated venison.

The Division of Wildlife intends to distribute donated venison to local food pantries in the areas where those who donated live and work. One deer can provide up to 200 meals.

The recent government shutdown magnified and exacerbated a sobering reality: a growing number of Ohio adults and children are going hungry.

The problem pre-dates the shutdown, and won’t be solved by simply turning SNAP benefits back on.

The issues are greater than providing the next meal. It’s the cost of childcare. It’s the rising price tag for health care, along with the uncertain future of federal programs with a long history of trying and not always succeeding in helping those in need.

During the shutdown, central Ohio food banks, community groups and Go Fund Me efforts rushed to fill the gap, but it’s a temporary fix, not a sustainable solution.

Where do we go from here?

We're discussing possible hunger solutions on this hour of All Sides.

Guests:

• Matthew Damschroder, director, Ohio Department of Job and Family Services
• Joshua Goodwin, attorney, Legal Aid of Southeast and Central Ohio
• Joree Novotny, executive director, Ohio Association of Food Banks
• Matthew Goldstein, founder/CEO of the non-profit Besa