Media Coverage
LISTEN: Summer Programs Take Bite Out of Ohio Hunger
Besides serving nutritious meals, Whitmer adds many summer programs offer educational and recreational activities to keep kids engaged. "Studies show that there's learning loss over the summer, so it's a way of having activities and it's a way to keep kids interested during the summertime," she points out. Find a summer meal site by texting 877-877 and typing in a ZIP Code.
Letter: A war on SNAP is a war on the poor
"Instead of attacking and working to undermine the SNAP program, Congress should vote to strengthen and increase food assistance benefits to ensure low-income Ohioans can afford to purchase nutritious, wholesome food and live healthier and productive lives."
Beacon Journal editorial: Better outcomes with a bipartisan farm bill
"Senate Republicans and Democrats already have announced their intention of crafting a bipartisan farm bill. Which means staying away from such careless changes to food assistance. House Republicans have reason to take the cue, if they are interested in a bipartisan majority for the farm bill."
Letter: Struggling single moms have enough obstacles
"Parents are sitting around their kitchen tables trying to figure out how they can afford to make the car repair they need to get to work or pay for their child's field trip at school. Some House Republicans want those parents to have to prove over and over again that they're working at least 20 hours per week, so they can keep their SNAP benefits. This kind of burdensome overreach doesn't show trust in moms to know best. It's bad public policy and Ohio's congressional members shouldn't stand for it."
Oh, SNAP! An explainer from Vox about the House Farm Bill
LISTEN: A new farm bill, fresh out of the U.S. House Committee on Agriculture, could force over two million people off the program. Vox's Tara Golshan explains why Republicans want to put SNAP recipients to work, and Stacy Dean from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities talks about the program's bipartisan past.
Letter to the Editor: Protect food assistance lifeline
"As director of one of the area's large food pantries, we see families struggle to make ends meet. Many are working two or more jobs and still can't make their resources last through the month. Instead of proposing to punish the poor and reduce access to nutritious food, Congress should focus on creating policies to end hunger and lift people out of poverty." Henri Etta Fletcher-Lockhart, Director, Akron Bible Church Baskets of Love