Media Coverage

More than half of Ohio households surveyed at food pantries said someone in their household skipped meals in the past year, while many reported having to choose between buying food and paying for medicine or utilities, according to a new statewide hunger study.

The Ohio Association of Foodbanks released its 2026 Hunger Study on Tuesday, as September marks Hunger Action Month.

A new study released by the Ohio Association of Foodbanks shows that many Ohio households have been forced to choose between paying for medicine or food in the past year.

Additionally, nearly six in 10 were forced to choose between paying for food or utilities, citing ongoing health and financial issues.

The Ohio Association of Foodbanks received the data from an anonymous electronic survey of Ohio food pantry visitors between April 18 to May 22, and more than 2,600 responses have been analyzed.

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.

One year ago, the Republican “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” made the largest cuts to food stamps in the history of the program. Now 100,000 Ohioans are going without help and the state is bracing for enormous new costs without federal help.

The Trump/Republican spending law made the largest cuts ever to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which is largely used by children, older adults, and those with disabilities.

The cuts to SNAP have impacted millions of in-need Americans.