Media Coverage

When prices go up, more people struggle to pay for food. That’s the lesson the last three years have taught the Southeast Ohio Foodbank.

Demand has been up significantly since food prices first surged in 2022. It went up again after pandemic-era SNAP allotments ended in 2023. Now, back-and-forth tariffs between the United States and its largest trading partners are threatening to cause another spike.

“Historically, as food prices increase, we see an increased need for assistance at the food bank and throughout our pantry partners,” said HAPCAP Development Director Eva Bloom.

The problem extends throughout Ohio, according to Ohio Association of Foodbanks Executive Director Joree Novotny.

“From July through December of 2024 — we served more individual food pantry visits in those six months than we ever had in any six-month period in our 35-year history,” Novotny said.

OHIO — A recent study from the Ohio Association of Foodbanks showed more than half of food pantry visitors were forced to choose between a meal or their medication. Local nonprofit leaders said things are about to get worse.

Gov. Mike DeWine recently announced a budget that reduced funding for food banks from around $32 million to around $24 million. His proposal is less than $7.5 million from the previous one, but the governor said that the money they received in previous years was only temporary.

“We really are a critical part of community infrastructure, so by funding food and making sure it’s on the shelves, we’re bringing people in and providing a whole host of wrap around services as well. So I think it’s a win-win-win for everyone involved so we’re looking forward to working with the state of Ohio to restore these cuts and find additional support,” Ohio Association of Food Banks Executive Director Joree Novotny said.

Recent federal executive orders have left many organizations in Ohio navigating uncertainty, particularly when it comes to funding for essential services.

Food banks, which serve as a critical safety net for families in need, are feeling the strain.

Joree Novotny, executive director of the Ohio Association of Foodbanks, said demand has been surging across the state as economic pressures grow, leaving local organizations struggling to keep up.

"We can do a lot with a little, but we can't do it all," Novotny pointed out. "We do rely and count on our partners in local, state and federal government to be another leg on the stool of what it takes to make sure that when people are in need and facing crisis, they can turn to us for basic help with food."

Food banks across Ohio are grappling with a potential funding shortfall that could leave them without millions of dollars, advocates warned this week. The Ohio Association of Food Banks, led by Executive Director Joree Novotny, is sounding the alarm as more families are forced to seek assistance due to rising living costs.