Media Coverage

A brittle food system, and potential government shutdown were key topics at Second Harvest’s legislative service day.

Second Harvest Food Bank hosted local, state and federal legislators and their staff, in part to highlight the impact funding streams have on the organization’s services.

Two Ohio lawmakers hope to help middle and low-income families with children under 18 with the introduction of the Thriving Families Tax Credit.

Ohio lawmakers are considering a proposal that would implement a statewide refundable child tax credit. Regional food banks say the bill would help more families meet basic needs and reduce strain on local food pantries struggling to meet demand amid persistent inflation.

Sarah Kuhns, advocacy and engagement manager with the Ohio Association of Foodbanks, said eight in 10 Ohioans are relying on food banks because of high prices, and are being forced to choose between groceries and paying for such basic needs as utilities, medication and transportation.

She added tax credits have proved to be effective for helping families reach financial stability.

Looming federal budget deadlines are just a few weeks away, and food banks in Ohio say the risk of reduced funding for nutrition, health care and other assistance programs, could trigger increased demand in 2024.

According to the Ohio Association of Foodbanks, within the past year, eight in 10 clients relied on local pantries for help with groceries because of higher food costs.

Director of Nutrition Policy and Programs with the Ohio Association of Foodbanks Hope Lane-Gavin pointed out that WIC equips new moms and babies with essential items that food banks typically don't carry, including formula.

"That is a huge hole of the food banks," said Lane-Gavin. "We just don't have the infrastructure to support the needs of infants."

The proposals in both the U.S. House and Senate appropriations bills would result in WIC turning away 600,000 eligible new parents and young children, and would slash benefits for nearly five million people nationwide.

Lane-Gavin said WIC is a key prevention strategy for avoiding poor health outcomes among new moms and babies - including pre-term birth, low birth-weight and postpartum distress.

As Ohio food banks see record-breaking amounts of need, the state is also at risk of losing federal funding that could help residents get essential needs and boosts in employment.

After the most recent state budget passed with a plan to redesign the education and training piece of the state’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), food and employment advocates across the state watched as the program became a “compliance machine,” rather than a way to bring Ohioans out of poverty.