OH food banks face fed funding uncertainty, DeWine budget cuts

Farah Siddiqi

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."

The strain comes as Gov. Mike DeWine's newly proposed state budget would reduce food bank funding by 23%, cutting it from $32 million in the last cycle to $24.5 million.

While the previous budget included a one-time $7.5 million boost, Novotny warned the reduction comes at a time when food banks are experiencing record-high demand.

Beyond government funding, food banks also face challenges in managing supply and demand. With more Ohio families turning to assistance programs, organizations are being forced to stretch resources even further.

"I just talked to someone yesterday who had a distribution in one of their local communities," Novotny noted. "They generally see 175 to 200 families come to that particular distribution for help. They had 300 families come that they were able to serve and then they had to turn another 65 away."

While organizations like the Ohio Association of Foodbanks remain committed to their mission, they are calling on policymakers to provide clarity on future funding.

Federal programs like Emergency Food Assistance Program, the Commodity Supplemental Food Program, and the Local Food Purchase Assistance Program provide about 25% of the food banks' resources, while state-funded programs like The Ohio Agricultural Clearance Program and the Ohio Food Program contribute another 20%.

Nearly half of the food distributed across Ohio's 88 counties comes from state and federal support, highlighting how crucial government funding is to hunger relief efforts.