If Ohio is the heart of it all, no one should go hungry

OLBCF acknowledges Governor DeWine’s announcement of $25 million in emergency food assistance to help families affected by the potential federal SNAP suspension. While appreciated, this effort does not meet the scale of need facing Ohioans.

Ohio has over 1.5 million SNAP recipients, yet this funding reaches only 63,000 people which is less than 5% of those who rely on these benefits. That leaves more than 1.4 million Ohioans at risk of going hungry starting tomorrow.

If Ohio can allocate $600 million for the Haslam’s football deal, we can certainly invest more to ensure no child, senior, or working adult goes hungry because of political gridlock in Washington.

Food is not a privilege. It is a basic human right. Ohio must put people over politics and commit to long-term, equitable solutions that guarantee every family can eat, live, and thrive.

We are Ohio “the heart of it all”, right? Then let’s start acting like it.