The Ohio Association of Foodbanks has recently sounded the alarm over worsening conditions in the state's hunger relief network, with food insecurity continuing to rise. A new report says Ohioans are forced to make difficult choices between food and other essential needs.

Joree Novotny, executive director, Ohio Association of Foodbanks, said this concerning trend is not limited to Ohio but reflects a broader national struggle.

"Things for us in the Charitable Hunger Relief Network in Ohio and across the rest of the country are not getting better. They're actually worsening," Novotny said.

Despite these challenges, the federal government has yet to reauthorize the Farm Bill, which Novotny says is vital for funding programs such as the Emergency Food Assistance Program. As a result, food banks are receiving less food, even as demand increases.

Novotny emphasized the need for both state and federal action to prevent further hardship.

"About two-thirds of the households that we're serving across Ohio told us that the adults in their households are skipping meals or cutting the size of meals because they didn't have enough food," she stressed.

With Ohio's state budget discussions underway and the Farm Bill still pending, the future of hunger relief efforts remains uncertain. Novotny says the recent report shows why more consistent support to address food insecurity is increasingly urgent.

Colorado students will not go hungry this school year, thanks to the Healthy School Meals for All initiative approved by voters in 2022.

Their parents will need to fill out some paperwork to tap critical federal dollars to help pay for the popular program.

Laura Segura, a community council member of Hunger Free Colorado and a parent, urged parents to complete their child's school benefits form no later than Sept. 30.

"We need to fill out those forms, no matter what," Segura stressed. "If the parents don't do their job, which is to advocate for their kid's needs, who else is going to do that?"

The one-page application goes by many names depending on the school district: school, meal, community or educational benefits. Segura emphasized if parents and caregivers do not know how to access the form, they should contact their child's school.

Filling out the form helps bring federal taxes already paid by Coloradans back to the state to help pay for school meals. It also helps families and schools get Summer EBT benefits, get discounts on school fees and activities and other community benefits.

School districts have until Sept. 16 to officially opt into the meal program and most of the state's largest districts are already on board. Segura noted investing in children's nutrition pays significant dividends in their health, academic success and lifetime earning potential. She added it is much harder to stay focused in the classroom on an empty stomach.

"If the kids don't have what they need, they are going to suffer mentally, emotionally and physically," Segura asserted. "Most importantly, they are not going to be focused on their academics."

A recent poll found 70% of Republicans, 79% of independents and 91% of Democrats support Healthy School Meals for All, which is paid for by Coloradans earning $300,000 or more per year.

Since its launch, participation in school breakfasts has grown by 36%, and lunch participation is up by 31%.

September is Hunger Action Month and a food shelf coordinator in Minnesota does not see increased demand going down anytime soon.

According to Hunger Solutions, Minnesotans made 7.5 million visits to food distribution sites last year, a record high for the third consecutive year.

Tom Halloran, food shelf coordinator for the nonprofit 360 Communities in Rosemount, said with only four months left in 2024, there has been no change with higher demand at his location. He noted recent inflationary pressure gets a lot of attention but he also sees elevated housing prices pushing people to seek out food assistance programs.

"It's all just very, very apparent, the desperate nature of folks when they come in," Halloran observed.

Halloran acknowledged extra support from the state and partnerships with supermarket chains are a big help to hunger relief groups in the region but he emphasized additional monetary donations can take off some of the pressure in sustaining current efforts.

Halloran added it may seem like operations like his are constantly asking the public to chip in but he stressed now is not the time to tune out the requests.

"Many folks, although right on the edge of catastrophe, are such incredible, hopeful and deserving people that it behooves all of us to step up and help," Halloran urged.

He also predicted many food shelves will continue to see aging volunteers decide to hang it up and hopes it inspires the next generation to set aside some time and help stock shelves and distribute food to clients.


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Eligible Oregon families have until Monday to apply for summer food benefits.

The Summer EBT program provides families with a one-time payment of $120 per child in a household. The program was started during the pandemic and made permanent this year. Most who qualified automatically received benefits.

David Wieland, policy advocate at Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon, said one in six children in the state face food insecurity.

"We know that spikes in the summer when access to school meals is interrupted," Wieland pointed out. "Summer EBT is the most direct way of addressing that summer hunger. It lets families access food that's nourishing and appropriate for their families."

Wieland noted the state has already distributed $40 million in benefits to 330,000 children this summer.

People in Oregon and across the country are feeling pressure from increased food costs, Wieland observed, and Summer EBT is particularly appreciated by families because they can get the food they want with it.

"A lot of families have noted that Summer EBT sort of allows them some choice of what they get to feed their children during the summer," Wieland emphasized. "Some choice in providing the nutritious and culturally specific food that their children deserve."

The state's website for the program noted people's immigration status won't be asked for or considered in determining eligibility for Summer EBT. Most eligibility requirements are tied to children at schools with the National School Lunch Program and households qualifying for benefits like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families.


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