Food Insecurity Grows as Ohio Food Bank Demand Surges

By Farah Siddiqi
Ohio News Connection

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 of 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 said 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 said.

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

Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.