Cincinnati – Meals banks in Ohio are seeing a drastic enhance within the variety of individuals they serve. Kurt Reiber, president and CEO of Freestone Foodbank, mentioned the rise is because of inflation.
“Inflationary pressures in all areas in phrases not solely of meals however by way of housing value, journeys, they already know transportation, the price of gasoline,” Reiber mentioned.
The Ohio Meals Banks Affiliation advised us in 2024 that they noticed the most important quantity of people that have ever spent their meals and pantry banks. Till now in 2025, the pattern continues.
“What we’re seeing this yr is that we’re seeing a rise of 35% in our markets and all through our full service space of 20 counties,” mentioned Reiber.
However inflation not solely hits individuals’s wallets, it’s also reducing what meals banks have out there.
“We’re offering much less meals for visiting the meals pantry than for many years,” mentioned Judee Novotny, government director of the Ohio Meals Banks Affiliation.
Novotny and Reiber mentioned they’re afraid that it will possibly worsen. The present proposal of the Governor of Ohio Mike Dewine seeks to cut back its funds from $ 32 million a yr to $ 24.5 million a yr, nearly a 23%minimize, which might develop as inflation will increase, in keeping with Novotny.
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“It is actually worrying and terrifying,” mentioned Novotny when requested how a minimize for financing for meals banks can be like.
“It will likely be a problem for us, we’re working right now with a lot of our elected officers and elected legislators to attempt to uncover how we are able to attempt to enhance that financing, but additionally clarify the 35% enhance we’re seeing all through the state,” he mentioned.
The Ohio Foodbank Affiliation says they’re asking for $ 36.98 million per yr within the new finances.
The hearings on the 2 -year state finances proceed within the state, which is predicted to approve on the finish of April.
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