Food prices in the U.S. remain stubbornly high, having grown by more than 20% since the start of the pandemic, outpacing inflation.
Now hunger relief organizations warn a potential shutdown of the federal government could mean disruptions and delays for Ohioans who rely on federal aid through SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as Food Stamps.
Joree Novotny is executive director of the Ohio Association of Foodbanks.
Matthew Rand: First, can you paint a picture of how much Ohioans are struggling to put food on the table right now, and how much those needs have increased in recent years?
Joree Novotny: The best way that I can explain this is that from July through Dec. of 2024, our statewide hunger relief network served more food pantry visitors in that six-month period than we have in any six-month period in our 35-year history.
And people are telling us when we talk with them and when we survey them that that's because food prices are completely unattainable for them, in addition to other inflation that they're experiencing: rent, property taxes, utilities are going up, keeping that car running so they can keep getting to work, you name it. And food is a thing that's more often getting sacrificed right now.
Matthew Rand: House Republicans this week passed a bill to fund the federal government through Sept. 30, and we're now waiting to see if Republicans in the Senate can get enough Democrats on board to avert a shutdown before midnight Friday. If the government does end up shutting down, what would that mean for Ohioans who receive those federal food assistance dollars?
Joree Novotny: Unfortunately, we're now pretty used to temporary continuing resolutions and potential government shutdown threats. It's always concerning if that's on the table short term, because people rely on our government functioning for everything from social security benefits that help them afford their food to the federal commodity programs and nutrition assistance programs like SNAP that they count on to help afford groceries. So, we'd be concerned in the short term about impact on folks. And we're also concerned about longer-term adequately funding and appropriating dollars toward those nutrition assistance programs.
Matthew Rand: Add into the mix tariffs, threats of tariffs, and, of course, the trillions of dollars in cuts that the White House and Congressional Republicans are seeking to extend the 2017 Trump tax cuts. What kind of impact could all of this have on food banks, on our food supply here in Ohio and food insecurity overall?
Joree Novotny: Ultimately, our food supply chain is so interconnected in every way. So any kind of trigger that you pull or push on at any part of that food supply chain is going to ultimately impact everything, from our farmers that get up every day and grow and produce our food to consumers that are trying to afford that food in our grocery stores. So of course it's going to impact the people who don't always have enough resources to afford that food on their own today. And it's going to likely mean that more people who previously were able to afford food on their own are under too much strain and have to come to us for help for the first time, especially our seniors.
We're really concerned about seniors living on fixed incomes that don't have any room to give. We're seeing extraordinary increases from them, as well as working families that aren't able to stretch their wages far enough. So yeah, we're concerned about the impact of tariffs on our farmers because we've partnered with them for a really long time. We know we need a strong food supply chain and strong agricultural community so that every one of us can rely on a food secure system.
Matthew Rand: Looking here at the state level, Gov. DeWine’s proposed budget cuts funding for food banks by $15 million over two years. What's your message to state lawmakers working through this process as they consider these cuts?
Joree Novotny: I wish that things were normal right now. I wish I didn't have to come and ask for restoration of those cuts, because that would mean that people were able to afford food at their grocery stores. But right now, that's not what we're experiencing. And we need more help to have food available when people come to us. We have a proven model where we're rescuing food at pennies on the pound from our farmers and growers. We're buying in bulk to drive down costs and we're really supporting a resilient food supply chain at a time when that's really important for each and every Ohioan.
So I'm proud of the model that we've built. We've been lucky to have the support of five gubernatorial administrations and more than a dozen general assemblies. I'm confident that our supporters will come through for us again and recognize that their constituents need their help as food is so expensive. Food insecurity is not what any American wants for their neighbor.
Matthew Rand: With so much need in Ohio right now, what can people do to help?
Joree Novotny: We have generous communities that have been generous and stood with us for five years and more since the onset of the pandemic and now these continued ripple effects. Please continue to volunteer and show up and show your community that you care. Donate if you're able and be in conversation in your community and with your elected officials about the value of the three-legged stool. We can do a lot in charitable hunger relief, and we also need partners at the state and federal level.
