LORAIN, Ohio — More than a million Ohioans are facing uncertainty and hunger as they await food assistance that an ongoing government shutdown has halted. State and federal funding is on the way, but it’s unclear when that help is coming and how much families can expect.
In the meantime, food banks are straining under a sudden increase in demand for assistance.
Tuesday, hundreds of cars queued for hours ahead of an emergency drive-thru pantry in Lorain hosted by Second Harvest Food Bank of North Central Ohio.
“I wanted to be out here at 9 o’clock because the early bird gets the worm. And I didn’t know how much food, how much produce and everything they had,” said George Klingaman.
The Huron County resident was first in line for the mobile distribution in the parking lot of Lorain’s former Ford plant. He said he wasn’t surprised to hear nearly 1,000 people registered for the event.
“Right now it’s just me and my wife, but it is a struggle still,” he said.
He pointed to a phone app that showed his SNAP benefits account had a $1.12 balance. Klingaman, who is unable to work due to a heart condition, said he’s relying on disability pay and food pantries because it’s unclear when he’ll receive his next SNAP allocation.
“It’s hard to walk with your head up high knowing that you’ve got to rob Peter to pay Paul… and that’s even to pay your bills,” he said.
Others echoed the struggle.
“It’s bad when you don’t have a loaf of bread or some milk to drink. It’s bad,” said Pauline Armstrong, a Lorain senior on a fixed income.
Christine Lener, a Lorain mother of four, said she’s skipped meals to make sure her children could eat.
“For the last three days, I have not eaten anything to make sure they were fed. I’d rather starve than see them go hungry,” she said.
SNAP benefits were paused on Nov. 1 amid an ongoing government shutdown. About 1.4 million Ohioans receive $264 million in SNAP benefits each month, with the average benefit being about $190.
“It’s people who are trying. They’re trying to do their best to get by, but this has really challenged them in ways they didn’t expect,” said Julie Chase-Morefield, the president and CEO of Second Harvest Food Bank of North Central Ohio.
She explained Tuesday’s food distribution was an emergency effort in response to the growing need for assistance. She said the food bank purchased $700,000 worth of food in the last two weeks, anticipating the demand.
On Thursday, Gov. Mike DeWine announced an executive order directing the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) to allocate $7 million to various Ohio food banks and to provide up to $18 million in emergency relief benefits to the lowest-income Ohioans.
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“It’s just not enough, not when you see cars like this out here waiting for food,” said Chase-Morefield.
On Monday, the federal government said it also planned to use contingency funds to provide partial benefits for SNAP recipients.
Tuesday, ODJFS said it was instructed to reduce benefit allotments by 50% and recalculate the monthly benefit for each household using the updated framework. It said it’s working with its vendors to determine the updated amounts and when they’ll be allocated to families.
Some at Tuesday’s food distribution said it’s been frustrating to face uncertainty about where their next meal is coming from.
“I just wish the government and everybody would get their act together,” Klingaman said.
Catherine Ross is the Lorain County reporter at News 5 Cleveland. Follow her on X @CatherineRossTV, on Facebook CatherineRossTV or email her at Catherine.Ross@wews.com.
