"Sometimes I'd rather not eat," said Blankenship, who said he has kidney disease and wants to avoid cheaper fried foods as much as possible. Others say they have simply skipped meals. Sharp said he adjusted to the higher prices by acquiring more canned or boxed goods that have longer shelf lives and can be spread out over longer periods of times. She said she's also facing pressure from higher rent, and if other living costs start increasing, she may have to use part of her Social Security money to pay for food. They say I'm supposed to have a special diabetic diet, and I can't afford that," said Carol Haag, as she loaded food into a shopping cart she brought to the pantry. "I can't afford to eat vegetables or have protein because everything is so high." Healthier foods are particularly more expensive. Many Ohioans have seen their food stamps buy fewer items at the grocery store as inflation increases. But even with the boosted benefits, they were still at the pantry for a reason. Multiple people picking up food at the Broad Street church were thankful for the increases in benefits, saying they'll take what they can get. Mike DeWine's administration has stuck with the enhanced SNAP portion (which is 100% federally funded) and seems likely to continue to do so. He did not take a position on whether Ohio should have withdrawn as well. "We're in the stage now where the generosity of the federal government pumping money and sending it out is contributing to the inflation and high prices," said Rea Hederman with the Buckeye Institute, a conservative think tank. A dozen other states, mostly Republican-led, have withdrawn from the SNAP enhancements early, citing the need to move on from the pandemic and get people back to work. They point to studies and data that showed SNAP and other nutritional aid prevented a much worse hunger situation during the pandemic. "They should have communicated to us more and let us know that we're the ones that got to suffer," he said of the government.Īdvocates against hunger praised the increased benefits and have long said food stamp amounts were never enough. The sudden reversion to pre-pandemic levels may force hard budgeting adjustments and catch many recipients off-guard, like it did with Blankenship, who was unaware of the potential change. It's a reality many have lived with for the past two years. An older adult living alone might have received $16 monthly in 2019, but during the pandemic, got $234 monthly. That's in line with the roughly $100 average increase in SNAP benefit per person across the U.S.Ĭertain households, such as ones with older adults, saw hundreds of dollars in increases. Sharp said before the pandemic, he was individually getting above $180 a month. ![]() ![]() Food stamp benefits boosted during pandemicĪround $120 million per month in federal funds has boosted food stamps in Ohio since the government authorized large increases at the beginning of the pandemic, when COVID-19 orders had shut down businesses and millions of jobs were lost. "All hell's going to break loose," said Lisa Hamler-Fugitt, executive director of the Ohio Association of Foodbanks. Food banks, which are seeking more state money to help, may have to turn people away. More people are expected to start showing up at food pantries this summer. ![]() When the federal government potentially ends its COVID-19 emergency declaration in July, significant boosts to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, or food stamps, will also disappear for at least 700,000 Ohio households. The pandemic also worsened food insecurity in Ohio, with 334,000 more people served by pantries this March than two years ago. "They only gave me one, that's all I got," Sharp answered back.īoth food banks and low-income Ohioans are struggling to obtain fresh and healthy foods as food prices soar, due to labor shortages and supply chain disruptions caused by COVID-19. They take their portions to a small park outside the church entrance, surveying what they got and packing them into whatever bags they can carry.īlankenship frantically searched through his items, but there was one thing he didn't see. "You got any more meat?" he shouted at Sharp. On a Monday morning, cars line up at the Broad Street Presbyterian Church outside downtown Columbus waiting to pick up items from its food pantry.ĭemetric Blankenship and Orville Sharp III, however, do not have the luxury of a vehicle, having arrived by foot or bus.
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