LOGAN – The Southeast Ohio Foodbank announced last week that due to a severe food shortage, they are temporarily scaling back services to the local community. This includes canceling many of their mobile distributions planned for the remainder of the summer, as well as their weekly onsite food distribution. The weekly onsite distribution in Logan ended after Tuesday and the weekly Friday mobile markets will be suspended starting July 8.
Combined, these distributions have provided food to over 1,000 community members each month.
Due to the compounding issues of global supply chain disruptions, rising demand for emergency food, sky-high food and fuel costs, and a sharp decline in private and public funding, inventory at the foodbank is at its lowest in years.
While many complex factors contribute to the food shortage, the growing number of people experiencing food insecurity is of grave concern. “We’ve seen a 40 percent increase in the number of people receiving food from our network between January 2022 and today,” said Rose Frech, Southeast Ohio Foodbank director, in a news release.
“Record-high inflation impacts everyone, but rising costs hit harder for people who live in poverty as they have less slack in their budgets. I am very worried about our neighbors who cannot afford food for themselves and their families. Cutting back on food distributions is always a last resort, however with empty racks in the warehouse, our ability to help is limited.”
The food shortage will also impact the 70 food pantries in the 10 counties the foodbank serves. “We hear from food pantries every day regarding limited supply. They are rightfully concerned that they will not be able to meet the need in their local communities. All we can tell them is that we’re doing everything we can, but it’s a heartbreaking situation when we know families are going hungry,” Frech said.
Food shortages and scarce resources affect the charitable food system nationwide. In response, Ohio’s foodbanks are asking for $50 million in immediate, emergency funding to move much-needed food out to food insecure Ohioans and $133 million in a longer-term investment to help us prepare our physical and human infrastructure.
“Foodbanks serving the highest-need rural areas of our state often have the fewest resources,” said Lisa-Hamler-Fugitt, executive director of the Ohio Association of Foodbanks. “State and federal commodities are great equalizers to ensure that food is available in every community, regardless of the manufacturing or retailer footprint or presence of wealthy donors in those communities. If one Ohioan goes hungry, we all suffer.”
The Foodbank asks all those who share concerns around this issue to contact the Governor’s office and state representatives to urge them to act now. For more information and statehouse contact details, visit hapcap.org/summerneed22.
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