DeWine shares important SNAP update

VW independent staff/submitted information

COLUMBUS — On Thursday, Governor Mike DeWine provided a series of updates on the State’s ongoing efforts to support Ohio families being affected by the suspension of federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits amid the ongoing federal government shutdown.

The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) announced this week that they had received new federal guidance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) regarding the possibility of providing partial SNAP benefits for the month of November.

As the process of reviewing this guidance continues, ODJFS has reported to the Governor that, without an immediate resolution to the shutdown, SNAP benefits will not be available this week.

With this understanding, Governor DeWine reaffirmed that the plan he announced last week – providing up to $25 million in support of food assistance to help families impacted by the suspension of SNAP benefits – continues to move forward.

Assistance for Food Banks

The first part of the Governor’s plan directed ODJFS to provide $7 million to regional food banks across the state.

Today, the Governor announced that the state has transferred the following amounts to  the regional food banks listed below, with each amount based on the food bank’s percentage of customers in the SNAP caseload. The West Ohio Food Bank, which is based in Lima and serves 10 counties, including Van Wert, Paulding, Mercer and Putnam counties, is not on the list.

• Freestore Foodbank – $795,637.50
• Greater Cleveland Food Bank – $1,170,837.50
• Toledo Seagate Food Bank – $570,937.50
• Mid-Ohio Food Collective – $1,440,337.50
• Shared Harvest Food Bank – $1,431,937.50
• Akron-Canton Regional Food Bank – $887,337.50
• Second Harvest Food Bank of the Mahoning Valley – $427,437.50
• Second Harvest Food Bank of North Central Ohio – $275,537.50

Assistance for Extremely Low-Income Families with Children

The Governor’s plan also directs ODJFS to provide up to $18 million in emergency relief benefits to more than 63,000 Ohioans – including more than 57,000 children – who are at or below 50 percent of the federal poverty level. These individuals are recipients of Ohio Works First (OWF) – a program that provides needed assistance for extremely low-income families with children.

Should the shutdown continue for the entire month of November, the Governor’s plan would effectively double the monthly OWF benefit for OWF recipients.

Under the Governor’s plan, these families are set to receive their typical monthly OWF allotment, plus an additional weekly benefit equaling 25 percent of their typical monthly OWF allotment. The weekly payments will last up to four weeks or until federal SNAP funding resumes.