TOLEDO, Ohio — The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program's temporary emergency pandemic benefits will end in 32 states. One of those states is Ohio, where more than 750,000 SNAP recipients will see the benefits curtail on Feb. 28 and return to pre-pandemic levels in March.
Local organizations including Connecting Kids to Meals, Toledo Northwestern Ohio Food Bank and the Area Office on Aging all said this financial change will hurt everyone.
Since grocery shortages became a problem during the COVID-19 pandemic, the government gave SNAP recipients emergency allotments. But with inflation impacting grocery bills, there's less to go around. To make matters worse, data from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities said 756,000 Ohioans will lose those additional SNAP funds.
Connecting Kids to Meals President and CEO Wendi Huntley said this loss is an average of $172 per SNAP recipient.
"$172 dollars is the average amount," Huntley said. "Some familes may lose $440, $450. Some families may lose $85 or $90 dollars."
Toledo Northwest Ohio Food Bank President and CEO James Caldwell said this financial shift will cause a trickle-down effect.
"Food costs will still continue to be expensive," Caldwell said. "People will be able to purchase less with the current funds that they have available which means more pressure on food banks."
Many people and organizations will see an immediate impact, too, he said. But overall, Caldwell foresees an eventual new normal in terms of purchasing.
The Area Office on Aging's Vice President of Nutrition and Wellness, Rebecca Liebes, said various programs like United Way 211, food banks and pantries, in addition to her office, can assist the more than 8,000 seniors in the 10 counties they service.
"We have our senior farmer's market nutrition program," Liebes said. "We also have meals at our senior centers."
Huntley agreed that northwest Ohio has numerous county and local resources to help families and individuals adjust to the financial shift. But, those resources are already stretched thin, she said.
But, even with the stretch, the Area Office on Aging, Connecting Kids to Meals and Toledo Northwest Ohio Food Bank all said they are still here to help.
"A chain is only as strong as its weakest link," Liebes said. "If one person is struggling, the whole community is struggling."