STATE POLICIES COULD STRESS FOOD PANTRIES

Nationwide, one in six food charities fears that resource shortfalls will force it to close down, according to a 2014 Feeding America report, which also found that nearly 25% of all the food distribution agencies connected to the organization had to reduce service in the previous year. In Ohio, about 40 food pantries have been forced to close or merge with another outfit in the past 16 months.  Charity officials in that state think the closures there stem from a 2013 decision Gov. Kasich made to decline a federal waiver that would have slightly softened SNAP work requirements. As fewer people qualify for SNAP (Ohio’s SNAP enrollment is down by 115,000 since January 2014), more go to food pantries for help. The increased demand often outstrips the food banks’ resources.

Source: Think Progress, 10/26/15, Food Pantry Stressors