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Mid-Ohio Food Collective provides enough food for more than 189,000 meals-per-day?
It takes 1,000 volunteers every week to support our mission of ending hunger. Sign up today:http://vhub.at/MOFC
Thank you, Grove City Neighbors!
It was a moment to pause and say thank you as Mid-Ohio Food Collective President and CEO Matt Habash recently accepted the Grove City Chamber of Commerce Business of the Year Award. This award is voted on by the community and speaks to Grove City’s commitment to our mission and services to select us, a non-profit, as its business of the year.
From the moment we opened the doors at our Grove City headquarters more than a decade ago, the city’s administration, businesses, and residents have supported us through financial donations and volunteer time. Thank you to our hometown for this recognition and for the continued support. It truly is an ongoing partnership to provide food and assistance to those in need.
Congressional Visits
MOFC staff joined other Ohio food banks in virtual visits with members of our federal delegation as part of the annual Anti-Hunger Policy Conference. We were able to share our stories and issues with the offices of Senators Sherrod Brown and Rob Portman and Representatives Troy Balderson, Mike Carey, Bill Johnson, and Brad Wenstrup. We appreciate their time and interest!
We also want to give kudos to Feeding America and the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC) for an amazing conference. When the opening day features five members of the president’s Cabinet and congressional leadership, it is a timely and informative event!
FIND Act Introduced
Discussion during the congressional virtual visits included what has now become the Further Incentivizing Nutritious Donations (FIND) of Food Act. We are excited to share that Congressman Balderson has joined Cleveland Congresswoman Shontel Brown in introducing this act. It would provide tax deductions for donated food transportation and a tax credit for food donated by farmers. We appreciate the effort to bolster donations and will share action on this bill as it occurs!
Multitude of Federal Issues Moving Currently
During the congressional tour and visits, MOFC staff shared our positions on numerous pending federal issues:
Federal Budget
Mid-Ohio Food Collective joined Feeding America and other hunger relief advocates in expressing disappointment with the FY22 Omnibus Spending Bill recently enacted to finalize the current federal operating budget. The long-awaited budget bill did not contain needed investments in TEFAP, children feeding programs, and other key elements of anti-hunger efforts. As the next round of budgeting is already underway, we are again sharing our need for additional support. Read Feeding America’s statement on the enacted budget bill: https://www.feedingamerica.org/about-us/press-room/feeding-america-statement-fy-22-omnibus-spending-bill.
FY23 Budget Proposal Released by Administration
On the heels of the enactment of the current budget, the president this week introduced his proposed FY23 budget for Oct. 1, 2022, through Sept. 30, 2023. Because this is a preliminary proposal, it is light on detail on funding programs such as TEFAP and SNAP. In a rare move, the budget document references the forthcoming Farm Bill as an opportunity to address current barriers to food assistance. More to come!
Farm Bill
Discussion is underway now for the Farm Bill, which is reauthorized every five years and is due in 2023. The bill sets funding and regulatory measures for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, including food security programs in the Food Nutrition Services division that administers most hunger relief programs.
Child Nutrition Act
It has been more than 10 years since the Child Nutrition Act was passed. It is past time for this critical legislation to receive action to update funding and regulatory parameters for school and after-school programs that are critical to children’s health. Learn more about this legislation at https://frac.org/action/child-nutrition-reauthorization-cnr.
Conference on Food, Nutrition, Hunger, and Health
Bills have been introduced to authorize a White House Conference on Food, Nutrition, Hunger, and Health. The last time a special conference was convened to address these issues was more than 50 years ago and resulted in groundwork for current programs such as TEFAP and SNAP. We support the need and call for another conference to set the agenda for the next 50 years in efforts to address and eradicate poverty and hunger.
Public Health Emergency and Waivers
It is expected that the national Public Health Emergency (PHE) in response to the pandemic will be lifted in June or July. The multiple regulatory waivers that resulted from the PHE will subsequently expire. While the much discussed “return to normalcy” is understandable, ending these responses needs to be done in orderly fashion.
Many children are still dependent on expanded school and after school feeding programs for nutritious meals Without an extension of the program waivers through school year 2022/23, too many children will lack adequate access to healthy food. Likewise, when regulatory oversight of programs like Medicaid and SNAP reverts to pre-pandemic requirements, there is concern that the system will be overwhelmed.
It is estimated that up to 20 percent of eligible recipients who qualify for assistance could lose benefits through an inability of agencies to accurately process everyone. We are urging local, state, and federal officials to prepare for the expirations and to be ready to handle renewed regulatory compliance amidst an increased number of eligible citizens.
Governor’s State of the State Address
After a pandemic-induced hiatus, Governor DeWine recently resumed the annual State- of -the -State Address. It was heartening to hear a focus on Social Determinants of Health (SDoH). The governor spoke extensively on “building a footbridge to lift all Ohioans” while focusing on health care access, job training, infant wellness, senior services, and mental health resources. We look forward to continuing our work with the governor and other officials to end hunger and poverty. To watch the address, go to
