Food pantries in Ross County face uncertainty due to DeWine's proposed budget cuts
CHILLICOTHE ― Ross County food pantries may be in danger after Governor Mike DeWine proposed a budget cut that would affect banks across the state. The funding would be cut from $32 million to $24.5 million a year, causing many food banks to struggle, especially with their growing numbers.
Jhan Corzine, board president of the Good Samaritan Food Pantry, said they have seen an increase in the amount of people they serve.
In 2023, the pantry served 26,927 individuals and in 2024 they served 24,611.
"2023 was a terrible year for us, we were $50,000 in the red for that year," Corzine said. "We got whipsawed when SNAP benefits went back to pre-COVID levels, so we had more of a need. 2024 we made up a substantial portion of that shortfall. I think we finished about roughly $35,000 to the good last year."
The food pantry gets most of its product from the Mid-Ohio Food Bank, located in Grove City and Corzine said though he gets most products for free, the portion he pays for has increased due to inflation.
"Before inflation started, it was about $5.25 worth of food for every dollar," Corzine said. "Now it stands to about four dollars worth of food for every dollar."
Corzine said he is worried about the state budget cuts because while Good Samaritan does not get funding from the state, Mid-Ohio does and that will affect them greatly.
"It's not that much money and we're providing a service," Corzine said. "I mean, like it or not, it looks like there could be a substantial cut to SNAP benefits at the end of what's going on in Washington, which certainly will require us to serve more folks. I wish that state legislators would take that into account when they're thinking about what to allocate the budget for pantries and banks."
Mike Hochran, Senior Vice President of Communications at Mid-Ohio, said the food bank serves 20 out of Ohio's 88 counties and they rely on state funding.
"Food banks are really the backbone of our hunger relief system," Hochran said. "We really on all sorts of different sources in order to help make sure we've gotten healthy food for our communities and our neighbors when they need it... A really important piece of that puzzle is the good we're able to get through state funding. And last year, all across Mid-Ohio, just about a quarter of all the food that we distributed was made possible by those state funds."
Hochron said last year Mid-Ohio distributed over 85 million pounds of food, which would be enough for roughly 193,000 meals every day.
"So if 24 percent of that total amount, that's 20 million pounds of food that were made possible through that state funding last year," Hochron said. "We're looking at the reliable and continuing support from the state of Ohio to make sure that the shelves are stocked, the pantries are full and the neighborhoods who are going through hard times that you know that that food is there when people need it."
Hochron said one of the things that Mid-Ohio is doing to try and change this proposed budget cut is meeting with legislators and agency partners. He said it's important to spread the message about these cuts.
"That's certainly one thing, is for people who are concerned to reach out to their elected officials in the state house and just let them know that they don't think anyone in their community should go hungry and encouraging people to do what they can to support our hunger relief system," Hochron said.
For monetary donations to Good Samaritan, people can use checks or cash by stopping by the pantry or mailing the money to P.O Box 1780, Chillicothe, OH 45601. For food donations, the product can be delivered to the pantry at 255 N. Woodbridge Ave, Chillicothe.