Second Harvest looks for another National Guard extension

Help from the Ohio National Guard for Second Harvest is set to expire next month. Food bank leaders have described the assistance as instrumental to getting food out to residents. Many of the volunteers at Second Harvest were older, and at a higher risk for COVID-19, so they've deferred during the pandemic. President Julie Chase-Morefield has said that if the National Guard were to leave, the organization would have to cut the number of food distributions it does. She, along with Ohio's political leaders, are asking the federal government to sign off on continued aid. Gov. Mike DeWine has requested that full federal funding for up to 1,800 Ohio National Guard members to continue through March 31. Ohio Sens. Sherrod Brown and Rob Portman, along with Ohio's 16 members of Congress, have thrown their support behind the request. On March 22, President Donald Trump signed off on full federal reimbursements for states' use of their National Guard. He then extended that a second time in August under reduced funding. It would be up to Trump to sign off again to extend the funding. "We are deeply grateful that the Ohio National Guard continues to work each day side-by-side with our food bank staff and volunteers," Chase-Morefield said. "Unfortunately, the federal funding authorization for those soldiers and airmen is set to expire next month, just as COVID-19 cases are soaring." About 2,000 National Guard members have deployed in Ohio, serving food banks around the region and maintaining COVID-19 testing sites. They have also responded to testing operations for nursing homes. Even if volunteers numbers were to increase for Second Harvest, Chase-Morefield has said some of the heavy lifting would be difficult without the National Guard. Along with handing out food at distribution sites, they load and unload thousands of pounds of food boxes. "Families in our area are struggling and we are trying to fend off hunger for as many people as possible as we go into the winter months," she said. "As stay-home recommendations continue, our available volunteer pool will decrease, leaving many people without help."