Second Harvest: Survey shows increased hardship for most food bank clients

Second Harvest Food Bank of North Central Ohio has seen a 50 percent increase in the need for emergency food assistance this year, in comparison to the same period in 2019, the agency reported. In a news release, Second Harvest said it wanted to know what was driving the need and who was most affected. It then partnered with the Ohio Association of Foodbanks to survey emergency food distribution clients to help guide efforts to serve the community, according to the news release. "Data is essential for everything we do," Second Harvest President and CEO Julie Chase-Morefield said. "We don't want to think we know what needs to be done. We want numbers, facts and community feedback to support our efforts. That is why this study is so important." The findings from this study showed real-life implications were detrimental to many families. The majority of Ohio food bank clients had to choose between buying food or paying for essential household expenses like housing, medicine and utilities. Second Harvest and other regional food banks across the state are advocating in Columbus and Washington, D.C., to increase hunger relief efforts in the Ohio biennial budget and the federal farm bill. "Our shelves are empty, and food is much harder to come by," Chase-Morefield said. "But we have to continue to serve our neighbors and create pathways with other organizations to come up with solutions to help with the difficult decisions our community is facing." The survey was taken from anonymous answers given by more than 2,000 emergency food distribution clients who visited Ohio food banks between April 14 and May 7. According to the survey, more than 8 in 10 Ohio food bank clients are seeking help with emergency food because of higher food costs. Since the end of pandemic-era SNAP benefits, more than three out of every four Ohio food bank clients that participate in SNAP have exhausted their household's SNAP benefit within the first two weeks of each month or less. Just 5 percent of SNAP participants said their benefits lasted the full month. More than 65 percent of households with adults have cut the size of meals or skipped meals because there wasn't enough money for food in the last 12 months. That includes more than 36 percent that did so almost every month over the last year. When Ohio food bank clients were asked about whether they had to choose between paying for food or other household expenses in the last 2-3 months, the study found: 68 percent had to choose between food and transportation/gas 66 percent had to choose between food and utilities 55 percent had to choose between food or medicine/health care and 50 percent had to choose between food and housing.