Food banks in the Cincinnati area haven't seen a big rush of furloughed federal workers — yet. The Freestore Foodbank's CEO Kurt Reiber says they have been getting a lot more calls.
“We’ve been giving them instruction as to pantries that are close proximity to their homes,” he says. “But also letting them know that we’ll have the resources available to them when they need it. Letting them know it’s a dignified shopping experience.”
Without a new budget, SNAP benefits will not be distributed next month.
Reiber says they're preparing.
“Right now, we’re looking at whether or not we’re able to increase the number of times families can come and shop in our markets,” he says. “We’re trying to see how we would manage that.”
Right now, families can shop at the markets once a month. That could increase to twice a month.
Reiber says even before the shutdown, the Freestore Foodbank markets had seen an increase in demand.
“Last year we distributed 47.2 million meals. During the peak of the pandemic, we did 43 million meals.”
Reiber says they planned ahead, and have a good inventory of food on hand. The Freestore Foodbank works with 579 agencies in Kentucky, Indiana, and Ohio.
“You look at the furloughed workers. You look at the contract workers that have been laid off or have not received their paycheck,” he says. “We have military families as well that received a paycheck on the 15th of the month but may not receive a paycheck at the end of the month.”
Reiber says there's a lot facing food banks right now. The Trump administration cut a program that distributed U.S. farmed meat, dairy, and produce to food banks earlier this year. The price of groceries keeps increasing.
He says 70% of the families they serve are working, but don't earn enough to make ends meet.
Read more:
