DeWine expands food aid to four more counties

Feds grant SNAP time-limit waiver to 42 Ohio counties, leave some cities out

More Ohio children, families and working people will be healthier and more economically stable due to action taken by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) last month. ODJFS announced plans to increase federal aid for food and nutrition assistance in four additional counties, including Henry, Lake, Stark and Summit Counties.

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as food stamps) makes sure low-wage workers, children and families don’t go hungry. The program requires adults, between 18 and 49 who don’t have children and are not disabled, spend at least 80 hours a month working, or participating in job training or work-related activities. Those who don’t meet the requirement may receive aid for just three months over a three-year period. States can ask the federal government to waive the time limit for people who live in jurisdictions with high unemployment. The DeWine administration requested and received a time limit waiver in 42 economically distressed counties in Ohio. However the administration did not ask for a waiver for eligible cities, including Dayton, Lima, Marion, Springfield, Xenia, Trotwood, Riverside, and Middletown.

Will Petrik, Budget Researcher with Policy Matters Ohio, issued the following statement:

“No Ohioan should go without food, but more and more jobs are not paying enough to put dinner on the table. Six of the 10 most common jobs in Ohio pay too little to feed a family of three without food assistance. The DeWine administration’s decision will ensure that thousands of Ohioans who struggle to make ends meet don’t go hungry.”

“Additional federal funding will boost economies in struggling areas of our state. When unemployed workers can use SNAP to shop at local grocery stores, that money strengthens the local economy. In 2016 in Ohio, 9,644 retailers redeemed over $2.4 billion in SNAP benefits.”

“The previous administration left Ohio’s big cities and urban counties out of its waiver requests. That disproportionately harmed people of color, who are more likely to live in and around cities. Even with DeWine’s positive moves, the administration can do more to maximize federal support by asking for a waiver for all eligible cities. Ohio shouldn’t pass up this opportunity to make sure all Ohioans, regardless of their race or zip code, have security and stability.”