Since the start of 2025, Mid-Ohio Food Collective and our hunger relief network have faced unpredictable and drastic reductions in government support. Now, our hungry neighbors face the real and growing possibilities of emptier shopping carts and barer pantry shelves. We wanted to tell you—our most dedicated supporters—about the challenges we face ahead and, critically, how we’re planning to rally our community in response.
Disappearing Federal Programs, Shrinking State Support
This year marked the start of the second Trump administration in Washington, D.C., and a new state budget process in Columbus. Both have resulted in less food, less money to acquire food, and cuts to programs that combat hunger.
Here is what has happened since January:
- In March, the USDA ended the federal Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program (LFPA), which helped food banks support local farmers.
Impact: $1 million of MOFC’s annual food budget eliminated.
- Also in March, the USDA canceled several federal food orders bound for MOFC, resulting in the loss of several truckloads’ worth of meat, dairy, and eggs.
Impact: $1.4 million worth of food orders canceled.
- In June, the U.S. House and Senate approved nearly $200 billion in cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, aka food stamps) over 10 years.
Impact: Demand will increase at MOFC markets and pantries.
- In June, the Ohio General Assembly approved a two-year state budget that rolls back the state’s support of food banks to 2019 level despite robust food bank advocacy.
Impact: $3 million of MOFC’s food budget lost (over two years).
Food banks clearly communicated how these cuts and policy changes would affect us and hungry Ohioans. Our elected leaders approved them with that knowledge. MOFC expects less food at local pantries as a result. We also expect these cuts are unlikely to be reversed under current state and federal leadership. For now, it seems, the fight against hunger has fallen to our local communities, leaders, and neighbors.
Rallying Our Community
Today at MOFC, we are focusing on making the most of our partnerships and finding new food outside of government sources. Whether it’s driving farther to reach new retail donation partners, recovering surplus from manufacturers, or purchasing high-demand essentials, we’re expanding our radius and rethinking logistics to ensure families don’t face empty plates.
MOFC is doing everything we can with what we have, but innovation takes resources. We can’t do it alone. Just as our neighbors came together 45 years ago to form the Mid-Ohio Foodbank, we need our central and eastern Ohio community to come together now to respond to disappearing government support. WE NEED YOU.
MOFC will soon launch new funding initiatives to directly and exclusively support food sourcing efforts. All gifts to these rescue initiatives will fuel the work required to respond to government cuts and meet record demand. Keep a lookout for detailed announcements and calls to action soon. Thank you for your continued support in the fight against hunger in central and eastern Ohio.
You can make a gift to Mid-Ohio Food Collective on our donation page here.
