Advocacy




Join the fight to end hunger.

As Ohio’s largest food bank, Mid-Ohio Food Collective is a leading voice on building and protecting the anti-hunger safety net. We work alongside other food banks and people like you to educate our local, state, and national leaders. Together, we can push for policies and funding that help us feed people, protect relief programs and address the systemic roots of hunger in our communities. Join the movement to end hunger.

Why do we advocate?

Hunger is a complex social issue. Ending it will take all of us. MOFC’s Government Relations team builds support for addressing hunger and the systemic challenges that contribute to it—such as poverty, transportation, housing, and public health. Food banking alone can’t end the factors that drive hunger and poverty. We advocate to create truly inclusive, hunger-free communities where everyone can thrive.
Our Recent Work:
Everyone at the Table Podcast Episode
Matt’s Testimony to Ohio General Assembly


Our Policy Priorities

MOFC sets policy priorities in collaboration with Feeding America, the Ohio Association of Foodbanks, the Root Cause Coalition, and other coalition partners. These reflect the most important, urgent, and actionable areas of focus for MOFC and hunger relief advocates.

Learn more about some of top priorities below:


Advocating for a Strong Farm Bill

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Hunger and food insecurity exist in every U.S. community, and the COVID-19 pandemic and rising food, housing, and fuel prices have increased the need for food assistance. About one in 10 Ohioans will seek food assistance at some point. Nearly 30% of those people are children, and about 24% are seniors. A strong Farm Bill is critical to meeting their needs.
Passed every five years, the Farm Bill is national legislation that funds hunger relief programs such as The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP). Through these programs, foodbanks help seniors and low-income families get enough to eat.  
MOFC and the 11 other Ohio foodbanks urge our members of Congress to support the policy recommendations of Feeding America and the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC) that will help connect our neighbors to the resources they need to thrive.  
Learn more about the importance of a strong Farm Bill:

Fact Sheet: USDA Support for Food Banks and the Emergency Food System  

Feeding America Legislation Watch: Farm Bill 

Feeding America: Our Lawmakers Must Invest in TEFAP 

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Addressing Root Causes of Hunger 

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Hunger does not occur in isolation. To solve hunger, we must solve poverty. To solve poverty, we must fix discriminatory systems that make it harder for people to support themselves and their families. Through our five assets, MOFC works to connect neighbors to resources to lift themselves out of poverty while improving community health. Our customer outreach team helps people sign up for government programs for working families. In addition, we work alongside other local nonprofits to address hunger by helping provide access to social services such as housing, transportation, workforce training, education, and child care.  

Learn more about the root causes of food insecurity and hunger here: 

The Root Cause Coalition: Research 

Ohio Association of Community Action Agencies: The State of Poverty in Ohio 

Urban Institute: Amid Our “Land of Abundance,” Why Is There So Much Poverty? 

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Advocating for ‘Food is Health’ Initiatives

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Mid-Ohio Food Collective advocates for the integration of “Food is Health” initiatives in the health care and public health space. Food insecurity is often associated with some of the most expensive and serious health problems in the U.S., including obesity, heart disease, and hypertension. Ensuring that our neighbors have consistent access to nutritious food with the support of foodbanks is good public policy that can improve health outcomes. 

Through innovations such as MOFC’s Farmacy program, we understand the importance that consistent access to fresh produce plays in reducing diet-related diseases. MOFC supports the expansion and continued development of strategies like medically tailored meals, home delivery options, and other initiatives to meet customers where they live. 

MOFC supports the expansion of Medicaid waivers for reimbursement for nutritious foods. This can be significant in reducing the risk and prevalence of diet-related disease resulting in reduced health care costs among those on Medicare and experiencing food insecurity. 

Learn more about how foodbanks are playing an integral role in health policy here: 

Feeding America: Importance of Nutrition on Health in America 

Ohio Association of Foodbanks: Hunger and Health 

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Calls to Action

This year, MOFC is one of many foodbanks advocating for beneficial policies in the two-year state budget as well as the upcoming federal Farm Bill (which funds hunger relief programs). Add your voice to our advocacy efforts by answering the Calls to Action below:


Learn About Our Work

If you’re ready to learn more about Ohio’s hunger relief network, MOFC can provide a speaker for your community group or show you around our facility in Grove City. Click the buttons below to request a speaker or tour.




Foodbank Advocacy Network Newsletter

The Foodbank Advocacy Network (FAN) is essential to helping us advance our mission to end hunger. By signing up to receive the monthly FAN Newsletter, you’ll be among the first to know about urgent advocacy issues affecting hunger relief, and you’ll get Calls to Action that can help us shape food policy.



Share Your Voice With Your Elected Official

When citizens contact their elected officials on issues they care about, big things can happen!

Want to share your thoughts on SNAP provisions? Curious about the Farm Bill? Want to share why it’s important to support emergency food assistance? Let your elected officials know your thoughts and concerns!

Use the buttons below to look up contact information for your elected leaders at the local, county, state, and federal levels.



Become an Advocate with MOFC

MOFC is looking for people who have experienced hunger or dedicated hunger advocates to share their stories with elected leaders. Click the button below to tell us how you’d like to get involved, and we will reach out to you. MOFC advocates write to lawmakers, talk to the media, and even testify before state/local lawmakers.

More advocacy resources

Click here for more advocacy Resources!

Stakeholder Resources

Feeding America: https://www.feedingamerica.org/take-action/advocate

Ohio Association of Foodbanks: https://ohiofoodbanks.org/

Food Research Action Center: https://frac.org/action

The Root Cause Coalition: https://www.rootcausecoalition.org/

Advocates for Ohio’s Future: https://www.advocatesforohio.org/

Human Service Chamber of Franklin County: https://humanservicechamber.org/

Center for Community Solutions: https://www.communitysolutions.com/

Policy Matters Ohio: https://www.policymattersohio.org/

Center for Budget and Policy Priorities: https://www.cbpp.org/

White House Conference On Hunger, Nutrition and Health Resources

Conference Landing Page https://health.gov/our-work/nutrition-physical-activity/white-house-conference-hunger-nutrition-and-health

White House Strategic Plan https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/White-House-National-Strategy-on-Hunger-Nutrition-and-Health-FINAL.pdf

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MIKE HOCHRON

Senior Vice President of Communications

Meet Mike

Mike Hochron joined Mid-Ohio Food Collective as Senior Vice President of Communications in early 2022.  Mike brings nearly a decade of public sector leadership, previously serving as Policy Director with the Franklin County Board of Commissioners where he focused on issues of economic opportunity and community-driven solutions to ending poverty.  He prioritizes building meaningful relationships with leaders and diverse stakeholders to create healthier, hunger-free communities.

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TIMOTHY WHITE

Director, Government Relations and Advocacy

Meet Tim

Tim White has served in the position of Advocacy Manager for Mid-Ohio Food Collective since February of 2018. Tim utilizes his years of public affairs experience to assist Ohio’s largest food relief agency navigate traditional issues such as federal and state anti-hunger program funding while helping shape a new pathway to tie together nutritional food assistance with other social determinants into health-based outcomes helping our neighbors successfully find their path to self-sustainment.

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Hallie Carrino-Lee, MPA

Government Relations and Advocacy Manager

Meet Hallie

Hallie Carrino-Lee serves as the Government Relations and Advocacy Manager for the Mid-Ohio Food Collective.  She brings community development and capacity building experience to the Collective after serving as an AmeriCorps VISTA for them as well.  Her knowledge and experience focuses on helping agency partners expand, adapt, and advocate to best serve their neighbors in need. She received a Masters in Public Policy and Administration from The Ohio State University in 2018, and a Bachelors of Arts in Political Science, History, and Journalism from Ashland University.

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Have a question about advocacy?

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Tim White: Director, Government Relations and Advocacy

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