Ohio Association Of Foodbanks

OUR MISSION IS TO ASSIST OHIO'S 12 FEEDING AMERICA MEMBER AFFILIATED FOODBANKS WITH PROVIDING FOOD AND RESOURCES TO PEOPLE IN NEED AND TO PURSUE AREAS OF COMMON INTEREST FOR THE BENEFIT OF PEOPLE IN NEED. IN FY 2023, OHIO FOODBANKS ACQUIRED AND DISTRIBUTED 256,907,967 POUNDS OF FOOD AND SERVED 13,412,553 OHIOANS LIVING IN 4,766,617 HOUSEHOLDS.

THE OHIO FOOD AND AGRICULTURE CLEARANCE PROGRAMS (OFPACP) PROVIDE AN EXTENSIVE, NOURISHING SELECTION OF FOOD TO FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE FOOD THROUGH OHIO'S EMERGENCY FOOD NETWORK WITH SUPPORT OF $23,595,090.60. THROUGH A STATEWIDE PARTNERSHIP WITH MORE THAN 70 OHIO PRODUCERS, THIS PROGRAM PURCHASED 26.2 MILLION POUNDS OF SURPLUS AND UNMARKETABLE AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS, AND THE OHIO FOOD PROGRAM PURCHASED OVER 15.9 MILLION POUNDS OF SHELF STABLE FOOD. THESE PROGRAMS ARE FUNDED BY THE STATE OF OHIO, THROUGH THE OHIO DEPARTMENT OF JOB AND FAMILY SERVICES (ODJFS) AND PROVIDED 42,199,961 POUNDS OF FOOD AND GROCERY PRODUCTS TO OHIO FOODBANKS. THE PROGRAM PROVIDED $2.946 MILLION TO OHIO'S 12 FOODBANKS TO COVER THEIR EXPENSES AND COST TO STORE AND DISTRIBUTE FOOD ACROSS THE STATE OF OHIO. IN ADDITION, THE PROGRAM PROVIDED $109,419.00, IN CAPACITY BUILDING GRANTS TO MEMBER CHARITIES SERVED BY THE ASSOCIATION MEMBER FOODBANKS.

THE ASSOCIATION RECEIVED TWO GRANTS FROM THE CORONAVIRUS STATE AND LOCAL FISCAL RECOVERY FUNDS (SLFRF)/ AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT (ARPA). THE ARPA 1 PORTION OF THE PROGRAM PROVIDED $15,007,607.00 THROUGH A GRANT FROM THE STATE OF OHIO TO PURCHASE 7,743,179 POUNDS OF OHIO GROWN AND RAISED PROTEIN PRODUCTS FROM OHIO LIVESTOCK PRODUCERS AT AN AVERAGE COST OF $1.928 PER POUND FOR DISTRIBUTION TO OHIO'S 12 FEEDING AMERICA MEMBER FOODBANKS, 1 NON-MEMBER FOODBANK AND 3,664 MEMBER CHARITIES. THIS PROGRAM PROVIDED 30.972 MILLION SERVINGS OF PROTEIN TO HUNGRY OHIOANS. THE ARPA 2 PORTION OF THE PROGRAM WAS FUNDED THROUGH A $25 MILLION EARMARK FROM THE CORONAVIRUS STATE AND LOCAL FISCAL RECOVERY FUNDS (SLFRF)/ AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT (ARPA) TO SUPPORT A 2-YEAR APPROPRIATION FROM THE OHIO GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO PROVIDE THE ASSOCIATION WITH FUNDING TO PURCHASE OHIO PRODUCED PROTEIN FOODS, SHELF STAPLE FOODS AND PERSONAL CARE, PERSONAL HYGIENE AND HOUSEHOLD CLEANING PRODUCTS FOR HUNGRY OHIOANS IN NEED OF EMERGENCY FOOD ASSISTANCE. THROUGH JUNE 30, 2023, THE PROGRAM HAD PURCHASED 4,173,040 POUNDS OF FOOD AND GROCERY ITEMS AT A COST OF $2,997,686.32, AT AN AVERAGE COST OF $0.718 PER POUND. THE ARPA 2 PROGRAM PROVIDED $438,685.79 IN SUPPORT OF DIRECT PROGRAM OPERATIONS, MONITORING, OVERSIGHT AND TO REIMBURSE FOODBANKS FOR THEIR EXPENSES AND COST TO STORE AND DISTRIBUTE FOOD ACROSS THE STATE OF OHIO.

THE ASSOCIATION IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE OHIO DEPARTMENTS OF JOB AND FAMILY SERVICES, AGRICULTURE AND EDUCATION RECEIVED A NEW 3-YEAR COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT FROM U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TO SUPPORT THE LOCAL FOOD PURCHASE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (LFPA) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT. THE OHIO LFPA PROGRAM, NAMED THE OHIO COMMUNITY AGRICULTURE AND NUTRITION (OHIO CAN) PROJECT PURCHASED IN-DEMAND FOOD PRODUCTS FROM LOCAL, SOCIALLY DISADVANTAGED PRODUCERS AND DISTRIBUTED THEM TO UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES AND FOOD INSECURE FAMILIES WITH SUPPORT OF $7,048,135.85. THE PROGRAM CONTRACTED WITH TRUSTED FOOD DISTRIBUTION NETWORKS OF SOCIALLY DISADVANTAGED FARMERS, PURCHASING THEIR FOOD PRODUCTS ALLOWING OHIO CAN, TO EXPAND THE FOOD SUPPLY CHAIN TO LOCAL PRODUCERS AND COMMUNITIES IN NEED. IN THE FIRST YEAR OF OPERATION THE ASSOCIATION CONNECTED AND PURCHASED FROM 102 FARMERS AND PRODUCERS, FIVE FOOD HUBS AND AGGREGATORS AND PURCHASED 1,535,743 POUNDS OF FRESH VEGETABLES, PROTEINS, AND GRAINS. 100% OF THE LOCAL AND REGIONAL PURCHASES WERE NEW MARKETING OPPORTUNITIES FOR SOCIALLY DISADVANTAGED PRODUCERS, WOMEN OWNED AND BIPOC OPERATIONS THAT THE LFPA HAS HELPED TO ESTABLISH.