Ohio Association Of Foodbanks

OUR MISSION IS TO ASSIST OHIOS 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.

THE OHIO FOOD PROGRAM CONSISTS OF MULTIPLE FUNDING SOURCES. THE PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE IS THE OHIO FOOD AND AGRICULTURE CLEARANCE PROGRAMS WHICH PROVIDE AN EXTENSIVE, NOURISHING SELECTION OF FOOD TO FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE FOOD THROUGH OHIOS EMERGENCY FOOD NETWORK. THROUGH A STATEWIDE PARTNERSHIP WITH MORE THAN 100 OHIO PRODUCERS, THE PROGRAM RECOVERS SURPLUS AND UNMARKETABLE AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS. THE STATE OF OHIO THROUGH ODJFS, PROVIDES FUNDING TO PURCHASE THESE PRODUCTS. THIS PROGRAM PROVIDED OVER 42.7M LBS. OF FOOD TO OHIO FOODBANKS. THIS FISCAL YEAR, THE OHIO FOOD PROGRAM ALSO INCLUDED CORONAVIRUS RELIEF FUNDS, USDA FUNDING, FARM TO FOODBANK FUNDING, CARESOURCE AND FARM CREDIT MIDAMERICA.

ABAWD WORK EXPERIENCE PROGRAM (WEP) WAS FUNDED THROUGH A GRANT AGREEMENT WITH FRANKLIN COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF JOB AND FAMILY SERVICES IN THE AMOUNT OF $730,000 SUPPORTED THESE OUTCOMES:WORK READINESS ASSESSMENTS: STAFF COMPLETED WORK READINESS ASSESSMENTS WITH 1,287 FRANKLIN COUNTY ADULTS, IDENTIFYING BARRIERS TO EMPLOYMENT.PROMOTING PAID EMPLOYMENT: 117 PARTICIPANTS FOUND PAID EMPLOYMENT, EARNING AN AVERAGE OF $12.44 PER HOUR, AND EXITED THE PROGRAM. HOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (HEAP) OUTREACH RECEIVED A GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $75,000 FROM THE OHIO DEVELOPMENT SERVICES AGENCY TO SUPPORT A CONTRACT WITH COMMUNITY REINVESTMENT RESOURCES, LLC, AN ORGANIZATION ESTABLISHED THAT OPERATES THE VETERANS COMPREHENSIVE ASSITANCE PROGRAM (VCAP), THROUGH THIS PROGRAM VCAP HELPED 504 VETERANS APPLY FOR HEAP BENEFITS. VCAP ALSO HELPED CONNECT 412 VETERANS WITH SNAP BENEFITS.THE OHIO ASSOCIATION OF FOODBANKS WORKS THROUGH EIGHT SUBRECIPIENT ORGANIZATIONS TO PROVIDE HEALTH INSURANCE NAVIGATOR SERVICES IN 77 OF OHIOS 88 COUNTIES. THE PROGRAM,FUNDED BY THE FEDERAL CENTER FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, RAISES AWARENESS ABOUT HEALTH INSURANCE OPTIONS THROUGH OHIO MEDICAID AND THE FEDERAL MARKETPLACE, SUPPORTS CONSUMER ENROLLMENT IN HEALTH COVERAGE, AND CONNECTS NEWLY INSURED PEOPLE WITH HEALTHCARE SERVICES. FUNDING FOR THE PROGRAM ALSO SUPPORTS A STATEWIDE PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGN CALLED GET COVERED OHIO. THE OHIO ASSOCIATION OF FOODBANKS PARTNERS WITH THE CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE TO CARRY OUT NATIONAL SERVICE PROGRAMMING INCLUDING AMERICORPS VISTA AND AMERICORPS VISTA SUMMER ASSOCIATES. VISTA MEMBERS PERFORM A WIDE VARIETY OF ACTIVITIES DEPENDING ON THE PROGRAM IN WHICH THEY PARTICIPATE. SOME OF THESE ACTIVITIES INCLUDE SUPPORTING SUMMER FOOD SERVICE PROGRAM SUMMER SITES. ALL VISTAS CONTRIBUTE TO CAPACITY BUILDING AT THE ORGANIZATIONS IN WHICH THEY ARE PLACED. TO DATE, THE OHIO ASSOCIATION OF FOODBANKS HAS PLACED MORE THAN 1,708 NATIONAL SERVICE MEMBERS; THOSE NATIONAL SERVICE MEMBERS HAVE RECRUITED 49,005 VOLUNTEERS WHO HAVE SERVED MORE THAN 7.8M SUMMER MEALS AND RAISED 7.1M IN CASH AND IN-KIND DONATIONS.

SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSOCIATION PROGRAM (SNAP) OHIO DEPARTMENT OF JOB AND FAMILY SERVICES (WITH PASS-THROUGH FUNDING FROM USDA FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICE) FOR $1,744,119 TO SUPPORT SNAP OUTREACH CONDUCTED BY THE ASSOCIATION AND SEVEN PARTICIPATING FOODBANKS. THROUGH THIS SNAP PROGRAM, FOODBANKS DISTRIBUTED 32.4 MILLION BROCHURES/MARKETING ITEMS, PRE-SCREENED NEARLY 71,000 HOUSEHOLDS FOR POTENTIAL ELIGIBILITY FOR SNAP, AND COMPLETED 27,158 SNAP APPLICATIONS IN STATE FISCAL YEAR 2022.