See also: SNAP funding frozen amid shutdown: Where to find help in Dayton region
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits across the country will be frozen starting Saturday, leaving thousands without vital food assistance right before the holiday season.
That means the more than 80,000 people in Montgomery County who utilize SNAP to feed themselves and their families will be left without the assistance they rely on.
"The ongoing government shutdown puts all of these individuals in jeopardy and the looming uncertainty has caused substantial stress for those that would normally receive benefits," said Ohio State Sen. Willis Blackshear. "I've received a lot of calls — this crisis is unacceptable and entirely avoidable."
He said the economy will also feel a heavy blow without these federally funded programs that help those in need.
"This potential loss of benefits does not only affect those previously mentioned, but our community at large," he said. "Benefits that would be spent on groceries and other necessities would not be received, affecting local businesses, restaurants and other entities."
Montgomery County Commissioners responded to the sudden freeze in SNAP benefits by allocating an additional $500,000 to The Foodbank, Inc.
This comes nearly two months after the county rerouted $1 million to the local nonprofit to address previous losses in federal funding.
"We cannot wait for decisions to be made elsewhere," said Montgomery County Commissioner Judy Dodge. "We have a responsibility to act now at the local level, to support our residents and make sure that no one, no one, is left behind."
The board voted unanimously to increase its support to the nonprofit, pulling money from its 2025 Economic Development/Government Equity Fall Funding Cycle.
Dodge said this decision was an easy one as they considered the more than 85,000 residents in Montgomery County who are food-insecure — a statistic that includes 1 in 4 children not knowing where their next meal will come from.
"Many children across our area are going to go trick-or-treating Friday night, only to wake up Saturday morning facing the real monster, and that monster is hunger," she said.
The Foodbank, Inc., currently serves Montgomery, Preble and Greene counties, relying on over 120 partner agencies, including food pantries, community kitchens and shelters, to distribute more than 37,000 meals.
"This work touches every community in Montgomery County, reaching families who might otherwise slip through the cracks or feel too afraid to ask for help," said Montgomery County Commissioner Mary McDonald.
Lee Lauren Truesdale, chief development officer at the Foodbank, said the group has already purchased seven semi-trucks, each loaded with roughly 26 pallets, which should arrive in the second week of November. They've also pre-ordered 10 pallets of product for December in anticipation of the holiday season.
"Folks are struggling to make ends meet as weather gets colder, you have the holiday expenses, you have kids who are out from school," she said. "So it's really just a culmination of all three situations happening right now in our community that are leading folks to finding themselves in a food-insecure situation."
Truesdale said this money will go a long way as they see a continued increase in demand and a cuts to vital aid.
“Right now, a dollar will provide 4.44 meals," she said. "What we do is we buy items that are in high demand from our partner agencies and those that we serve and we pair that with donated product."
Montgomery County's donation will equate to six million meals distributed across the region. Dodge said while that number is a great contribution, it still only equates to about a month of meals for those 83,000 residents who rely on SNAP.
"No one in America should go hungry. Come on, I mean, that's just basic, basic, basic information. And we're working to ensure that no one in Montgomery County does," she said.
It's still not clear if existing SNAP benefits will be affected by Nov. 1, but Rice said she encourages people to donate during this time of need and reach out to their representatives to impart the urgency of this situation.
"I will not attribute to anyone's motivation, but I believe they must be out of touch and they don't fully appreciate the situation that's out there," she said.
"I would welcome them to come walk with us and stand in the lines and distribute the food and see that these are people of every possible background, veterans, elderly. Hard-working people who just can't make ends meet."
Truesdale said The Foodbank appreciates any assistance the community can offer, including donations of food or money.
"Folks who are looking to stretch their dollar, a monetary donation goes a very long way," she said. "Folks who're looking to meet an emergency need right now, they wanna donate food today that will go on tables tomorrow, that's where food comes in."
More information about The Foodbank, Inc., and its partners can be found at thefoodbankdayton.org.
