Welcome back to Just a Bite! After a few months away, we are diving back in with a discussion with Ohio Association of Foodbanks Executive Director, Joree Novotny, to discuss the 2026-2027 Ohio State Biennium Operating Budget, and its impacts on our hunger relief network, and food insecure Ohioans. We are grateful to Governor Mike DeWine, Lt. Gov. Tressel and the Ohio General Assembly for their continued commitment to Ohio’s hunger relief network in the biennial state budget.  

In the 2026-2027 biennial budget, our food bank network received a total of $24.55 million, which is $7.3 million less than the previous budget, returning the states biennial budget back pre-Covid funding levels. Although funding levels for hunger relief in the state of Ohio have returned to pre-covid levels, our network continues to see record breaking visits to our food banks each quarter. With fewer resources to feed our neighbors, and inflation continuing to rise, our capacity is stretching even thinner. Tune in to hear how this state budget is expected to impact on our network, our food programs, and our neighbors.  

References:  

Ohio Association of Foodbanks Statement on the Passage of Sub H.B. 96 - July 1, 2025 

Ohio Association of Foodbanks - 2024 Annual Report – see page 7 for a breakdown of food sources, as distributed.  

• As of July 1, 2025, the Ohio Association of Foodbanks no longer retains dollars and food from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) or the Local Food Purchase Assistance Program (LFPA).  

Learn more about the Ohio Food Program and Agricultural Clerance Program! 

Food Inflation in the United States - U.S. Labor Department's Bureau of Labor Statistics 

For more information on the demand facing Ohio’s foodbanks, visit The Ohio Capital Journal  

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Ohio Association of Foodbanks is a registered 501c3 nonprofit organization without party affiliation or bias. We are Ohio’s largest charitable response to hunger and our mission is to assist Ohio’s 12 Feeding America foodbanks in providing food and other resources to people in need and to pursue areas of common interest for the benefit of people in need.