Area food bank representatives share troubles with providing services (The Blade)

State Sen. Paula Hicks-Hudson (D., Toledo) heard complaints Monday from area food bank representatives ahead of the expected Ohio House of Representatives vote Wednesday on House Republicans’ proposed general fund budget.

Comments ranged from having to rely on private donations to try to make up for federal funding cuts to having to deal with more red tape and the growing uncertainty about the future of food banks.

“We are seeing a major hit and we can’t stop that,” said Lauren Bacans-Grounds, executive director at the Islamic Food Bank of Toledo.

“We have a food bag program,” Ms. Bacans-Grounds said. “Families relied on it in eight different school districts, but we are now having to supplement our regular in-kind donations with purchases while we’re developing relationships with wholesale suppliers. And until those are established, we have to purchase retail, and it’s difficult to purchase retail in such large quantities.”