OHIO, USA — Editor's note: the video in the player above is from a story published on Feb. 22, 2021.
The Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services (ODJFS) on Monday released a shocking statistic in regards to the food assistance it has provided to Ohioans during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a press release, ODJFS says that since last March, it has provided more than $1 billion food benefits to Ohio families. This number includes both Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT).
“Having access to nutritious food is critical for families and children,” said ODJFS Director Kimberly Henderson. “By working with our federal partners and using our Ohio Benefits system, we have been able to increase food security during these challenging times.”
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The agency says that SNAP benefits have benefitted more than 400,000 families in need during the pandemic and that P-EBT has specifically provided more than $462 million in food assistance to students who typically would receive meals in school through the National School Launch Program.
Thanks to the passage of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, the state has also been able to increase SNAP benefits for Ohio families by 15-percent. ODJFS says this increase resulted in more than 700,000 households receiving extra support in January.
Editor's note: the video in the player below is from a story published on Feb. 27. 2021.