Federal cuts to SNAP benefits create uncertainty across southeast Ohio
By: Noah Cavin
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LOGAN, Ohio (WOUB) – The Southeast Ohio Foodbank serves 10 counties in the area, providing fresh meat, produce and hot meals for those in need. They may soon see demand increase again.
“On average, folks visit a food pantry or a food bank about seven times a year,” said Eva Bloom, HAPCAP’s Director of Development. “But if they don’t have access to SNAP, they may have to do that more frequently.”
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, better known as SNAP, was one of the many federal programs that saw a significant funding cut as a result of the Trump Administration’s so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.”
Over the next 10 years, SNAP will lose about $186 billion – and nearly three million people across the nation are projected to lose benefits entirely.
According to a CBPP study, 230,000 Ohioans will lose at least some assistance, while 102,000 are projected to lose all benefits.
The Emergency Food Assistance Program that helps the Southeast Ohio Foodbank keep food on their shelves is also set to lose $100 million by 2034.
Ohio’s 2nd Congressional District Republican Rep. Dave Taylor says these cuts help return benefits to those in need.
“The American people expect that those who are able to work are either working or finding work in order to access the benefits provided by their tax dollars,” said Taylor, in a written statement. “The One Big Beautiful Bill simply returns SNAP program benefits to those most vulnerable and in need, not towards those who are able to provide for themselves but refuse to.”
Bloom counters that Appalachian Ohioans in need are not refusing to provide for themselves.
“What is generally the case with additional work requirements is not that folks don’t want to go to work and contribute to their community, it is that it is incredibly difficult to meet the paperwork requirements that are involved with these administrative changes,” she said.
Bloom also said that a lack of transportation and jobs that pay a livable wage in southeast Ohio creates issues for those in need of work, an idea that Bolen shares.
“Changes to SNAP, especially ones in this new law, are going to affect rural areas,” Bolen said. “One of the ways it’s going to do that is it requires a lot more folks to meet this work requirement. Basically saying you got to work 20 hours a week or more, otherwise you can only get SNAP for three months.
“Well, it could take longer than three months to get a job, right? You could be looking for work for five or six months. For a lot of folks now, SNAP won’t be there for them to bridge the gap and in rural areas with transportation issues.”
Children seem to be disproportionately affected by SNAP cuts, making up 36% of all SNAP recipients.
“It is painful to know that there will be kids who have great potential, who have great potential to help our region, to live a life that they enjoy, and that that is going to be, in some ways blocked because they don’t have the basic building blocks for a healthy life,” said Bloom. “It is worrying, it’s troubling, it’s sad. And we’ll continue to do everything we can to make sure that potential isn’t blocked.”