THOUSANDS OF OHIO FAMILIES COULD
SOON RECEIVE EXTRA HELP PUTTING
FOOD ON THE
TABLE.
BRAD:
THE U-S-D-A IS APPROVING
HUNDREDS IN EXTRA SNAP
BENEFITS FOR KIDS NO LONGER
RECEIVING
SCHOOL LUNCHES.
NBC4'S CATHERINE ROSS EXPLAINS
HOW THE PROGRAM WORKS.
CATHERINE: "WITH MORE PEOPLE OUT
OF WORK AND MORE KIDS OUT OF
SCHOOL. MANY ARE RELYING ON FOOD
PANTRIES LIKE THIS FOR THE FIRST
TIME. THIS ADDITIONAL FUNDING
COULD BE AN EXTRA TOOL TO HELP
MAKE ENDS MEET." THIS MOM OF
FOUR IS JUGGLING FULL-TIME
PARENTING AND SCHOOLWORK ON TOP
OF NORMAL OBLIGATIONS.
HELEN BELLIFRAI/
COLUMBUS MOTHER: "WE HAVE TO PAY
BILLS, RENT. THAT'S NOT
STOPPING."
AND MEALS AREN'T STOPPING EITHER
WHILE
THE KIDS ARE HOME. THAT'S WHY
THE FAMILY IS
PICKING UP GROCERIES FROM NNEMAP
FOOD PANTRY.
HELEN BELLIFRAI/ COLUMBUS
MOTHER: "DURING THESE TIMES SOME
PEOPLE ARE OUT OF WORK AND FOOD.
IT'S CRAZY. BUT IT'S GOOD TO
COME HERE AND GET SOME FOOD FOR
THE FAMILY."
THE PANTRY SAYS EVERYDAY UP TO A
DOZEN
FAMILIES COME HERE WHO'VE NEVER
RELIED ON FOOD ASSISTANCE
BEFORE...
ROY CLARK/DIRECTOR, NNEMAP FOOD
PANTRY: "THERE ARE SO MANY
PEOPLE WHOSE JOBS HAVE BEEN
AFFECTED AND FAMILIES THAT HAVE
BEEN AFFECTED. THERE'S CHILD
CARE ISSUES AS WELL. THERE'S
JUST A LOT GOING ON." WITH SO
MUCH GOING ON. THE OHIO
DEPARTMENT OF JOB AND FAMILY
SERVICES IS ANNOUNCING HELP.
NOW FAMILIES WITH STUDENTS WHO
RECEIVE
FREE OR REDUCED PRICE SCHOOL
LUNCHES ARE
ELIGIBLE FOR ADDITIONAL SNAP
BENEFITS.
ABOUT 850-THOUSAND STUDENTS
ACROSS THE STATE WILL RECEIVE 3-
HUNDRED DOLLARS ON AN
E-B-T CARD. MAILED DIRECTLY TO
HOMES WITH
NO APPLICATION PROCESS. THE
BENEFITS ADD UP TO 250-MILLION
DOLLARS. WHICH IN TURN GO TO
GROCERY STORES AND
OTHER RETAILERS ACCEPTING E-B-T.
PANTRIES LIKE THIS SAY EVERY BIT
OF ASSISTANCE HELPS.
BUT THEY'RE BRACING TO KEEP
LENDING A HAND... WHILE WE'RE
JUST BEGINNING TO LEARN THE
SCOPE OF THIS CRISIS.
ROY CLARK/DIRECTOR, NNEMAP FOOD
PANTRY: "THIS ISN'T OVER YET.
WE'RE JUST BEING
VERY CAUTIOUS AND MAKING SURE
THAT WHOEVER COMES IN THE DOOR,
WE'RE HERE FOR."
CATHERINE: "FOR MORE INFORMATION
ABOUT ELIGIBILITY AND ACCESS TO
OTHER RESOURCES. HEAD TO NBC4-I-
DOT-COM. LOCAL FOR YOU IN
COLUMBUS, CATHERINE ROSS, NBC4."
BRAD:
STILL AHEAD... DON'T WASTE YOUR
MONEY! BUSINESSES ARE
REOPENING... BUT CAN YOU, AS A
WORKER, STAY HOME IF YOU HAVE
CONCERNS?
JOHN MATARESE ANSWERS THAT
