Faith in Action: Meeting the Needs of Families Losing Food Assistance

On November 1, thousands of Franklin County families are scheduled to lose access to their SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits. About 1.4 million low income Ohioans, including 179,611 Franklin Country residents depend on SNAP benefits, according to data provided by the county. Almost half of this total, or 83,561 individuals, are Franklin County children.

The good news is that local organizations are stepping up to stand in the gap for families in need. Columbus City Council allocated $25,000 in emergency funding to the Mid-Ohio Food Collective, and many local restaurants are offering free or discounted meals for SNAP recipients. The Columbus Foundation has opened up $500,000 in grants for 21 local food pantries. On November 3, Columbus city and county leaders shared that they have set aside more than $3 million in emergency local funding to help residents affected by the SNAP benefit cuts.

The Church has a unique opportunity to step in to provide for hungry families as well. Many local churches operate food pantries, and Pastor Jordan Smucker of Ethos Church has noticed an uptick in pantry visitors. Executive Director of Victory Ministries and co-leader of For Columbus' Hope Centers Network, Jeremy Borsos, notes that Christian ministries are equipped to care for people holistically, feeding both body and spirit. People may come for food, but they can also receive an invitation to Jesus, access to a loving community, and obtain other resources for housing, clothing, medical care, and job training.

As believers, this difficult time sheds light on our need to put our faith into action. In James 2: 14-17 we are reminded of the importance of caring for both the spiritual and physical needs of the poor:

"What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead."

Whether you are seeking assistance, connecting someone else with assistance, or if you would like to find a place to serve, we recommend checking out the following resources. This list is not exhaustive and we plan to update it as new resources are made known.

• Relink is an online portal where users can search for food pantries and hot meals near their location.

• Mid-Ohio Food Collective offers a holistic approach to connecting needy individuals with wholesome meals. From their local farm to food pantries to free food markets, their mission is to end hunger in Central Ohio.

• Freshtrak allows users to search for free meals by zipcode and access times and locations where meals are being served each day.