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House Budget Cuts Money For Ohio's Foodbanks

Lisa Hamler Fugitt
Statehouse News Bureau
Lisa Hamler Fugitt

The leader of Ohio’s Association of Foodbanks says she’s disappointed in the budget passed by the House. 

Lisa Hamler Fugitt says the House did the unthinkable and cut foodbank funding by one million dollars.

“Cutting funding for Ohio’s foodbanks for the first time in two decades, taking 5.5 million pounds of food out of our network. It is a slap in the face to 3300 hunger relief organizations throughout the state who work tirelessly day in and day out to feed our needy friends and neighbors as well as our Ohio farmers who work hard to provide this food.”

Hamler Fugitt says she’s not sure why the cuts were made or who was responsible for them. She says she’ll be working to get the Senate to restore the funding. She says funding for foodbanks has been considered a non-partisan effort and has been supported by both Republican and Democratic administrations.

Copyright 2017 The Statehouse News Bureau

Jo Ingles is a professional journalist who covers politics and Ohio government for the Ohio Public Radio and Television for the Ohio Public Radio and Television Statehouse News Bureau. She reports on issues of importance to Ohioans including education, legislation, politics, and life and death issues such as capital punishment.