Purpose

The Ohio Association of Second Harvest Foodbanks uses a variety of mechanisms to increase hunger awareness and to build support for hunger relief including strategies that address poverty as the root cause of hunger.

Description

The Ohio Association of Second Harvest Foodbanks (OASHF) works to build stronger public awareness about hunger and hunger-related issues.  The philosophy of OASHF is to shift emphasis from “food charity” to “food plus economic security” in order to reverse the continuous increase for hunger relief.

Collecting data, coupled with personal stories, is stressed as a core component of OASHF advocacy efforts.  A PowerPoint presentation was developed to:

• Help organizations understand the reasons and benefits of collecting data
• Illustrate a format for displaying data
• Describe OASHF program responses
• Frame public policy positions

A No Name, Please! Survey is conducted annually by OASHF member foodbanks.

OASHF works to maintain high visibility of hunger issues through media outlets.  Significant coverage has included:

• In the News and Stories from the Front Lines – An archive of news coverage is maintained on OASHF’s web site along with individual stories about the lives of foodbank recipients.
• Lines of Despair – A week long series published by The Columbus Dispatch, June 2004
• Waiting in the Food Line - Story broadcast on CBS 60 Minutes II, August 2003
• Making Ends Meet – Story broadcast on CBS News, July 2003

Strategies that are used to further promote hunger awareness include:

• Hunger Education Day at the state legislature.
• Involvement with National Hunger Action Month.
• Call to Action to promote involvement and support for state services to vulnerable populations

OASHF recognizes that hunger is a symptom of poverty just like fever is a symptom of disease.  Therefore, OASHF is involved with a number of initiatives to promote greater family economic security:

• Ohioans for a Fair Minimum Wage – It is largely recognized that Federal Poverty Guidelines are much lower than self-sufficiency levels.  A campaign to raise the minimum wage from $4.25 in Ohio to $6.85 (one of only two states below the Federal minimum wage - Kansas is the other state).  Similar legislation supporting a $6.15 minimum wage passed in both Florida and Nevada in 2004 by margins of 72% in favor and 28% opposed (FL) and 68% in favor and 32% opposed (NV) and the measures won in every county in both states.  Related information is available through:
  • The Living Wage Resource Center (ACORN) – note: the Ohio campaign is deliberately viewed as raising the minimum wage rather than promotion of a living wage since $6.85 per hour would still be inadequate to enable self-sufficiency.
  • Let Justice Roll – Faith and Community Voices Against Poverty.
  • Living Wage Campaign Resource Information.
  • Family Self-Sufficiency Project – Wider Opportunities for Women.
  • Living Wage Estimator – Penn State University (see related NPR coverage on Hunger in America). 
• Campaign to Protect Ohio’s Future – a coalition of over 125 organizations involved with protecting Ohio's most vulnerable citizens by restoring or adequately funding vital services through a responsible state budget that has -- as its primary priority -- meeting basic human needs and providing sufficient funds to invest in Ohio's future.  An Invest in Ohio Endorsement Form outlines the principles of the campaign and is used for sign-up purposes.
• The Ohio Benefit Bank internet program that offers agencies the ability to facilitate applications for state and federal aid programs providing income enhancement opportunities for clients – see Ohio Benefit Study, January 2009.
• Food Stamp Program
• Access to Benefits Coalition to assist with enrollment in the Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Program.

Outcomes

OASHF receives $5.5 million in State funding as a result of successful hunger awareness and advocacy activities. 

Information in Ohio Association of Second Harvest Foodbanks: PROVEN PROGRAMS THAT WORK summarizes a sampling of OASHF results for SFY2009, including:

• 113.7 million pounds of food and groceries to more than 3,000 member charities including food pantries, soup kitchens, homeless shelters and other food assistance organizations.
• Has purchased and distributed more than 24.5 million pounds of OFP groceries to 12 foodbanks serving more than 3,000 member charities.
• OBB has grown to 1,133 sites, with more than 4,467 volunteer counselors, and is located in a variety of faith-based and not for profit organizations, in neighborhoods where individuals work, live, play and pray.  Since its inception in 2006, OBB has helped more than 92,000 Ohioans and infused more than $170 million into the economies where sites are located.