The proposed rule would reduce access to basic nutrition assistance in the poorest areas in the state, restrict Ohio’s ability to help its most disadvantaged workers, and discriminate on the basis of race.
In Ohio, nearly 1.4 million, or one in six people across the state rely on SNAP to help buy groceries each month. SNAP serves as a vital safety net to ensure low-wage workers do not go hungry when their hours are reduced or they become unemployed, and is widely regarded as one of the most effective programs in the country for alleviating poverty.
Though the average SNAP benefit in Ohio is only about $4 per day per recipient, this assistance significantly reduces food insecurity and frees up recipients’ limited incomes to address other hardships like paying bills and rent.
If the proposed rule took effect today with the new unemployment threshold for waiver eligibility, only three Ohio counties would qualify for a time limit waiver. Currently, 38 counties qualify.
Advocates for Ohio’s Future recommends that the federal government withdraw the USDA’s proposed rule and maintain the authorization of state waivers for “areas of high unemployment” under the current criteria, which has proven to provide vital nutrition assistance for Ohio’s most vulnerable citizens.
Read our full comments here