Food Riots Cancelled? Ohio Opens Emergency Funding, Thefts Still Occurring Anyway

BY JEFF SKINNER 

STATEWIDE - Just as the Trump administration has announced they will investigate avenues to dip into emergency funding to keep the SNAP program funded as long as possible, Ohio has additionally announced emergency measures to ensure recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program can still receive some funding during the government shutdown. The move comes after widespread concern over social media posts claiming the pause in benefits would lead to widespread disorder and crime. 

Governor DeWine announced on Thursday that Ohio would activate around $25 million for food assistance to families on the SNAP program through an executive order directing Job and Family Services to provide $7 million to food banks and authorizes an additional $18 million in funding to families with needy children. JFS has been directed to target aid specifically to households that are the ‘most in need,’ as part of the Ohio Works First program. 

“This is not a substitute for SNAP. Not every family is going to get additional funds. But we want to target specifically those families where we thought that they really desperately would need the money and need the help," DeWine said.

Additionally, the Trump administration has signaled that they will look into funding the SNAP program through use of emergency ‘rainy day’ funds. The main issue at this time is affirming the administration has the constitutional authority to do so. Constitutionally, the ‘power of the purse’ rests in the hands of Congress, which has been shut down since minority Democrat discourse erupted over funding of the Affordable Care Act for illegal immigrants. Republicans have pushed for a vote to provide a 'Clean Continuous Resolution' to fund the SNAP program 13 times with Democrats voting no each pass. The resolution needs 60 votes to pass. Unfortunately, even if the Administration is able to legally authorize the SNAP payments, funding would not go into effect until after November.

Despite this news, social media posts are already coming out showing individuals raiding grocery store chains, as opportunists are seeking to cause disruptions during this early timeline of the SNAP pause. 

Time will tell on how long any emergency funding may last, but this news has not prevented the grocery theft during this period. Readers are advised to remain safe and aware of surroundings during this SNAP pause.