Children’s Hunger Alliance President and CEO Michelle M. Brown joined leaders from other human services groups to testify in support of ongoing and additional state funding at an Ohio House Children & Human Services Committee hearing on Thursday. The committee is one of several reviewing Gov. Mike DeWine’s biennial budget (HB96).
“I want to thank the governor for including us in his proposed budget at our current funding level of $7.5 million across the biennium,” Brown said. “While we greatly appreciate this support and inclusion of the TANF earmarked funds, we are asking for a $1.5 million increase per year to meet the demand for meals, specifically for our weekend meals program, which has tripled in size and faces a waitlist of over 80 sites.”
With support from donors and the Ohio Legislature, CHA provided 10.8 million meals to over 161,000 children in 76 counties in 2024. That meals number represents a 56 percent increase compared to the previous year. CHA is the largest comprehensive statewide organization focused solely on children’s food security and nutrition education.
Also testifying before the committee were leaders from CHA partners the Ohio Association of Foodbanks, Mid-Ohio Food Collective, Ohio Head Start Association, and Groundwork Ohio, among others.
This post was adapted from an article on Gongwer News Service.