FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Melanie Ryan
Director, Communications & Marketing
Children’s Hunger Alliance
614-643-8051
mryan@childrenshungealliance.org
Children’s Hunger Alliance (CHA), a statewide non-profit dedicated to ending childhood hunger, expresses their sincere appreciation to the members of the Ohio House of Representatives for investing $7.5 million in funding over the 2024-2025 fiscal biennium in the House passed version of Amended Substitute House Bill 33. This funding will allow CHA to expand its partnerships with individuals and organizations to feed children and bridge the meal gaps many children face when regular school meals are unavailable such as during the summer, weekends, and holiday breaks.
“On behalf of Children’s Hunger Alliance and the children that depend on us for meals I sincerely thank Speaker Jason Stephens, Finance Chair Jay Edwards, Minority Leader Allison Russo, and the members of the Ohio House of Representatives for prioritizing the food insecure children of Ohio with this funding,” said Judy Mobley, President and CEO of Children’s Hunger Alliance. “This financial support from Ohio is critical in allowing CHA to reach more children who would otherwise not have the food they need to live a healthy life.”
In Ohio, 1 in 5 children live in a food-insecure household, meaning they are unsure of when they will have their next meal. Over the last two years, CHA has expanded its partnerships and the number of sites providing meals, to meet the growing need for their services. Over this time period, with its partners, CHA has served over 19 million meals to Ohio’s children in afterschool programs, summer programs, family childcare homes, daycare centers, and through weekend meals. CHA will use increased state operating funds to sustain and expand ongoing sponsorship of federal nutrition programs across Ohio’s 88 counties. These dollars will help more Ohio children by providing additional weekend and summer meals. Currently, CHA partners with 128 schools to provide weekend meals across the state, with a waiting list of over 30 schools. State funding will help address this growing need, which is not currently covered by any existing federal program.
Summer is an especially difficult time for food insecure children as only 10% of those that qualify for free or reduced-price meals during school have access to a summer meal site. Funding from the state will allow CHA to provide the needed meals not available through the federal nutrition program, which does not fully meet the needs of Ohio’s hungry children. This investment will supplement the millions of dollars that CHA raises from corporate donors, foundations, and individuals.
About Children’s Hunger Alliance
Since 1970, CHA has worked to ensure that children across Ohio have access to the food they need to live a healthy life. Through their work, CHA provides healthy meals to hungry children, advocates for the welfare of Ohio’s youngest citizens, and teaches nutrition and physical education. For more information, please visit www.childrenshungeralliance.org. Follow us on Facebook – @CHAohio, Instagram – @childrenshungeralliance, and LinkedIn – @chaohio.
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