In response to the federal government shutdown, Hamilton County Commissioner Alicia Reece is calling on Congress to act immediately and urging the State of Ohio to step in as thousands of working families face the loss of critical SNAP benefits. The federal assistance that residents rely on to buy groceries is set to run out on November 1st if lawmakers do not reach an agreement on a spending plan.

More than 97,000 Hamilton County residents, including 43,000 children, risk losing their November SNAP benefits if federal funding is not restored. Nearly 11,000 seniors could be impacted just before the Thanksgiving holiday. The economic fallout would be substantial, with an estimated $300 million lost to local grocery stores and neighborhood economies. 

While over 20 states have sued the federal government to secure SNAP benefits during the shutdown, progress remains stalled. Commissioner Reece is urging the State of Ohio to use its $3.94 billion Rainy Day Fund to support housing, food distribution, and other critical services for the families, children, and seniors hardest hit. She is also calling on the private sector to step up to help fill the gap.

Local food pantries, such as the Freestore Foodbank, are already seeing unprecedented demand and cannot meet this crisis alone. This is a 911-level emergency: when Washington shuts down, local government becomes the first line of defense. Hamilton County is acting through initiatives like the 513Relief Bus and the Freestore Foodbank, but we cannot solve this crisis alone. 

With billions in rainy day funds, the State of Ohio has both the power and the responsibility to ensure that no family goes hungry. It is time for Ohio and the federal government to act decisively. Families cannot wait, we must protect children, seniors, veterans, and working families now. Join us today in sending a message and sounding the alarm that Hamilton County residents need relief now!