October 21, 2004

GROCERY BOX DISTRIBUTION TO BEGIN MONDAY

Local agencies to distribute food assistance on, October 25

Columbus -- The Ohio Association of Second Harvest Foodbanks (OASHF) today announced that distribution of emergency grocery boxes for flood victims in 20 Ohio counties will begin Monday, Oct. 25, 2004.  The families that qualify for the TANF/PRC disaster assistance can pick up their grocery box from their local food pantry.  (See Editor’s note below for list of area food pantries.)

To receive their grocery box, families MUST provide a copy of the determination letter they received from the County Department of Job and Family Services, which states they are eligible and have or will receive assistance.

The TANF disaster assistance funding was made possible by an executive order signed by Governor Taft that provided OASHF with up to $1 million dollars in funding for the program.  The grocery box program will run through January 5, 2005, only in 20 Ohio counties that were declared in a state of emergency by Governor Taft.  The food and grocery boxes include a shelf-stable food supply, personal care products and household cleaning products.

Eligibility is determined is accordance with the Governor’s Executive Order and the federal TANF program as administered by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.  Eligible families include those who have received TANF disaster assistance from their local County Department of Job and Family Services and include a child under the age of 18.  Each family will receive two boxes, one food and one non-food item box, valued at about $80.

CONTACT: Lisa Hamler Podolski, OASHF executive director, 614/221-4336 or 614/271-4803

Editor’s Note:

Second Harvest Foodbanks of Southeastern Ohio

 Mid-Ohio Food Bank

October 5, 2004

OHIO ASSOCIATION OF SECOND HARVEST FOODBANKS COMMENDS STATE'S EFFORTS TO

PROVIDE EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE IN COUNTIES AFFECTED BY FLOODING

COLUMBUS - The Ohio Association of Second Harvest Foodbanks (OASHF) today applauded the announcement by Ohio Governor Bob Taft to make emergency funding available to Ohio flood victims. Governor Taft signed an Executive Order to provide up to $1 million in Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funding to OASHF.

OASHF will use the funds to create and distribute food boxes to needy families in 20 Ohio counties that have been declared in a state of emergency by Governor Taft. The food and grocery boxes include a shelf-stable food supply, personal care products and household cleaning products - items that are desperately needed by Ohio's flood victims.

"We are pleased to be partnering with the State of Ohio on this disaster relief program, and we thank Governor Bob Taft and the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services for their leadership at this critical time," said Lisa Hamler-Podolski, OASHF executive director. "This assistance will be of great value, because foodbank supplies are at record low levels, and the recent flooding from Hurricanes Frances and Ivan left already-strapped hunger relief providers struggling to respond to a new influx of hungry Ohioans."

OASHF will coordinate the program through the four Ohio foodbanks that serve the 20 counties that have been designated as disaster areas.

This aid is available to Ohio families with children who are eligible for Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) and who have applied for or received federal TANF disaster assistance funds for the recent flooding. Families cannot receive a grocery box unless they have applied for and/or received these funds through their county Department of Job and Family Services before October 15.

Families who wish to apply for TANF disaster relief must apply by October 15, 2004 through their county Department of Job and Family Services. Grocery boxes will be ready for pickup within a few weeks and will be distributed for three months.

Families must provide local agencies with documentation that they have applied for or received flooding disaster assistance to obtain their grocery box. For information on how to apply for assistance, families should call their local County Department of Job and Family Services or Ohio Association of Second Harvest Foodbanks at 614/221-4336

CONTACT: Lisa Hamler Podolski, OASHF executive director, 614/221-4336 or 614/271-4803

Counties declared

disaster areas:

Trumbull

Mahoning

Columbiana

Stark

Carroll

Tuscarawas

Jefferson

Harrison

Muskingum

Guernsey

Belmont

Noble

Monroe

Perry

Morgan

Washington

Vinton

Athens

Meigs

Gallia

© Copyright 2004. No part may be reproduced without expressed written permission

of the Ohio Association of Second Harvest Foodbanks.