OASHF
Programs
The Ohio
Association of Second Harvest Foodbanks (OASHF) is Ohio’s largest charitable
food assistance network. The OASHF is a statewide member supported organization,
representing the 12 certified America’s Second Harvest Foodbanks distributing
food and grocery items to over 3,000 member charities in all 88 Ohio counties. Member
agencies consist of food pantries, soup kitchens, homeless shelters, and other
charitable emergency food assistance programs that supplied over 81.6 million
pounds of food to over 4.4 million individuals in 1.9 million low-income
households during 2002. (Duplicated units of services reported)
The Ohio Association of
Second Harvest Foodbanks operates two unique statewide programs, a food
purchasing program and a program that makes surplus agricultural products
available to Foodbanks. This
program also helps the agricultural community effectively deal with its
surpluses. The OASHF also provides funding to help strengthen the infrastructure
of the emergency food providers by providing capacity building grants to member
charities.
The food provided through the
Ohio Food Program (OFP) and
Ohio Agricultural Clearance Program (OACP) are critical components in our
networks ability to provide highly nutritional proteins, shelf stable foods,
fruits and vegetables to the low-income children, adults and seniors we serve.
What is the
product and where the food come from? These food items supplement the distribution of food products acquired through
The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), private purchases, local food and
fund drives, industry and individual donations.
How can I partner with the Ohio Agricultural Clearance Program?
These cost
effective programs are funded through a biennial appropriation from the Ohio
General Assembly within the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS)
budget. These programs are highly successful examples of public/private
partnerships that leverage public funds in the acquisition and distribution of
over 40 million pounds of wholesome nutritious foods since beginning in the
1998/99 state fiscal year. The alliances that have been formed through these two
programs bring together the Ohio Department of Job and Family Service, Ohio
Department of Agriculture, farmers, growers, processors, food producers and
supporters with Foodbanks, emergency food providers, and the low-income Ohioans
who receive the food they need to feed themselves and their families.
Although much has
been done to address the needs of Ohio’s hungry, much more still needs to be
done. All resources under the charge of the OASHF end up in the hands and mouths
of those who need it. Hundreds of thousands of Ohioans depend on this food in
order to help them find the road to self-sufficiency.
In addition, to
operating the state funded food programs the OASHF maintains a unique position
in Ohio through its public education and awareness campaigns, direct advocacy
and research projects.
These programs
include annual studies that allow those being served by the emergency food
assistance network to be heard. These research projects include the No Names
Please Survey and Hunger in Ohio: People, Issues, and Solutions.
OASHF also publishes and distributes literature to assist low-income Ohioans and
member agencies navigate public benefits programs. This includes the recently
released, Food Stamp Access Kit, a complete how-to guide for community
based organizations and low-income Ohioans which explains how to access the food
stamp program.
OASHF also
provides technical assistance, trainings, and conferences for staff and
volunteers of faith-based and community based organizations engaged in the
delivery of emergency food assistance.
For
additional information, please contact the Ohio Association of Second Harvest
Foodbanks at
614.221.4336 or e-mail us at
[email protected].
© Copyright 2006, No part may be reproduced without expressed written permission from
the Ohio Association of Second Harvest Foodbanks.
