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Thousands of Ohioans Are At Risk of Losing SNAP Benefits

a photo of a grocery store with a SNAP sign in the window
JONATHAN WEISS
/
SHUTTERSTOCK
Half a million children could lose free school lunches with the rule change.

Advocates say three million Americans in 40 states could lose their SNAP or food stamp benefits because of a federal rule change in how eligibility is determined at the state level. That could include tens of thousands of Ohioans. 

The rule change would eliminate the ability of states to automatically enroll people who receive other benefits into SNAP too.

Lisa Hamler Fugitt with the Ohio Association of Food Banks said more than 100,000 Ohioans could be affected.

“About 1 in 13 Ohioans could be subject. We’re talking about low income working poor families, seniors, persons with disabilities, as well as veterans could be at risk of losing their SNAP benefits.”

The Trump administration said the change would close loopholes that are allowing people who don’t qualify to receive SNAP benefits to get them. 

A bill proposed by Republican Rep. Scott Wiggam would close such loopholes on the state level.  Hamler-Fugitt also said half a million kids nationwide could lose free school lunch under the rule change as well.

Karen is a lifelong Ohioan who has served as news director at WCBE-FM, assignment editor/overnight anchor at WBNS-TV, and afternoon drive anchor/assignment editor in WTAM-AM in Cleveland. In addition to her daily reporting for Ohio’s public radio stations, she’s reported for NPR, the BBC, ABC Radio News and other news outlets. She hosts and produces the Statehouse News Bureau’s weekly TV show “The State of Ohio”, which airs on PBS stations statewide. She’s also a frequent guest on WOSU TV’s “Columbus on the Record”, a regular panelist on “The Sound of Ideas” on ideastream in Cleveland, appeared on the inaugural edition of “Face the State” on WBNS-TV and occasionally reports for “PBS Newshour”. She’s often called to moderate debates, including the Columbus Metropolitan Club’s Issue 3/legal marijuana debate and its pre-primary mayoral debate, and the City Club of Cleveland’s US Senate debate in 2012.