CINCINNATI — Food banks across Ohio are seeing a drastic increase in the number of people they serve. Kurt Reiber, President & CEO of Freestone Foodbank, said that increase is due to inflation.
“The inflationary pressures across the board in terms of not only food but in terms of housing cost, travel, you know transportation, the cost of gasoline,” Reiber said.
The Ohio Association of Foodbanks told us in 2024 they saw the highest number of people ever come through their food banks and pantries. So far in 2025, the trend is continuing.
“What we're seeing already this year, is that we’re seeing a 35% increase at our markets and across our entire 20-county service area,” Reiber said.
WATCH: Food banks discuss what could happen if their funding is decreased
But inflation isn’t only hitting people's wallets, it’s also decreasing what food banks have available.
“We’re providing less food per food pantry visit than we have for decades,” said Joree Novotny, executive director of the Ohio Association of Foodbanks.
Novotny and Reiber said they are scared it may get worse. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine’s current budget proposal looks to cut their funding from $32 million a year to $24.5 million a year — nearly a 23% cut, which may grow as inflation gets higher, according to Novotny.
“It’s really troubling and scary,” Novotny said when asked what a cut to funding would look like for food banks.
“It’s gonna be a challenge for us, we’re working right now with a lot of our elected officials and elected legislators to try and figure out how we can try and increase that funding, but also account for the 35% increase we’re seeing statewide,” said Reiber.
The Ohio Association of Foodbanks says they are asking for $36.98 million per year in the new budget.
Hearings on the two-year state budget continue in the Statehouse, which is expected to pass it by late April.
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