Food Insecurity Solutions Part 2: Foodbanks, Food Rescue, and Meals on Wheels

 Some foodbanks broke records during the government shutdown for the amount of food they handed out. SNAP benefits were suspended temporarily, and its requirements have changed. Although the need has eased slightly, food insecurity remains an issue. By the latest data, thirteen percent of U.S. households are unable to acquire enough food. Foodbanks and food rescue organizations provide a safety net for our neighbors. How are they doing it, and what kind of difference are they making? 

Interview guests: Executive Director Ohio Association of Foodbanks Joree Novotny, CEO Freestore Foodbank Kurt Reiber, Marketing and Advocacy Manager The Foodbank Inc. Amber Wright, CEO Last Mile Food Rescue Eileen Budo, and Meals on Wheels Southwest OH & Northern KY Chief Production Officer Michael Beck. 

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Transcript

Ann Thompson (00:02):

Families are relying on food banks and record numbers despite expectations that demand would decrease after the pandemic.

Kurt Reiber (00:09):

When I first got here, we distributed about seven and a half million meals. This past fiscal year we had distributed 47.2 million meals.

Ann Thompson (00:17):

Globally in 2023, food banks provided food and grocery products to 40 million people. That's 25% more than the year before. The greatest need is among the unemployed, the sick, and single parent households.

Brittany Baker (00:30):

Before I started struggling like this, before all the prices skyrocketing, I was used to a fridge full of food.

Ann Thompson (00:39):

Food insecurity remains a significant problem and reductions in SNAP benefits threaten to make it even worse.

Craig Gundersen (00:45):

I'm not sure if this will lead to evictions, but at the same time as one of the key things that will lead to is families struggling to meet some of these other necessities.

Ann Thompson (00:52):

The US Department of Agriculture says 13% of households were food insecure in 2023, and the numbers are continuing to rise. The government shutdown didn't help. Volunteers at food banks and food rescue organizations are stepping up to help in big numbers.

John Dorger (01:08):

I retired about two and a half, three years ago and was looking for something to do, get myself up out of bed every morning

Ann Thompson (01:14):

On this episode of Brick by Brick Food Insecurity part two, this time focusing on food banks and food rescue, how they do what they do and is it possible to do even more? Let's get into it. This is Brick by Brick Solutions for a thriving community.

Ame Clase (01:35):

Brick by Brick is made possible thanks to leading support from Greater Cincinnati Foundation, AES Foundation and George and Margaret McLane Foundation, with additional major support from Laurie    Johnston, The Robert & Adelle Schiff Family Foundation, Murray and Agnes Seasongood Good Government Foundation and more. Thank you

Ann Thompson (01:59):

Hello, and welcome to Brick by Brick, where we're highlighting solutions for a thriving community in southwest Ohio. I'm your host, Ann Thompson. In this episode, we're revisiting the problem of food insecurity. Earlier this season, we looked at how urban gardens and community markets are making a difference. This time we're zeroing in on food banks and food rescue operations as a solution. Food banks and food rescue organizations have their work cut out for them. With an estimated 124,000 people classified as food insecure in Hamilton County or 15% of the population and 85,000 in Montgomery County, or 16% that's higher than the national average of 13%. The food insecure generally don't have enough to eat and in some cases aren't entirely sure where their next meal will come from. Joree Novotny, executive director for the Ohio Association of Food Banks says the problem is only getting worse. She looks at the need pre pandemic.

Joree Novotny (02:57):

About 800,000 food pantry visitors per month prior to COVID. Last year, we averaged 1.4 million food pantry visitors per month, so we've seen an incredibly high and sustained rate of folks that just aren't seeing their paychecks or their other resources stretch to meet their food meats.

Ann Thompson (03:18):

The Ohio Association of Food Banks represents Ohio's 12 Feeding America food banks and 3,600 hunger relief organizations. Meals from food banks and food rescue operations help families spend less on groceries, which means they can spend more on other needs like rent, utilities, transportation, clothing, and healthcare. Despite this, Novotny says nobody chooses to wait in a food bank line.

Joree Novotny (03:43):

So when people do find themselves ultimately turning to us for help, they've tended to attempt every other thing they can think of to cope. Whether that's seeking help from family members, selling household possessions to bring in some extra incomes, picking up extra wages at work for sure if they can.

Ann Thompson (04:05):

Making it even more challenging for families are federal changes to SNAP benefits, formally known as the food stamp program, which took effect this month. These changes involve eligibility, work requirements and state funding, which could squeeze people out of the system. Food banks are preparing for these additional challenges. Brick by Brick’s Emiko Moore checked in at Food Bank Inc., serving Montgomery Green and Preble Counties. She found that the resources are a lifeline.

Emiko Moore (04:34):

Training for her child development associate certification. Dayton native Brittany Baker, a lead infant teacher, aspires to have her own daycare center.

Brittany Baker (04:42):

I mean, when you walk into my class, you see I have affirmations. I am strong. I am a mother. I am a teacher. I am, God says I am. I take pride in what I do.

Emiko Moore (04:54):

Working full-time, this mother of four young children has tough choices with each paycheck.

Brittany Baker (04:59):

I always make sure I pay rent with the bills. It is a hit and miss because sometimes I have to let a bill double up to buy food.

Emiko Moore (05:06):

Like many facing financial hardship, circumstances can change unexpectedly.

Brittany Baker (05:11):

Now, I didn't become a single mom by myself. It happened, so I didn't choose to go this path, but I went the best path for me and my children and life has have its routes and I'm on one.

Emiko Moore (05:27):

The night we arrived, Baker was down to three packs of ramen and some fish sticks for her family of five to eat.

Brittany Baker (05:32):

Food insecurities really hit when we come home. When we come home, sometimes there's something to eat, sometimes there's not.

Emiko Moore (05:40):

Often Baker Skips meals herself and only eats if anything is left over, after her children have eaten.

Brittany Baker (05:46):

About three times a week it comes to the decision I wait until they're full and fed before I decide what I'm going to do.

Emiko Moore (05:54):

Hunger is a silent issue according to Amber Wright marketing and advocacy manager of the Food Bank Inc. In Dayton.

Amber Wright (06:01):

So we call hunger the silent issue because you can't tell just by looking at somebody. There's not physical cues all the time that somebody hasn't eaten or is not getting the nourishment that they need.

Emiko Moore (06:11):

The Food Bank Inc., a distribution center and warehouse provides 15 to 18 million pounds of food and supplies to 122 partner agencies across Montgomery, Preble and Green County.

Amber Wright (06:22):

And they can be anything from food pantries to meal sites to kid cafes or even various types of emergency shelters. They all get their food from us completely free of charge and we are responsible for sourcing that food.

Emiko Moore (06:36):

Procuring a variety of food through grants and government programs, an onsite vegetable garden and greenhouse, and the retail rescue program where groceries donate their excess food.

Amber Wright (06:46):

And so our work is trying to kind of help redirect some of this food loss into the hands of people who need it and keep it out of the landfill.

Emiko Moore (06:53):

They offer senior boxes, a mobile pantry and a backpack program for grades K through third.

Amber Wright (06:58):

We try to make them very kid friendly. So we've got granola bars. This is peanut butter and jelly. We've got some animal crackers.

Emiko Moore (07:06):

The Food Bank Inc. and their partner pantries help families like Baker's make ends meet.

Brittany Baker (07:12):

I get paid on Friday and I'm suffering by Monday, and lots of times I feel in embarrassed, but it's like, okay, well we got another month of lights and week and a half worth of food and then sometimes I try to stretch it. It don't work out like that, but I think that we would be in a much worse place if I didn't know about the pantry.

Emiko Moore (07:40):

Responding to the increasing need, the food bank held six additional mass food distributions in 2025. Lee Lauren Truesdale is the Food Bank's Chief Development Officer.

Lee Lauren Truesdale (07:50):

We are at a mass food distribution at the Wright State University Nutter Center. Our heavy focus is on fresh produce and also protein items. Those are items that are more costly for an individual or a senior's food budget.

Emiko Moore (08:02):

Hunger impacts overall health and wellbeing. While Wright says it makes light of the issue, she appreciates the term hangry. A combination of hungry and angry popularized by a candy bar commercial.

Amber Wright (08:13):

It makes a valid point when you don't eat, you don't show up your best self. You're not in the right head space, and so if a family is experiencing food insecurity, it could cause problems with the way that they show up for each other, the way that they show up in the outside world at their jobs and their ability to function well.

Emiko Moore (08:30):

Despite recent state and federal cuts, The Food Bank Inc continues to work to address the causes of hunger.

Amber Wright (08:36):

We are not going to solve hunger just by passing out food alone. We have to look at the root causes of why people are coming to us in the first place. So unless we are able to change the system and the factors that cause the need in the first place, it is just a Band-aid.

Emiko Moore (08:51):

One way is through their workforce development program, which includes the Dayton Equity Center, the Dayton Correctional Institution, and a new community center onsite to connect people with services.

Amber Wright (09:01):

The basis for food security is stable housing, stable employment. We don't just want to feed the line. We want to shorten the line.

Emiko Moore (09:08):

Baker wants leaders in our country to better understand the impacts of food insecurity.

Brittany Baker (09:13):

We need help. Come down here and see how I'm living. See how a single mother that's trying every day.

Emiko Moore (09:22):

For Brick by Brick. I'm Emiko Moore, Ann?

Ann Thompson (09:25):

Thanks Emiko. We'll hear from you later in the takeaways. Like Food Bank Inc. The Freestore Foodbank also feeds the food insecure. Over the last year, it provided 47 million meals to people in 20 southern Ohio, northern Kentucky, and southeastern Indiana Counties. CEO. Kurt Reiber says two years ago, it opened a huge workforce training and distribution center in Cincinnati.

Kurt Reiber (09:48):

This was outstanding for us because as you can see, everything's barcoded. So our warehouse team knows exactly where everything is at in this building. So even though we're in a larger footprint and a larger building than what we left before, we were able to combine three locations in this location itself. So that first and foremost gave us, made us much more efficient, but effectively we're able to have more product on inventory because previously we had to be an outside storage, so our pantries couldn't see what everything was there on inventory because we couldn't transport it quickly enough in order to move it out to their warehouses, to their own shops. So here we're able to have everything in our own warehouse and everything is stabilized.

Ann Thompson (10:31):

Efficiency is important. The global management consulting firm, McKinsey and Company estimates food banks can improve their throughput by at least 20 to 30% by streamlining their warehousing. McKinsey looked at how Feeding South Florida, one of Feeding America's largest affiliates, overhauled its warehouse. In 2022 of the best ideas involved shift change sheets, a handoff between supervisors and a daily meeting covering everything from the way the food was coming in to the way it was going out. Another goal for the Free Store Food Bank is to increase nutrition.

Kurt Reiber (11:04):

When you talk about healthy food, that's something that's really near and dear to our hearts. We have continued to try to replace the high starch, high salt sodium type diets with things that are healthier for the families because we know that if you eat healthier, you're going to be healthier. So last year alone, we distributed over 15 million pounds of fresh produce. We were able to get that from area farmers, area restaurants, area producers as well.

Ann Thompson (11:34):

The Free Store Food Bank's weekend Feeding program for kids is low sodium, high protein with plenty of fruits and vegetables. The food box is for adults trying to eat healthier in the Food Bank's Direct program are also nutritious. A 2021 UK study emphasized the importance of nutrition. It analyzed nearly two dozen studies on the nutritional adequacy of prepackaged food bank parcels. It found the meals are often insufficient in dairy meat and micronutrients. One thing that could help the Ohio Association of Food Banks, Joree Novotny says Ohio needs to double down on its funded agricultural clearance program, which redirects produce surplus to food banks.

Joree Novotny (12:14):

Ohio's number one industry remains agriculture, right to continue to have a strong, vibrant agriculture community in Ohio. We also need to have strong markets and strong insurance policies for farmers so that they can make sure that they can make ends meet themselves, and that's what food banks have functioned like for decades. So doubling down on proven models for how we reduce food waste.

Ann Thompson (12:42):

And speaking of reducing food waste, coming up on Brick by Brick, the role of food rescue a day in the life of a volunteer and how much food they're able to save via the app.

John Dorger (12:53):

It shows you you've rescued a hundred thousand pounds of food and you've created 125,000 meals

Ann Thompson (13:01):

Plus 7 million seniors nationally were food insecure in 2022. The role Meals on Wheels is playing locally.

Michael Beck (13:09):

Soon there'll be more seniors in the United States than there are people 18 and under. That's never happened before.

Ann Thompson (13:15):

That's ahead on Brick by Brick.

Ame Clase (13:17):

Brick by Brick is made possible thanks to the generous support of so many, including Diane and Dave Moccia, P & G, The Camden Foundation,  The Stephen H. Wilder Foundation, TJ and Susie Ackermann, Patti and Fred Heldman, a donation in memory of Frank and Margaret Linhardt, and more. Thank you. We couldn't do this work without you.

Mark Lammers (13:44):

Hey, we all have a different story even if we grew up in the same neighborhood or city, especially if we're talking about housing stories. Hi, my name is Mark Lammers, executive producer for Brick by Brick. Growing up, I lived on the west side of Cincinnati in a single family home, but I've also experienced apartment life in good and bad settings in a number of different cities. I learned a lot from those times in my life and from my journey as a whole. Now we want to hear about your housing story. That's the new audience question that's live on our show pages at thinktv.org and cetconnect.org. Log in and hit the green button to share your journey and what you learned from it. We hope to share some of your experiences and lessons as we move forward on Brick by Brick so we can all get smarter together. Thanks.

Ann Thompson (14:37):

Welcome back to Brick By Brick. Food Rescue is the practice of collecting fresh edible food that would've otherwise gone to waste from restaurants, farms, grocery stores and more and redistributing it to local social service agencies for people experiencing hunger. There are a number of organizations that do this in southwest Ohio. One of them Last Mile says it saved more than 15 million pounds of excess food since 2020. This is important because 40% of the food we produce ends up in the trash. Food rescue organizations try to step in before that happens, delivering donated food to the hungry last mile, CEO, Eileen Budo points to the 40% food waste number.

Eileen Budo (15:17):

If we just rescue 25% of that, we will eliminate the problem of food insecurity in Cincinnati and we estimate that roughly 15 million pounds is what we need to rescue on an annual basis in order to eliminate food insecurity, and that's we think achievable.

Ann Thompson (15:35):

Last Mile partners with stores, hospitals and restaurants including Sweets and Meats Barbeque co-founder, Anton Gaffney.

Anton Gaffney (15:42):

It's a blessing because growing up, I grew up in the inner city, so sometimes this might be the only meal that someone could get.

Ann Thompson (15:51):

Sweets and Meats is volunteer John Dorger’s first stop of the day. An app shows his pickups and drop-offs.

John Dorger (15:57):

I retired about two and a half, three years ago and was looking for something to do, get myself up out of bed every morning

Ann Thompson (16:04):

And so we're going to see you in action as we go on a little ride along.

John Dorger (16:07):

That's right. I'm looking forward to it. It's going to be fun.

Ann Thompson (16:10):

So where are we headed?

John Dorger (16:11):

We are headed to a food pantry. It's called the Inner Parish Ministry Food Pantry. It's out east off of Route 32.

Ann Thompson (16:21):

So I know you've been doing this for a while. Give us a sense of the variety of the types of food that you pick up. What kinds of food?

John Dorger (16:31):

Yeah, so today we've got from Sweet and Meats, we've got chicken, we've got mac and cheese, we've got green beans. We will pick up milk, orange juice, fruit punch. We'll pick up bread. We'll pick up eggs.

Ann Thompson (16:54):

You're able to check your personal impact.

John Dorger (16:57):

Yeah, I mean it shows you you've rescued a hundred thousand pounds of food and you've created 125,000 meals. They even put in the amount of CO2 emissions that you've reduced

Ann Thompson (17:20):

And just like that, we arrive at the IPM food pantry. Food rescue organizations realize the need is increasing and volunteers make this food distribution possible. Last Mile’s Eileen Buddo gives them credit.

(17:33):

I love how you call the volunteers heroes.

Eileen Budo (17:36):

Yeah, absolutely. Because they're out there doing a job that makes a big difference for those that are experiencing food insecurity.

Ann Thompson (17:44):

Other area food rescue organizations are also helping to fill the need, including LA Soupe. It rescued 1.3 million pounds of surplus food last year, turning it into 1.2 million, ready to eat meals. Here's another example. Food for the Soul was created during the pandemic. Mary Knight had a freezer full of food at her nonprofit and wanted to know how she could feed the hungry. The effort has ballooned into a food rescue, kitchen and pantry and now partners with Las Soup Last Mile and others. Its latest effort is an expansion of free food at Cincinnati Recreation Centers

Mary Kright (18:17):

And imagine a child would probably leave school and go to a rec center and may go home without something to eat, so why not have easy access?

Ann Thompson (18:26):

The Cincinnatji Freeze and Feed program includes sites at the Hartwell, Millvale Hirsch, and Winton Hills Recreation Centers. Meanwhile, the Environmental Group Green Umbrella re-imagined wasted food at its Wasted Food Summit last month. Master Chef Alejandra Schrader encouraged attendees and others in this WVXU interview to make food go further by using as much of each item as possible.

Alejandra Schrader (18:50):

Let's just say radish greens or beet greens, I am also making the most of the investment that I've made when I purchased that food ingredient. And some people say, well, I don't necessarily know how to cook that. The easiest way is that you would slice them maybe one inch wide ribbons and you sauté them just like you would with spinach or even kale with a little garlic, a little olive oil. And then you add the beet greens to the pan, a little salt and pepper and serve them on the side of your protein.

Ann Thompson (19:28):

These types of hacks can stretch your food budget. We now shift to seniors and the challenge of getting to the grocery store and preparing meals at home. Feeding America says in 2022, 7 million seniors were food insecure and it estimates that number will grow to more than 9 million by 2050. Their research also shows seniors of color are more likely to experience hunger and those who live with their grandchildren are more likely to have trouble purchasing food for their entire family on a limited income brick by bricks. Horns Legger Jr heard these concerns and more as he sat down with Meals on Wheels, Southwest Ohio and Northern Kentucky.

Hernz Laguerre Jr. (20:07):

In late October of 2025. Meals on Wheels of Southwest Ohio and Northern Kentucky broke ground on the property of their future headquarters at the former John Nolan Ford dealership in Columbia Township. Brick by Brick sat down with Chief Production Officer Michael Beck to understand the need for the new facilities and the greater need in the region.

Michael Beck (20:35):

Our current space was designed for just over 300,000 meals. We do 1.2 million. We are out of space. Nothing is designed the way an industry would design it to flow safely and properly. We make do, but we can't expand. We can't get into new programs, we can't serve more people. We'll be so much more efficient and safer in our new program so we can focus on what our seniors need and not just getting through our daily routines.

Hernz Laguerre Jr. (21:00):

Meals on Wheels of Southwest Ohio and Northern Kentucky is a leading senior service provider in Greater Cincinnati. Can you describe the challenges seniors face In our region and nationally.

Michael Beck (21:10):

The senior population is growing. Baby boomers are aging into their later years in life and more and more it's the 401k generation. It's the first generation that doesn't have pension, that's support. So there's so much need in the area. There's so much food insecurity. One in four seniors live alone, so they don't have all the support systems. 

Hernz Laguerre Jr. (21:31):

How does Meals on Wheel service work and can you walk us through the operations?

Craig Gundersen (21:36):

A client is referred to us and we set 'em up on meals kind of neat thing. In our area, southwest Ohio, Northern Kentucky, we offer choice so seniors can choose their menu in advance. From there, we set 'em up on a regular delivery schedule and our drivers will go out and drop off a well-rounded meal, a balanced meal that they don't have to worry about.

Grant Torok (21:57):

Hello, it's Meals on Wheels. I just wanted to give you a heads up. You are my next stop.

Hernz Laguerre Jr. (22:02):

Grant Torok, Meals on Wheels. Dispatcher and Driver took Brick by Brick on one of the early morning meal delivery routes. He's on the front lines meeting the seniors the company serves, and he shares the impacts he sees on a daily basis.

Grant Torok (22:17):

Every time that I'm on a route making deliveries, you're going to get at least a few people that tell you what it means to them. I don't know, it just makes me realize how much we can do for people. It would be hard for me to believe that what we're doing isn't necessary and shouldn't be increased to help even more. It is hard to put an exact number on what the consequences would be without it.

Hernz Laguerre Jr. (22:49):

At the groundbreaking, we met Mary Mitts who spoke during the press conference, the 82-year-old first heard about Meals on Wheels after a medical procedure, limited her mobility. Her closest family member lives in Florida and she lives alone in a home she's had for 62 years. I asked her to describe what Meals on Wheels has given her.

Mary Metts (23:11):

Independence, companionship, there's all so nice and just help as you get older to be able to stay in my own home.

Hernz Laguerre Jr. (23:20):

Mary shares how these drivers not only deliver food, they deliver friendship,

Mary Metts (23:24):

Companionship mostly is by the people coming deliver my meals. I talk to them, I talk to the service people, and you can get kind of depressed, especially in the winter time, and they're always there to kind of lift you up.

Hernz Laguerre Jr. (23:42):

What challenges do you foresee that may affect the operations of this business and also the seniors that you serve?

Michael Beck (23:48):

Soon there'll be more seniors in the United States than there are people 18 and under. That's never happened before. And so it's the younger generation that funds through taxes and other programs, funds what can be done for seniors. And so how are we going to bridge that gap? There's less people putting into the fund, but there's more seniors that need help. So we've got to figure that out and we will do that again. Through collaboration and through diversification. We've got to find different ways to get the job done.

Hernz Laguerre Jr. (24:20):

And with the ever expanding challenges seniors may face in the near future, meals on Wheels, expansion signals that they're willing to go the distance for Brick by Brick. I'm Hearns Leger Jr.

Ann Thompson (24:34):

Thanks for that story. Hearns, you shared the numbers of what they produce at their current facilities, but how much will they be able to produce in their new space?

Hernz Laguerre Jr. (24:41):

Yeah, they're aiming to produce 3 million meals in their new location within the next 10 years, which I think is possible because their current space was only made to produce 300,000 meals, but they found a way to produce 1.2 million meals a year. So with that track record, I think they can definitely double up, which will be necessary because within the next 10 years we're going to have so many more seniors in need. The new location will be ready in late 2026.

Ann Thompson (25:06):

Okay, we'll be following that story. Thanks Hearns. We'll talk to you in the takeaways.

Hernz Laguerre Jr. (25:10):

Sounds good.

Ann Thompson (25:11):

You might wonder if the programs provided by Meals on Wheels translate into better health for older adults. The organization points to 38 independent studies that found increased food security, improved diet, reduced healthcare costs, and more separate research, analyzing other studies also determine a beneficial effect. The Global Food Banking Network says in 2023, food banks increased distribution by an average of 25%, delivering the equivalent of 1.7 billion meals worldwide. The organization says food bankers have demonstrated extraordinary resilience in the face of the cost of living crisis, climate related disasters and other emergencies. Studies at Western Washington University found food banks also have economic effects on the communities. They serve two food banks. They're generated between one and 3 million in that county's economy and they generated local jobs. Data also shows that food banks are linked to lower crime figures in their areas. What about the effectiveness of food rescue? The University of Pittsburgh did three studies and concluded that besides reducing food waste, it improved food security in 90% of the people it reached. But there are limitations for food banks and food rescue organizations. One of them is tracking the need. After 30 years, the US government has now stopped issuing household food security reports saying they had become redundant, costly, and politicized. But the Ohio Food Bank Association's Joree Novotny says there are other ways to get the information.

Joree Novotny (26:43):

The US Census Bureau's American Community Survey measures that at the county level each year so we can see about how many Ohioans in every county are eligible for our services and draw some assumptions from that data.

Ann Thompson (27:02):

The need is expected to continue to grow. According to Feeding America, cuts to the SNAP program would eliminate six to 9 billion meals annually. That is the same number of meals the Food Bank Network provided last year. Novotny told Politico, “there is no world in which I can imagine we double ourselves into perpetuity.” As the head of Cincinnati's Freestore Foodbank, Kurt Reiber prepares to retire next year. He realizes the challenges, but also has hope the organization's job training program can set more people up for success. It's culinary free job training program graduated 104 students this past year.

Kurt Reiber (27:38):

So this is our kitchen. This is where we have our culinary training program called Cincinnati Cooks! We have our pantry area here, which is sort of one of the five stations that our students get acclimated to. So when they're doing inventory control and management, that's what they're operating here. We have our cooking stations here. We have six different cooking stations that they get exposed to, and they also have a classroom setting here,

Ann Thompson (28:02):

A different job training program focusing on logistics, inventory management, facilities management and transportation, or LIFT, graduated 73 unemployed or underemployed people. We've thrown a lot of numbers and studies at you in this episode. You can find links to them at cetconnect.org and think tv.org. That's where you'll also see video stories from Emiko and Hernz, and you can dig deeper into a variety of topics on housing, health and the environment. This topic proves there is more than one solution to a problem. And we welcome back. Emiko Moore and Hernz Laguerre Jr.

Emiko Moore

Hello

Hernz Laguerre Jr. (28:41):

Hey everyone.

Ann Thompson (28:42):

I noticed a couple of things. One is that at least to me, it seems like the demographics are changing when it comes to our neighbors who are being helped by food pantries. Many have jobs, but with higher grocery prices, higher electric bills, increasing rent. I was surprised to learn that a family of four making about $60,000 could be in a food pantry line. And so at least they have this safety net of food banks, food pantries, and food rescue organizations.

Emiko Moore (29:15):

Yes, I do think we have some misconceptions in this country about hunger. We live in one of the wealthiest countries, and I think many still think hunger is a third world problem, but one in seven American households are food insecure. And as we've reported, we're seeing the rising cost of housing, healthcare, groceries, and our incomes are not keeping up with all these rising costs. So that discrepancy is what's going to hit these families really hard. We're going to see these families who have to make really difficult choices on necessities. We're not talking about extras like an extra dessert or something. We're talking about the choice between paying your electric bill and keeping a house warm or getting food on the table. So there's some really hard choices.

Ann Thompson (29:58):

Yeah, that's a good point. And there are various organizations who are coming together trying to help.

Hernz Laguerre Jr. (30:04):

Yeah. One thing that Michael Beck said from Meals on Wheels, he said that the need for collaboration is so evident now and ever since his organization and many others realized that collaboration amongst different food banks and different entities entirely just helps the operation that much more. It helps meet the need. And to piggyback off the point that you guys are making, it is always so alarming to hear families say, Hey, I never expected to see myself on this line. So with that, with the seeming challenges in the foreseeable future, more collaboration, more volunteers is necessary.

Ann Thompson (30:47):

And the volunteers are increasing. So that's a good thing. Every place I went, I saw volunteers. The Cincinnati Freestore Foodbank has 23,000, believe it or not, volunteers. Last Mile has about 800. IPM Food Pantry has dozens and dozens who contributed nearly 23,000 hours this year. And imagine if you had to pay these people an hourly wage, how that help would be so much more diminished for the people who need it.

Hernz Laguerre Jr. (31:19):

For sure, for sure. And I think it is awesome to see that with places like Last Mile, it's easy to volunteer. All you got to do is volunteer about an hour of your time a week in order to help them out and make a change in so many lives.

Emiko Moore (31:32):

And I think we need to all come together to find other community solutions. I think that's really going to help. That's a good point. And there's

Ann Thompson (31:39):

So many moving pieces with this story, and so we'll be following up on that. You can read about it at cetconnect.org and think tv.org. Thanks guys.

Hernz Laguerre Jr. (31:48):

No problem.

Emiko Moore

Thank you.

Ann Thompson (31:48):

Coming up on the Next Brick by Brick, homelessness is on the rise in Kentucky. More than a year since the state banned street camping, national homeless advocates say these kinds of laws don't provide a path to housing. Instead, they destabilize lives with criminal charges.

Maria Foscarinis (32:07):

Those decisions are very destructive. They are heading in exactly the wrong direction.

Ann Thompson (32:13):

Founder of the National Homelessness Law Center and author Maria Foscarinis looks at what she says are flawed policies that have perpetuated homelessness and suggests a better way. A solutions sidebar on our next Brick by Brick. 

That's our show. If you like what you heard, please rate and review our podcast. It helps make finding the pod a little easier and we hope you learn something about food insecurity and how various agencies are helping to lessen it. And if you did, please share it with your friends and family. For Emiko Moore and Hernz Laguerre Jr., I'm Ann Thompson. We'll be back soon with more solutions. Take care.

(32:50):

Our show is produced, hosted an edited by me, Ann Thompson with reporting and story editing from Hernz Laguerre Jr. and Emiko Moore. Our Executive producer of Mark Lammers. Audio sweetening provided by Mike Schwartz. Zach Kramer runs the lights and cameras. Derrick Smith is our production specialist and Jason Garrison is our production manager. Kellie May heads up our marketing and promotions, along with Mike Shea and Bridgett Dillenburger. Elyssa Stefenson handles the website and Josh Lusby and Steve Wright are our designers. Bill Dean and Andres Kruza are the engineers for the show and our Chief Content Officer is Colin Scianamblo. Our music is from Universal Production Music. Brick by Brick: Solutions for a Thriving Community is a production of CET and ThinkTV, Southwest Ohio PBS member stations.