COLUMBUS, Ohio – A new survey of Ohioans confirms assistance programs have been a lifeline for families reeling from the effects of the pandemic.
The findings from The Center for Community Solutions showed that nearly all forms of public assistance and benefits saw increased use during the pandemic, with 45% of Ohio households reporting a loss of employment income and 78% struggling to afford living expenses.
Lead study author Alex Dorman said most of the people surveyed said they also experienced food insecurity.
“What absolutely shocked me,” he said, “was the high number of lower- and middle-income households in Ohio that not only were worrying about running out of food, but at one point did experience running out of food during the pandemic.”
In the survey, 40% of households said they’ve turned to food banks in the pandemic, compared with about 20% who did so before.…