Ohio House Bill 178 would increase the supplemental SNAP benefit from $23 to $50 per month for adults age 60 or older. Yesterday, we submitted the following written testimony in support of this bill. If your organization would like to learn more as the legislation moves its way through the General Assembly, please let us know!
The Human Service Chamber of Franklin County serves over 200 health and human service nonprofits across Central Ohio. Our members provide a diverse range of services to our most vulnerable populations, addressing issues such as hunger, housing, childcare, education, immigration, healthcare, workforce, and more. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is an essential program for the people our members serve, and we write in support of House Bill 178, which would increase the SNAP benefit for Ohio’s older adults from $23 to $50 per month.
The current minimum SNAP benefit of $23 per month falls short in providing adequate nutrition support, especially as grocery costs have increased by 25% over the last four years. At the same time, Ohio’s demographics are shifting rapidly. By 2030, more than one in four Ohioans will be age 60 and older, the fastest growing age group in the state. A decade ago, older adults represented about one in seven of the people served by Ohio’s charitable food pantry network; today, they make up nearly one in four. Between 2011 to 2021, food pantry visits by older Ohioans increased by 107%, compared to a 30.5% increase overall. As the senior population and its needs for food assistance continue to grow, SNAP benefits must keep pace.
House Bill 178 would improve the quality of life for Ohio’s older adults while alleviating strain on charitable and emergency food networks, a sector of our economy that has been overburdened with high demand and insufficient support since March 2020. SNAP provides nine meals for every one distributed by a food pantry. Additionally, food bank inventory cannot always meet the needs of those with serious health conditions. SNAP allows older adults to choose foods they prefer and need to manage chronic diseases while infusing federal dollars into local economies.
Adequate SNAP benefits reduce food insecurity, increase medication adherence, and contribute to health care savings, enabling older adults age in place with dignity. Ohio’s growing senior population deserves adequate nutrition support. States across the country have taken measures to ensure SNAP adequacy by supplementing the federal benefit with state dollars. It is time for Ohio to do the same.
This issue hits close to home for our members and the individuals they serve every day. For example, in 2024 the Mid-Ohio Food Collective and its 319 food pantries and hunger relief agencies served more than half a million older adults. This figure underscores just how many seniors in our community are struggling to put food on the table and how stretched our emergency food systems already are. House Bill 178 is a critical step toward addressing this reality. By increasing the SNAP minimum benefit for older adults, Ohio can help them afford the food they need and give them the dignity and stability they deserve.
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