MONTGOMERY COUNTY — Local food banks and family services departments could be affected by the ongoing government shutdown.
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As reported on News Center 7 at 6:00, there are many unanswered questions regarding daily services when it comes to the ongoing shutdown.
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News Center 7’s Malik Patterson talked to the Dayton Foodbank about the shutdown.
As of now, the organization has enough to serve Montgomery, Greene, and Preble counties for the month.
Chief Development Officer at the Dayton Foodbank, Lee Lauren Truesdale, said they are grateful to have stock.
The foodbank collectively serves 122 nonprofit agencies across the three counties.
If the shutdown goes into November, they are worried about processing orders.
“TFAP is the Emergency Food Assistance Program for us here. TFAPs about $4 million worth of product. That’s a lot of product that walks into these doors,” Truesdale said.
Truesdale said their biggest customer is the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
The Foodbank started the “what if” conversation today.
“What type of need might we see increase? Will we have more folks showing up at our future mass food distributions, at our mobile farmers markets, and at our partner agency distributions?” Truesdale said.
News Center 7’s Malik Patterson also spoke with the Department of Job and Family Services in Clark County.
It’s one of the places people go to get food stamps, WIC, and EBT.
The department’s director, Tom McGrath, also said the services will be okay throughout October.
“(We) will continue just, just normal through October, once November hits, if the shutdown is still going, we’re not really sure what’s happening,” he said.
McGrath said if anyone has any questions or concerns, they will work with them step by step.
“We’re going to do what we can to help people out. But right now, we are really at the mercy of what the federal government does,” McGrath said.
He said as of August, over 24,000 people are on SNAP and WIC benefits.
“Our fingers are crossed that they’ll work this one out,” McGrath said.
Both organizations said they will send out emails and letters to the people who utilize their services once they receive updates.
News Center 7 will continue to follow this story.
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