Federal funding cuts to foodbanks not being felt at Love Center Food Pantry in Holmes

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• The Love Center Food Pantry in Millersburg has not yet been impacted by recent federal funding cuts to regional food banks.
• While the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank, which supplies the Love Center, anticipates a potential loss of 4.5 million pounds of food due to federal and possible state funding cuts, the Love Center has seen consistent local giving.
• Love Center director Edgar Raber stated local donations have remained steady and client numbers have not decreased significantly.

The number of families coming to the Love Center Food Pantry for assistance is traditionally low around spring, so the cuts in federal funding to regional food banks has not yet impacted the Holmes County provider.

According to Edgar Raber, the director of the Love Center Food Pantry in Millersburg, there has seen no impact from the federal funding cuts.

“I personally don’t feel it’s going to affect us that much,” Raber said. “For some reason, and I’m not sure why, our last month was slower than usual. The same thing happened last year. We were down about 10 families a day.”

The Love Center provided assistance to 251 families in February. Some families made more than one visit, which brought the total to 330 visits.

The Akron-Canton Regional Food Bank provides more than 25,000 pounds of food to the Love Center each month, while churches and businesses provide an additional 18,000 pounds of food monthly.

Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank could lose 4.5 million pounds of food

In a report earlier in April, the Akron Beacon Journal reported the combination of federal cuts and and a proposed reduction in state funding could leave the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank short 4.5 million pounds of food to distribute across the region this year.

Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank President and CEO Dan Flowers estimates cuts made by President Donald Trump’s administration, and possible cuts at the state level made in Gov. Mike DeWine’s proposed executive budget, could leave the food bank short more than 10% of what the organization distributed last year.

Flowers said food bank officials have been speaking with state legislators as an amendment circulates that could restore state funding back to its previous levels.

“It’s difficult to ascertain how they will vote in the end,” he said. “We’re pleading for their support, and hoping for their support, but I think one thing that could help us ensure that is a lot of voices reaching out to them.”

Local giving remains constant at Love Center

Raber reports the amount of local giving from churches and businesses, along with individual donations, has remained fairly constant, which definitely helps.

“Our local giving has stayed steady,” he said. “More of our funds come in from the midde to the end of the year. What we’re seeing right now is normal, based on other years. We have not seen any drop in giving, nor in the numbers of our clientel. From what we’re experiencing, I don’t see a large change.”

Raber added they might experience a little valley for a short period, but in the long run, things will come back and remain steady.

“I honestly don’t think we’re going to be affected that much,” he said.