The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services is warning 1.5 million people in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and the Women, Infants and Children program that the federal government shutdown could affect those benefits. And groups that help those low-income Ohioans receiving SNAP and WIC benefits are struggling to find ways to help them prepare.
Over the next two weeks, there will be “trunk or treat” events at communities around Ohio, where people will decorate their cars for Halloween and pass out candy to kids in costumes. One is set for Saturday afternoon at the Stuckey Learning Center in Alliance. The poverty rate in Alliance is around 24%. The statewide poverty rate is 13.2%.
“Our team has been brainstorming,” said Liz Hibbs with the Early Childhood Education Alliance. She said they decided they’d come to the trunk or treat event with boxes of macaroni and cheese and ramen noodles for families to take home…