The Truth Staff
The Toledo Refining Company announced last week that due to the nation’s SNAP crisis the company will be providing funds to help their neighbors battle food insecurity. The company has donated $50,000 to assist residents in the 43605 and 43616 zip codes.
On Thursday, November 6, the company held a press conference at the East Toledo Senior Center to explain the reason for the gift to their partnership with the East Toledo Senior Center, Oregon Senior Center, ProMedica Bay Park Hospital, and Helping Hands of St. Louis.
“At TRC, we believe that being a good neighbor means showing up,” said Erika Halada, community relations advisor for Toledo Refining Company. “We have a long-standing relationship with the East Toledo Senior Center.”
Matt Hammond, president of the ProMedica Bay Park Hospital, was also on hand for the announcement. “Access to healthy food is as important as access to medication,” Hammond said. “Food insecurity is not just a social issue, it is a health issue.”
The TRC announcement followed in the wake of the federal government’s decision to withhold SNAP benefits from 42 million Americans, 71,000 in Lucas County. Over the course of last week numerous court cases were filed by states and agencies trying to force the government to restart the benefits, but the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Friday, November 7 that the government could, at least temporarily, withhold SNAP benefits.
The late night Supreme Court order overrode a previous decision by a Rhode Island judge requiring the government to release funds and allowed the Trump administration to continue withholding some SNAP funds and put an end to the effort by some states such as Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania and Oregon that had started sending full benefits to their residents who had been receiving SNAP funds.
In the Toledo area, several entities such as the Toledo City Council, Mercy Hospital and the Toledo Refining Company have announced plans to help fill the gap for local residents.
“We can nourish the body but also nourish the soul of the community,” said Scott Hayes, director, Midwest Strategic Communications for PBF Energy/Toledo Refining Company. “Food insecurity is not something a nation as wealthy as ours should have to deal with.”