MANSFIELD — The Mansfield Metropolitan Housing Authority will distribute a limited number of grocery gift cards on Wednesday in an effort to help families in need ahead of the holiday season.
The MMHA recently purchased 250 gift cards to Aldi, each worth $40, using funds donated by the Milliron Foundation.
“With SNAP benefits coming in late for November and only at 65 percent of what they would normally be, many are struggling to make ends meet,” said Steve Andrews, the MMHA’s executive director.
The gift card giveaway will take place Wednesday at 9 a.m. at the MMHA’s office, located at 88 W. Third St. in Mansfield. Gift cards will be available for the first 250 people who respond.
Andrews said members of the public must provide their name and show a photo ID, but do not need to provide income verification.
Recipients do not have to be MMHA clients or enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
“(The Milliron Foundation) really wanted to make sure there were no strings attached,” Andrews said.
According to a recent promotion, $40 is enough for Aldi customers to host a Thanksgiving dinner for 10 people — assuming a spread of turkey, rolls, cranberry sauce, Mac and cheese, mashed potatoes and gravy, sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole, stuffing, carrots and pumpkin pie.
Brady Groves, director of the Milliron Foundation, said the gift card drive came together in just a few days.
He added the organization is always looking for unique opportunities to partner with local entities and maximize their positive impact on the community.
“It’s been a tough 40 days or so,” Groves said, referencing the government shutdown that put federal food aid on pause.
Andrews credited MMHA accounting manager Bonnie Virden for coming up with the idea, as well as program manager Aretha Grier and program director Jennifer Wells for helping pull the effort together.
He also expressed gratitude to the staff at Park National Bank for helping with logistics and the staff of the Ontario Aldi store for preloading so many gift cards.
Ohio JFS says full SNAP benefits will be distributed this week
More than 8,400 households in Richland County were enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) as of Nov 1. The federal assistance program, formerly known as food stamps, provides financial assistance to low income households.
SNAP benefits were frozen during the government shutdown, which lasted from Oct. 1 through Nov. 13.
The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services processed partial payments for eligible households last week, according to a press release on the agency’s website.
The agency announced Friday that it is working to complete the distribution of full SNAP benefits by the middle of this week.
“The total amount each household receives will be their full November benefit minus any partial payments already received,” a press release stated.
“Because of the number of recipients receiving benefits, it could take a couple of days to process and disburse those benefits. Recipients will receive their benefits next week, regardless of their usual issuance date, which normally runs through the 20th of each month.”