Portman Visits Greater Cleveland Food Bank and Sees Firsthand How Federal COVID-19 Response Legislation Has Helped Food Access & Distribution  

CLEVELAND, OH – U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) visited the Greater Cleveland Food Bank and met with the organization’s leadership to discuss Portman’s support of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act and the CARES Act, which provided funding for nutrition programs and additional flexibilities to allow food to be distributed efficiently and with social distancing. In addition, Portman thanked the Ohio National Guard for their help in distributing food throughout Northeast Ohio during the pandemic. 

“I’m grateful for the work of the Ohio National Guard and everyone at the Greater Cleveland Food Bank to help distribute food to those in need throughout Northeast Ohio during this pandemic,” said Portman. “I am pleased that the federal COVID-19 response legislation provided additional funding and flexibility to allow our foodbanks to provide critical meals to our children, families, the elderly, and workers across Ohio in need.  We must ensure that our foodbanks have the resources necessary and I appreciated the opportunity to learn about the needs of the Greater Cleveland Food Bank today to ensure that they can continue to fill the increased demand during the ongoing pandemic.”  

Ohio Governor DeWine authorized a total of 500 Ohio National Guard members to be deployed to foodbanks throughout Ohio to help distribute food due to shortages of volunteers who typically help distribute food but are staying home due to the coronavirus, and because of the increase in demand for food from Ohio’s foodbanks. Last month, Senator Portman led a letter to Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Peter Gaynor and Secretary of Defense Mark Esper urging them to support Ohio Governor Mike DeWine’s request to extend full federal funding for the Ohio National Guard’s COVID-19 response mission through the end of the year. 

Portman is a cosponsor of S. 3713, the Support Our National Guard Act, which would provide National Guard soldiers activated on behalf of COVID-19 relief efforts access to the Transition Assistance Management Program, which provides 180 days of premium-free transitional health care benefits after regular TRICARE benefits end following their activated period. 

Photos from the event are below:

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