01
Sign On in Support
Add your organization to the statewide sign-on letter.
Add Our Organization
A statewide public health opportunity
Help Bring Better Food Insecurity Data to Ohio
Support adding nine food security and food assistance questions to Ohio's Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.
Response requested by September 23, 2026
02
Submit a Letter
Download a template and upload a customized letter of support.
View Letter OptionsThe opportunity
Add food insecurity and food access questions to Ohio BRFSS
BRFSS is a population-based health survey administered by the Ohio Department of Health in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It collects information about health status, chronic conditions, disability, healthcare access, health behaviors, and demographics.
The Ohio Association of Foodbanks is seeking approval to add nine validated questions, including the six-question USDA food security screener and three validated questions that measure use of charitable and government food assistance to develop a Food Stability Continuum. Feeding America has committed to fund the questions and analysis of the resulting data if the proposal is approved.
Why this matters
Better data help communities make better decisions.
- Understand who experiences food insecurity and barriers to food assistance.
- Examine connections among food stability, nutrition, health, disability, and healthcare access.
- Identify disparities, target resources, support funding requests, and measure progress.
- Supplement locally collected data with a reliable statewide comparison point that helps communities interpret local findings, identify disparities, and prioritize social determinants of health.
What Ohio could learn
From documenting need to strengthening action
Measure the prevalence and severity of household food insecurity.
Understand participation in SNAP, WIC, and charitable food programs.
Identify households experiencing food insecurity but not receiving available assistance.
Examine relationships among food stability, health status, chronic conditions, disability, and healthcare access.
Strengthen WIC outreach, healthy pantry initiatives, Food Is Medicine programs, and other nutrition access strategies.
Understand how food and nutrition programs work together to support children and families.
Putting the data to work
How organizations could use the results
Community Health Assessments and Community Health Improvement Plans
Identification of disparities and priority populations
WIC, SNAP, and nutrition benefits outreach
Healthy food access and healthy pantry initiatives
Maternal and child health programs
Food Is Medicine and chronic disease prevention
Grant proposals, needs assessments, and resource allocation
Public education, policy development, and progress monitoring
Take action
Two ways to help by September 23
Organizations may choose either or both options.
Add your organization to the sign-on letter
Click below to see the sign-on language and complete a brief SurveyMonkey.
Review and Sign OnSubmit a letter of support
Download the editable template, customize it with your organization's interests and anticipated uses, secure the appropriate signature, and upload the completed letter through a brief SurveyMonkey.
Government technology restrictions should not prevent participation. If a form or document is blocked, email amybushstevens@gmail.com and we will send the materials directly or record your organization's support by email.