National Guard Ending Mission At Food Banks

Floor Speech

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Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong appreciation of our Ohio National Guardsmen, who have valiantly served Ohio's food banks during the COVID-19 pandemic. As their mission closes this Friday, let us commend the women and men in uniform whose selfless duty helped meet unprecedented need.

Ohio's food banks served up to 150,000 more Ohioans monthly during this pandemic and saw 3 in 10 people seeking out emergency food assistance for the first time.

With the food banks' core volunteer force sidelined, the Ohio National Guard deployed over 400 members to help meet the human challenge. These women and men are owed a significant debt of gratitude.

Let us offer our deepest thanks to the Ohio National Guard adjutant general, Major General John Harris, whose leadership and swift organization implemented the Guard's mission with great precision.

I thank the Ohio Association of Foodbanks executive director, Lisa Hamler-Fugitt; the Toledo SeaGate executive director, Mindy Rapp; the Toledo Food Bank president and CEO, James Caldwell; the Second Harvest of North Central Ohio president and CEO, Julie Chase-Morefield; and the Greater Cleveland Food Bank president and CEO, Kristin Warzocha.

These tireless teams put a human face on America. Congratulations to them all.

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