Ohio food stamps for low income families will be reduced in January 2013.

Ohio food stamps for low income families will be reduced in January 2013.(EX).The Toledo Blade reported on Monday that the state Department of Jobs and Family Services will begin reducing food stamps for Ohio residents beginning in 2013. Reduction estimates should total $50 per family which is about $520 million worth of yearly groceries from a total of 869,000 households. 
Blame it on the change in weather and the extra warm winter Ohio residents had last year. The effects of that mild winter caused residents to have lower utility bills thereby reducing the overall natural gas usage. According to the Department of Jobs and Family Services this reduced the standard utility allowance that is factored in when determining a person's eligibility for food stamps. This amount was determined by the federal department and Ohio can do nothing to change the outcome. “This is a federal issue,” said Joel Potts, executive director of the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services Directors’ Association. “It is what it is. They have a formula. ... We just think it is going to be really hard on families and individuals. They will see significantly less money starting in January.” 
The unfortunate outcome in Ohio families having their stamps cut is that they will have even less money to spend on food. There are already a number of families that rely on visiting food banks because their food stamps often run out by month's end. Parents with children who suffer from food allergies have to be critical of certain food items. This means that their grocery bills are often higher than the average family. Because the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services will lower food stamps in January it may be even more difficult for them to buy the right type of groceries. Fifty dollars may seem like a small amount to some, however, most low income families who look forward to this every month will find difficult to manage. It's more important than ever to find ways to lower costs for groceries in order to get the foods you need for your family. One of the best ways to counteract these cuts is to look for coupons online and in the daily paper and you may even find it necessary to visit local food banks.Read the full story here.