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Volume 10, Issue 20
LCCC graduates more than 2,000 CARISSA WOYTACH THE COMMUNITY GUIDE
ELYRIA — Lorain County Community College saw more than 2,000 graduates walk across the stage at Ewing Field House on May 13. President Marcia Ballinger recognized the class of 2023 for its perseverance and optimism. The college saw more than 1,800 students earn Lorain County Community College degrees and certificates, and another 344 graduates earn bachelor’s and master’s degrees through its University Partnership program. Ten students earned one of LCCC’s two bachelor’s of applied science degrees. 2023 also marked LCCC’s largest number of dual enrollment students, with 160 graduates from 16 local high schools earning an associate degree or certificate at the same time they completed high school. Those high school students included 60 graduates from LCCC’s Early College High School program — a partnership between Elyria and Lorain schools that places students at LCCC for all four years of their high school career. This year marked the 15th graduating class for the Early College High School program. Looking out at the mass of graduates in their black robes and mortarboards — many decorated with lights, LCCC PAGE A2
JEFF BARNES | The Community Guide
Tabatha Watson, the kitchen manager and cook at Oberlin’s Christ Episcopal Church, prepares meals for the parish’s weekday meal program on May 10.
‘We’re doing all we can with what we’ve got’ CARISSA WOYTACH THE COMMUNITY GUIDE
JEFF BARNES | The Community Guide
Lorain County Community College Commencement was held at the Ewing Field House at LCCC on May 13.
OBERLIN — For 40 years, Christ Church has opened its doors for daily meals. In that time, the faces coming through the parish hall have changed — both those seeking meals and the volunteers and staff cooking them — but the need has been consistent over the decades. During the pandemic, the church went from serving a faithful two dozen visitors a day to handing out about 80 meals daily in its drive-thru.
The Rev. Andy McQuery said Oberlin doesn’t have much of a street population, but the small college town does have individuals and families facing food insecurity. “We’re averaging over 80 meals a day that go out the door. Five days a week, year-round. That doesn’t mean we necessarily get 80 people. … One of the things we pride ourselves on is we don’t ask questions. … We know people have families at home,” McQuery said. While the cost of food has risen — and may be driving some of the individuals coming to the parish hall each week — he said there is also
dignity in the drive-thru model that may be bringing more individuals to the church. It allows neighbors to pick up hot meals for the elderly or disabled at Lorain Metropolitan Housing Authority’s John Frederick Oberlin Homes, on top of the approximately 30 meals church volunteers routinely deliver to nearby Concord Manor, an affordable housing complex about a block and a half away. And families with children or Oberlin College students can quickly and quietly pick up a hot meal to take home without scrutiny. MEALS PAGE A5
Rollback of SNAP expansion fuels food insecurity CARISSA WOYTACH THE COMMUNITY GUIDE
Nonprofits and other service providers knew the expanded federal food benefits weren’t permanent. But that didn’t make the rollback any easier. In 2020, Congress boosted food benefits in response to the coronavirus pandemic, giving individuals and families the maximum allotment on their electronic benefits cards each month. Last summer, service providers such as Second Harvest Food Bank and Oberlin Community Services waited on pins and needles for that expansion to end. And on March 1, it did. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or
SNAP, benefits returned to near where they were prepandemic. Statewide, the 738,000 households relying on SNAP benefits saw an average of $172 per month less in benefits available to them. Dan Henderson, 64, of Amherst, went from receiving about $200 a month during the expanded allotment back to about $20 a month. When the expanded benefits began, he thought it was a mistake, he told The Chronicle-Telegram in July 2022. But once he was sure the funds were his to spend, he was able to purchase more food at once rather than buying weekto-week. “Everything’s a gift, I want to make sure that’s clear,” Henderson said. “But since the changes,
JEFF BARNES | The Community Guide
Second Harvest Mobile Pantry on May 11 at Black River Landing in Lorain. I spend cash … I change Pulse Survey showed, acpated in the expanded allotwhat I buy.” cording to a Census Bureau ment and those that didn’t The U.S. Census Bunews release, the states that ended. Across the board, reau estimated a quarter opted out of the expanded households reported food of households receiving SNAP allotment early saw insecurity at similar levels. SNAP benefits reported higher levels of households In Lorain County, Ober“sometimes” or “often” not facing food scarcity earlier. lin Community Services having enough to eat since But as the allotment saw an increase in housethe March 1 policy change. ended, the difference holds coming to its driveData from its Household between states that partici- thru and choice pantries the
last week of April, nowformer Food Programs Coordinator Liv Hanson said. At the time of publication, Hanson had since taken a position with the Greater Cleveland Food Bank. “We served more people the last week of April than we had in one week since before COVID — over 310 households,” Hanson said. She said many of those coming to the pantry tell staffers they’re thankful for the option since their SNAP benefits decreased, because groceries have gotten so expensive, or both. Kathy Burns, client services coordinator for Oberlin Community Services, agreed. “Everybody I’ve talked to has made some mention INSECURITY PAGE A4
INSIDE THIS WEEK Amherst
Boy wins big at raceway ● A3
Oberlin
Housing development up for debate ● A5
Sports
Fireland girls win LCL meet ● A6
OBITUARIES A2 • CLASSIFIEDS A2 • CROSSWORD A7 • SUDOKU A7 • KID SCOOP A8