The need for anti-hunger programs in Ohio continues to grow as the state continues to lose well-paying jobs, particularly in manufacturing, said Lisa Hamler-Fugitt, executive director of Ohio Association of Second Harvest Food Banks.

"We've got new people among those who need help with food, and this is the most basic of all human needs," Hamler-Fugitt said. "These are people who have always played by the rules and provided for themselves. Now they've lost a job, and they find themselves having to make decisions between buying food and buying the medicine they need or between buying food and making mortgage payments."

The food bank association funnels resources to 12 regional food banks across the state that supply food to more than 3,300 charities. Hamler-Fugitt said the association has asked the state of Ohio to increase food bank funding from the current level of $7.5 million a year to $14 million in each of the next two years to cover increased demand.

Here are some other figures showing the scale of hunger issues in Ohio:

• Amount of food and groceries distributed through Ohio's food bank system in 2006: 92 million pounds.

• Number of people receiving help through food banks per year: 1.2 million, including about 35 percent who are younger than 18, and 9 percent who are senior citizens.

• Proportion of households using food banks with at least one working adult: one out of three.

• Number of Ohioans the food bank association believes are eligible for food bank services who are not taking advantage of the food: 500,000.

• Number of Ohioans currently receiving Food and Nutrition benefits (food stamps): 1.1 million, including 825,000 who don't receive cash benefits for other living expenses.

• Average monthly Food and Nutrition benefit amount per family: $100.

• Total Ohio 2006 expenditures for the Food and Nutrition program: $1.2 billion.

• Number of people per month receiving vouchers for nutritional food through the Ohio Department of Health's Women Infants and Children program in 2006: 277,000, including 85,000 infants and 125,000 children.

• Average monthly WIC benefit per household: $34.

• Total WIC expenditures in Ohio last year: $222 million.

• Number of free or reduced-cost lunches served in Ohio schools each day last school year: 500,000.

• Number of Ohio students eligible for free or reduced cost lunches last year: 685,000.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2395 or jcummings@DaytonDailyNews.com.