With no new federal farm bill in sight, food bank officials from across the United States are preparing to converge on the nation’s capital to advocate for hunger relief programs.

The City of Lima is hosting its first Contractor Expo aimed at connecting local businesses with job opportunities through the city’s home repair programs.

The City of Lima is asking residents to fill out a quick survey in order to benefit the community. The survey, located on the City of Lima's website, is asking for input on housing needs, public services, infrastructure improvements, and fair housing.

Dionne Dickey, a community development specialist for the city of Lima, said resident input plays a direct role in how funding is allocated.

“It helps to determine where funding that we receive needs to go. Plain and simple, the city of Lima receives some federal dollars in the form of the Community Development Block Grant and HOME funds. And those dollars are determined by what is needed here in Lima.”

Phyllis Montrose, Child Development Resource Director for Head Start, said, "We're still not sure exactly what's going to happen, because we are a November one grant. So as soon as our grant goes through that process, and then they release the funds, we know that we will be fully operational, but at this point, you know we're going to continue it with business as usual."

Kim Bruns, executive director of WO-CAP, said, “So we're really kind of looking at any and every option available to us, and so my plea would be, if any agency is in a position to assist us with some emergency funding, whether that be a no-interest loan or a grant or anything, just to help us kind of keep everything going and functioning as is current.”

To address potential financial strain, Smith has asked Lima City Council to approve a voluntary early retirement incentive program for eligible city employees. The proposal would apply to employees with at least 25 years of service. Smith says if all eligible staff choose to participate, the move could substantially reduce labor costs and improve operational efficiency.

Calls have been coming in to Allen County Public Health asking about the status of the WIC program and whether funding will hold up.

With uncertainty surrounding the federal budget, the City of Lima is making the most of every federal dollar to ensure equitable growth throughout the community.