One out of every six Ohioans relies on help from the federal government to buy groceries for themselves or their families each month through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly “food stamps”). In Cuyahoga County, that number is one in five. And even in Geauga County – the county with the lowest poverty rate and highest median household income in the state –more than 3,000 residents are SNAP recipients. Children under 18 live in half of SNAP households in Ohio; a person with a disability lives in half of the households as well; and at least one person age 60 or older lives in nearly a third of households that receive SNAP. Learn how the shutdown may affect these Ohioans who rely on assistance here.

Community-based organizations play a critical role in connecting low-income families to public benefits, such as food, medical and cash assistance, that help make ends meet. Accessing these benefits often requires navigating complex rules and paperwork at County Job and Family Services (CJFS) offices, leading many vulnerable families to turn to trusted intermediaries for help. Despite recent modernization meant to streamline the application and enrollment processes, the need for guidance and troubleshooting from expert community assisters remains high. The purpose of this paper is to explore the current state of community assisters in Ohio, how their work has been impacted by recent technology changes by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services and possible tools that the State of Ohio should commit to developing to better support community assisters in the future. Read more here.

Cleveland, like most communities around the country, is a place where your life outcomes can be determined by your ZIP code, and where people who are black face significantly more challenges than white people.