Happy New Year and welcome to our updated newsletter.
New Year’s is my favorite holiday. I love reflecting on the past twelve months and planning for the upcoming year. As a part of that, I am reminded of my gratitude for everything you have done to help bring vital civil legal aid to Central and Southeastern Ohio individuals and families living in poverty.
Since January is National Poverty Awareness Month, I wanted to share some statistics – 12.7% of Ohioans live in poverty, a rate higher than the national average. In most of the counties we serve, the rates are even higher. Franklin County’s rate is 15.4% and Athens County is at a staggering 22%. A 2022 report from the Ohio Association of Community Action Agencies, found that rising housing costs mean that at minimum wage, a worker would need to work at least 72 hours a week to be able to afford a one-bedroom home in some areas. Further, it found that two-thirds of Ohio’s low-income homeowners are severely cost burdened, spending 67% of their income on housing. As evictions continue to increase in our service area, our representation makes it more likely that tenants can stay housed or have longer to find other housing, reducing the risk of homelessness. Further, as we begin to see foreclosure rates increase, our attorneys improve the likelihood a homeowner can keep their house, avoiding the loss of an important asset and a disruption that can impact a family’s entire support base.
Although the task may seem daunting, I’m confident that working together we can challenge unfairness and injustice to reduce poverty and increase opportunity. In particular, I’m excited about expanding record sealing services in Tuscarawas County through an expansion of Opportunity Port, our increased fair housing work that will confront housing discrimination practices, and our ongoing efforts to represent individuals who have been wrongly denied or terminated from SNAP, unemployment, and veteran’s benefits. Helping people address their civil legal needs so they can secure good jobs, find safe housing, and care for their children is critical to the fight against poverty.
You will notice some changes to our newsletter for 2023! In addition to highlighting the work and opportunities around pro bono, we will also spotlight other efforts each month. We hope you like the new format and look forward to a year of peace, joy, and justice.
Kate McGarvey
Executive Director
