Ohio Financial Assistance

When your car breaks down, it's not just an inconvenience. If it's how you get to work, a $900 repair can turn into a lost job. In Ohio, there's no single statewide car repair grant. But county job and family services agencies, a City of Columbus program and a local nonprofit garage can help some working families cover repairs. This guide covers what's available in Franklin County (Columbus) and Hamilton County (Cincinnati) in 2026–27, who qualifies and how to apply. Last che

Most Christmas help in Greater Cincinnati is decided in October, not December. The Salvation Army's neighborhood sign-ups run for just a few days each, St. Vincent de Paul's gift request form is already open, and families who wait until after Thanksgiving often find every list closed. This guide puts the 2026 dates, addresses, phone numbers and document rules in one place so you can register this month. Where a program has not posted 2026 details yet, we say so and tell you w

If Duke Energy has shut off your gas or electric, or you have a disconnection notice on the counter, Ohio's winter rules give you a real way out this season. From October 12, 2026 through April 16, 2027, the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio's Special Reconnect Order (still widely called the "Winter Reconnect Order") lets you keep or restore service by paying no more than $175, even if you owe far more. This guide explains exactly how the $175 rule works for Cincinnati and

If Duke Energy or your gas company sent a disconnection notice, or your landlord just handed you eviction papers, the clock is already running. Cincinnati and Hamilton County still have real tools for both problems, but most of them work better if you call the same week the notice arrives. This guide covers how to stop a utility shutoff, how to get on a percentage-of-income plan, and who to call for free eviction help. For food pantries and church-based rent help after you st

In Columbus, COMPASS at Broad Street Presbyterian and Catholic Social Services' JOIN program handle documented rent and utility crises, the Salvation Army runs seasonal utility help, and church pantries tied to the Mid-Ohio Food Collective, like St. Stephen's and Church for All People, cover groceries. Faith-based ministries and church-hosted pantries across Greater Columbus run grocery distributions, hot meals, and limited rent or utility aid when funds allow. Most serve by

If a Duke Energy shutoff notice or late rent is sitting on your kitchen table, start here. This Cincinnati church guide is built for that moment: who actually publishes rent, food, or bill help, how to reach them, and what to bring. For PIPP Plus, HEAP Winter Crisis, and free eviction legal aid, use the shutoff companion linked in the FAQ below. Cincinnati's church-based help is concentrated in a few places: St. Vincent de Paul's West End center, City Gospel Mission downtown,