New report reveals troubling data about Ohio’s children in poverty

CLEVELAND – On Wednesday, the Ohio Association of Community Action Agencies (OACAA) released a new report on child poverty in the state.

It states that while Ohio’s poverty rate is 13.4%, the child poverty rate is 17.7%.

The OACAA said the U.S. Census Bureau data does not include families experiencing a temporary loss of income (episodic poverty) and excludes children under 15 from the poverty rate if they are unrelated with the main owner with whom they live.

The study found Cuyahoga and Gallia counties to be the two worst in the state for metrics of poverty rate, unemployment rate, percentage of students receiving free and reduced-price lunch in schools and 4-year high school graduation rates.

Ohio Association of Community Action Agencies

Taisha Suggs lives in Cleveland. The mother of 7-year-old twins and an 8-year-old boy has worked in customer service for a decade. He has held titles such as pharmacy technician, customer service representative, and sales and marketing representative.

“We don’t get paid enough,” Suggs said. “I always hear from so many people about how hard it is to survive in today’s economy. It’s very hard, especially for people who don’t have the education, they don’t have the knowledge and they don’t have the things to grow and develop and be able contribute funds to your home.

She said covering the costs of housing, utilities and food for her family has been nearly impossible.

“Through the state … they give you SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits,” Suggs said. “I’m not eligible for them. And I haven’t been eligible, so food has been one of my biggest things, probably affordable for my family.”

A social worker referred Suggs to Step Forward for help paying utility bills.

The Cuyahoga County nonprofit works to help low-income families achieve self-sufficiency. Operates Head Start and a variety of emergency assistance and development programs.

“This is a spotlight that should have been shone years ago,” Dr. Jacklyn Chisholm, Step Forward’s president and chief executive officer, said of OACAA’s delving into child poverty.

“We talk all the time … kids are our future. Well, what future do they have if they’re in poverty? They start behind,” Chisholm said.

The latest report illustrates how the working poor, often those working two or more minimum-wage jobs, still can’t meet basic needs.

It also delves into how a lack of affordable housing, food insecurity, and access to health care affects children, causing delays in academic achievement, delays in reaching developmental milestones, increased risk of behavioral and emotional problems and social and emotional trauma.

The report states that Ohio has the 12th highest poverty rate in the nation, with nearly one in four children living in cost-burdened households. He said Ohio also has the fourth-highest decline in enrollment of children in the Medicaid and CHIP programs.

“How do we change course?” I asked Chisholm.

“Head Start,” he said. “Head Start, we feed the kids; we educate the children We even educate parents on how to parent better. But we also test before and after, so we know it works. So that’s one way: fund Head Start, create more programs like this.

Chisholm also said businesses have a role to play.

“Companies must look at the whole person. Not just the person who comes to work,” Chisholm said. “Do they have to take public transportation? Can you give them bus tickets? Can you make it easier for them to get to your job? How much do you pay them? Do you offer child care as a benefit? These are retention issues. The more benefits you provide to one of your employees, the more loyal they are likely to feel to the organization.”

He added that more protections are needed to help families in poverty avoid losing critical benefits if they start earning more, often known as the benefits cliff.

“For a lot of these people, they’re working harder than you and I put together. But we don’t celebrate it, we don’t support it. We make it harder for them,” Chisholm said.

Suggs is working toward her bachelor’s degree in early childhood education and recently completed Step Forward’s Global Support Services/Customer Service Training I and II professional development course. He has obtained certifications in customer service and financial literacy.

Suggs said she’s optimistic her family will be better off with the help of Step Forward and her degree, which she expects to receive in 2026.

“You really have to be willing to do the research, get out there, network and do the things you need to do to be able to help yourself and your family,” Suggs said. “And hopefully, I can get more people to come to the show.”

Chisholm encourages anyone facing a difficult time to reach out and ask about Step Forward’s services.

“The reason we exist is really to create success stories,” he said.