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Oberlin Community Services says demand for food and housing aid rose in 2024; warns of federal, state cuts
Summary
At an April 21 City Council meeting, Oberlin Community Services reported year-over-year increases in food pantry visits and emergency housing assistance and urged local advocacy as federal and state funding face cuts.
Oberlin Community Services told the Oberlin City Council on April 21 that demand for its food and emergency-assistance programs rose in 2024 and has remained high so far in 2025.
The presentation by Jason Hawk, a representative of Oberlin Community Services, said the agency served 2,460 unique households in calendar year 2024 and distributed food to 7,429 people that year. Hawk told council members that the pantry recorded 17,831 tracked pantry visits in 2024 and that the agency received nearly 250 tons of food into its warehouse over the course of the year. He said 563 unique families from the 44074 ZIP code used the pantry during 2024.
The figures show a sustained increase in use since the pandemic. “The answer is going to always be yes,” Hawk said when describing the agency’s policy of trying to meet requests for help. He also urged council and the public to contact state lawmakers about proposed budget cuts to food programs. “Writing your state general assembly person is probably the best thing that you can do,” Hawk said, naming several legislators serving Lorain County.
Why it matters: OCS is a primary local safety-net provider for food and short-term housing assistance in…
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