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Resources in Ohio

76 listings. Please call ahead — hours and services change.

Adoption

  • Adoption Circle

    Statewide

    Nonprofit, state-licensed Ohio adoption agency: counseling and support for expectant parents considering adoption (textline for expectant moms: 614-398-2367), waiting-family profiles, home studies and adoption services for families.

  • Ohio Foster Care and Adoption (Department of Children and Youth)

    Statewide

    Ohio's official foster care and adoption site: learn how to adopt one of the thousands of Ohio children waiting for families, choose a foster care or adoption agency, and submit an inquiry to get started. Adoption subsidies are available for children with special needs.

Free / Subsidized Childcare

  • Cincinnati-Hamilton County Community Action Agency — Head Start

    Head Start preschool in Cincinnati and Hamilton County to help children and parents prepare for kindergarten. Pre-apply online and see locations on the site.

  • Miami Valley Child Development Centers (MVCDC)

    Southwest Ohio's Head Start agency: free and low-cost early learning and childcare for children from 6 weeks to age 5 in Dayton and across Montgomery, Clark and Madison counties, with support for families who are pregnant. Enroll online.

  • Step Forward (formerly Council for Economic Opportunities in Greater Cleveland) — Head Start

    Head Start for children 3–5 and Early Head Start for pregnant women, infants and toddlers up to age 3 across Cuyahoga County, including through partner childcare centres and school districts. Enroll online or call (216) 589-9922.

  • Head Start & Early Head Start

    Nationwide

    Free preschool, child care and family support for eligible families. Find a program near you online or by phone (Mon–Fri 8–6 ET).

Churches / Baby Closets

  • Elizabeth's New Life Center (Women's Centers of Ohio)

    Free pregnancy tests, limited ultrasounds, education and support at the Women's Centers of Ohio in southwest Ohio, plus prenatal care for Medicaid-eligible women (Holy Family Prenatal Care), parenting classes and mentors for mothers and fathers, and Baby Boutiques where parents can receive cribs, car seats, diapers and wipes.

  • Maternity Resource Center (Columbus)

    Free maternity clothes, items for baby and clothes for young children, with friendly counsel and information on other agencies, run by local churches with Baptists for Life of Central Ohio. Open the 2nd and 4th Wednesday (6:30–7:30 pm, first 15 clients) and Saturday (10 am–noon) of each month. Bring a photo ID and an ID for each child.

  • Pregnancy Center West

    Free, confidential pregnancy help in Cincinnati: ultrasound, adoption information and an individualized parenting program with weekly one-on-one support, where participants earn credits to shop the boutique for diapers, wipes, clothing and more. Call or text 513-244-5700.

  • Pregnancy Decision Health Centers (PDHC)

    Free pregnancy tests and, in many cases, ultrasounds from nurses at central Ohio centres (Columbus and Lancaster area), plus help for parents: diapers, a car seat after a car-seat safety class, and a pack-n-play after a Safe Sleep class.

Clothing / Supplies

  • Elizabeth's New Life Center (Women's Centers of Ohio)

    Free pregnancy tests, limited ultrasounds, education and support at the Women's Centers of Ohio in southwest Ohio, plus prenatal care for Medicaid-eligible women (Holy Family Prenatal Care), parenting classes and mentors for mothers and fathers, and Baby Boutiques where parents can receive cribs, car seats, diapers and wipes.

  • Maternity Resource Center (Columbus)

    Free maternity clothes, items for baby and clothes for young children, with friendly counsel and information on other agencies, run by local churches with Baptists for Life of Central Ohio. Open the 2nd and 4th Wednesday (6:30–7:30 pm, first 15 clients) and Saturday (10 am–noon) of each month. Bring a photo ID and an ID for each child.

  • Pregnancy Center West

    Free, confidential pregnancy help in Cincinnati: ultrasound, adoption information and an individualized parenting program with weekly one-on-one support, where participants earn credits to shop the boutique for diapers, wipes, clothing and more. Call or text 513-244-5700.

  • Pregnancy Decision Health Centers (PDHC)

    Free pregnancy tests and, in many cases, ultrasounds from nurses at central Ohio centres (Columbus and Lancaster area), plus help for parents: diapers, a car seat after a car-seat safety class, and a pack-n-play after a Safe Sleep class.

Domestic Violence

  • Ohio Domestic Violence Network

    Statewide

    Statewide network of domestic violence programs. Call 1-800-934-9840 for information and help finding a program near you; in an emergency, call 911.

  • love is respect (National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline)

    Nationwide

    Free, confidential 24/7 help for teens and young adults in unhealthy or abusive relationships. Text LOVEIS to 22522, or chat online.

  • National Domestic Violence Hotline

    Nationwide

    Confidential support 24/7 for anyone experiencing abuse.

  • StrongHearts Native Helpline

    Nationwide

    Free, confidential 24/7 support for Native Americans and Alaska Natives affected by domestic and sexual violence, by phone, text or chat.

  • The Deaf Hotline

    Nationwide

    24/7 domestic-violence support for Deaf, DeafBlind and hard-of-hearing survivors, by videophone, chat or email (deafhelp@thehotline.org).

Employment

  • Dress for Success Cincinnati

    Free professional attire and career coaching for women, with referrals from partner agencies, plus a career centre and ongoing support.

  • Dress for Success Cleveland

    Free professional attire and career coaching for women, with referrals from partner agencies, plus a career centre and ongoing support.

  • Dress for Success Columbus

    Free professional attire and career coaching for women, with referrals from partner agencies, plus a career centre and ongoing support. Referral agencies can use its online referral portal.

  • OhioMeansJobs

    Statewide

    Ohio's free job-search and career site, with local OhioMeansJobs centres offering in-person help finding work and training.

  • American Job Centers (CareerOneStop)

    Nationwide

    Free local help with job searches, training and career services. Find your nearest American Job Center online or by phone.

  • Dress for Success

    Nationwide

    Professional clothing and career support for women. Find your local Dress for Success on the website.

  • Easterseals — Employment Services

    Nationwide

    Job training and employment support for people with disabilities through local Easterseals affiliates.

  • Goodwill Career Centers

    Nationwide

    Free job training, career coaching, résumé and interview help at local Goodwill career centers.

Potential Financial Assistance

  • The Salvation Army — Ohio (Northeast Ohio and Southwest Ohio divisions)

    Statewide

    Emergency help with rent and utility bills from the Salvation Army's Ohio divisions, whose local teams assess each family's needs. Northeast Ohio: see this page; Southwest Ohio (Cincinnati, Columbus area): salvationarmyusa.org Southwest Ohio & Northeast Kentucky Division.

  • Catholic Charities USA (Find a Local Agency)

    Nationwide

    Find the Catholic Charities agency serving your area for emergency, family and housing help.

  • Modest Needs

    Nationwide

    Small one-time grants for working individuals and families facing an emergency expense. Apply online.

  • Society of St. Vincent de Paul

    Nationwide

    Parish volunteers who help neighbors in need. The national office does not give direct help: ask your nearest Catholic parish for its St. Vincent de Paul conference.

  • The Salvation Army

    Nationwide

    Emergency rent, utility and other assistance through local Salvation Army offices nationwide.

Food Programs

  • Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank — Find Help

    Find food at partner pantries and pop-up pantries across the Akron-Canton region.

  • Freestore Foodbank

    Greater Cincinnati food bank with a food pantry finder, mobile markets and school and clinic pantries, plus customer connection centres (3401 Rosenthal Way, 513-482-4500; 112 E Liberty Street, 513-241-1064), open 8 am–4 pm weekdays.

  • Greater Cleveland Food Bank — Get Help

    Find food near you, apply for help with SNAP and other benefits, and get support from the food bank's Help Center: 216-738-2067 or toll-free 855-738-2067.

  • Mid-Ohio Food Collective — Find Food

    Ohio's largest food bank: enter your ZIP code to find the closest pantry or Mid-Ohio Market in central Ohio. If you can't go yourself, you can send a trusted person to pick up food for you.

  • Toledo Northwestern Ohio Food Bank — Find Food

    Find food near you across northwestern Ohio, plus SNAP outreach help.

  • Feeding America (Find Your Local Food Bank)

    Nationwide

    Enter your ZIP code to find the food bank, pantries and meal programs serving your community.

  • USDA National Hunger Hotline (Hunger Free America)

    Nationwide

    Connects you with nearby food banks, meal sites and programs like SNAP and WIC. Mon–Fri 8 a.m.–8 p.m. ET. En español: 1-877-842-6273.

Health Assistance

  • Neighborhood Family Practice

    Affordable community health care at seven locations on Cleveland's west side and in Lakewood, including midwifery and women's health, pediatrics and dental care. Accepting new patients, including those with Medicaid.

  • PrimaryOne Health

    Central Ohio community health centre offering women's health care and help applying for health insurance. Call 614-645-5500 for appointments.

  • Nurse-Family Partnership — Ohio

    Statewide

    A registered nurse visits expectant parents at home during pregnancy and the child's first years, about two and a half years in all. Ohio programs include Columbus NFP, Every Child Succeeds (Cincinnati area), MetroHealth (Cleveland), Greene County, Southeast Ohio, Brighter Futures and the Educational Service Center of Eastern Ohio. Nurse-Family Partnership is now run by Changent.

  • Ohio Department of Medicaid

    Statewide

    Health coverage for eligible Ohioans, including children and pregnant women. For enrollment or coverage questions, call the Medicaid Consumer Hotline at 800-324-8680.

  • Abortion Pill Reversal hotline

    Nationwide

    Started a chemical abortion and regret it? Call as soon as you can.

Housing Assistance & Shelters

  • Community Shelter Board (Columbus / Franklin County)

    Coordinates homeless services and housing in Columbus and Franklin County. If you need shelter, call the Homeless Hotline at 1-614-274-7000.

  • Family Promise

    Nationwide

    Prevention, shelter and housing help for families facing homelessness, through nearly 200 local affiliates. Find yours on the website.

Mental Health & Postpartum Assistance

  • POEM — Perinatal Outreach & Encouragement for Moms (Mental Health America of Ohio)

    Free peer support for pregnant and postpartum moms facing perinatal mental health complications: certified peer staff listen, share resources and connect moms with specialized counseling and support groups, including POEM Rise for Black moms. Central Ohio: (614) 315-8989; Southwest Ohio: (513) 202-4611 or (937) 660-9220.

  • 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

    Nationwide

    Call or text 988 any time if you are in crisis.

  • National Maternal Mental Health Hotline

    Nationwide

    Call or text 1-833-TLC-MAMA, free and confidential, for support before, during and after pregnancy.

  • Postpartum Support International HelpLine

    Nationwide

    Support and local resources for postpartum depression and anxiety.

Parenting Classes

  • Action for Children — Parenting Workshops & FatherUp

    Free parenting help in Central Ohio: Triple P Positive Parenting workshops for parents of children 0–16, Mothers Matter for moms, and FatherUp for dads, with coaching and co-parenting strategies. Pregnant or have a baby under 2? Help Me Grow at Action for Children offers free home visiting in Franklin County.

  • Beech Acres Parenting Center — Parent Connext

    Cincinnati parenting nonprofit offering Parent Connext coaching (usually 3–6 sessions of solution-focused help with everyday parenting challenges) built on its Natural Strength Parenting approach, plus family therapy.

  • ForeverDads

    Zanesville fatherhood organisation at The Center for Fathers & Families: Boot Camp for New Dads & Moms, Nurturing Fathers for Life classes, All Pro Dad chapters and other programs to help fathers stay involved with their families. Register by phone at (740) 453-1DAD or online.

  • Parents as Teachers

    Nationwide

    Free home visiting and parent education for expecting families and parents of young children, through local affiliates.

  • Triple P – Positive Parenting Program

    Nationwide

    Self-paced online parenting courses (also in Spanish). Many states and local agencies offer them free.

Pregnancy Centers

  • Akron Pregnancy Services

    Free pregnancy tests, ultrasounds and baby supplies, with centres in Akron and Stark County.

  • Elizabeth's New Life Center (Women's Centers of Ohio)

    Free pregnancy tests, limited ultrasounds, education and support at the Women's Centers of Ohio in southwest Ohio, plus prenatal care for Medicaid-eligible women (Holy Family Prenatal Care), parenting classes and mentors for mothers and fathers, and Baby Boutiques where parents can receive cribs, car seats, diapers and wipes.

  • Heartbeat of Toledo

    Free pregnancy testing and ultrasound in Toledo, plus support for families parenting or preparing for a baby. Call 419-241-9131 or text 567-455-1223 (Monday–Friday, 8:30 am–4:30 pm).

  • Pregnancy Center Plus

    Free, confidential medical-grade pregnancy tests (walk-in or by appointment), ultrasounds and options information in Cincinnati.

  • Pregnancy Decision Health Centers (PDHC)

    Free pregnancy tests and, in many cases, ultrasounds from nurses at central Ohio centres (Columbus and Lancaster area), plus help for parents: diapers, a car seat after a car-seat safety class, and a pack-n-play after a Safe Sleep class.

  • American Pregnancy Association

    Nationwide

    Free, confidential pregnancy helpline and a search for local pregnancy centers, adoption agencies and maternity homes.

  • Care Net Pregnancy Decision Line

    Nationwide

    Free, confidential pregnancy decision coaching by phone, and a map of 1,200+ affiliated pregnancy centers.

  • Heartbeat International (Worldwide Directory of Pregnancy Help)

    Nationwide

    Search 7,000+ life-affirming pregnancy help locations by state, city or ZIP.

  • Option Line

    Nationwide

    Call or text 24/7 to talk about a pregnancy and be connected with a pregnancy center near you.

Special Needs Assistance

  • Easterseals Redwood (Ohio)

    Cincinnati-area services for children and adults with disabilities: early care and education for infants, toddlers and preschoolers, and disability services.

  • Ohio Parent to Parent (Ohio P2P)

    Statewide

    Statewide program that matches parents, siblings, grandparents, foster parents and others who have a family member of any age with a disability or special health care need with a trained volunteer support parent, by phone, email, video or in person. Part of the Ohio Family to Family Health Information Center.

  • Easterseals

    Nationwide

    Services for children and adults with disabilities and their families. Find your local Easterseals affiliate.

  • Parent to Parent USA

    Nationwide

    Matches parents of children with disabilities or special health needs with a trained support parent. Find your state program on the map.

  • The Arc

    Nationwide

    Support and advocacy for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families, through 549 chapters.

Support for Fathers

  • Action for Children — Parenting Workshops & FatherUp

    Free parenting help in Central Ohio: Triple P Positive Parenting workshops for parents of children 0–16, Mothers Matter for moms, and FatherUp for dads, with coaching and co-parenting strategies. Pregnant or have a baby under 2? Help Me Grow at Action for Children offers free home visiting in Franklin County.

  • ForeverDads

    Zanesville fatherhood organisation at The Center for Fathers & Families: Boot Camp for New Dads & Moms, Nurturing Fathers for Life classes, All Pro Dad chapters and other programs to help fathers stay involved with their families. Register by phone at (740) 453-1DAD or online.

  • Passages Connecting Fathers and Families

    Free programs for fathers in Northeast Ohio: fatherhood classes and support groups, job help, guidance on child support, reentry programming and more, helping dads become better parents, partners and providers.

  • National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse

    Nationwide

    Resources for dads from a national clearinghouse funded by HHS’s Office of Family Assistance.

Transportation

  • Ohio Medicaid — Rides to Medical Appointments

    Statewide

    Ohio Medicaid covers non-emergency transportation to Medicaid-covered services, arranged through your County Department of Job and Family Services or your Medicaid managed care plan (call the number on your plan card). Questions: Medicaid Consumer Hotline 800-324-8680.

  • Family Promise

    Nationwide

    Local Family Promise affiliates help families facing homelessness, including gas cards, transit passes and car-related help where available.

  • Medicaid rides to medical appointments (NEMT)

    Nationwide

    Medicaid covers free rides to covered appointments for members with no other way to get there. Call your Medicaid health plan, ideally two days ahead.