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Oberlin Community Services

Community Giving Campaign Is Under Way

The annual Oberlin Community Giving Campaign is under way. Employees of Oberlin College, Oberlin City Schools, and the City of Oberlin have an opportunity to pledge a monthly contribution via payroll deduction to OCS or another community organization. If you work for the College, the Oberlin City Schools, or the City, you can download the Community Giving pledge form and start that process going now.

Find out more about opportunities to support OCS

food basket

Expanded Food Pantry Hours

Our Choice Pantry is now open the 3rd and 4th Friday of every month until 7:00 pm.

As always, the Choice Pantry is also open Monday through Friday 9:00 am to noon and 1:00 to 5:00 pm.

Our large food distribution is held on the second Saturday of each month between 10:30 am and 1:00 pm.

Oberlin Community Services serves income-eligible residents of southern Lorain County to include the cities of Oberlin and Wellington and the following townships: Brighton, Camden, Carlisle, Huntington, Kipton, LaGrange, New Russia, Penfield, Pittsfield, and Rochester.

A picture ID and proof of address are requested.

About OCS

Oberlin Community Services is a responsive community organization that provides direct assistance, referrals, outreach services and educational support to Oberlin, New Russia Township, and southern Lorain County residents who seek help meeting basic needs.

Since 1955, Oberlin Community Services (OCS) has supported the community in sensitive and caring ways. The OCS staff, Oberlin College work-study students, and more than a hundred volunteers join forces with schools, churches, medical and social service providers, civic groups, businesses, and government to offer a wide array of services to low-income citizens of Oberlin and Southern Lorain County.

unloading food

The need is greater than ever today.

OCS provides a safety net to help people get back on their feet. We assist with food, housing, utilities, clothes, transportation, medicine, counseling, and much more. This year the staff met with more than 100 clients each month, a quarter of whom had never needed assistance before.

As the economy worsens, more people are left behind.
* Nearly 20 percent of all Oberlin residents live in poverty.
* More than half of public school children in Oberlin qualify for free or reduced-cost lunches because their families are poor.
* Unemployment in Lorain County is now 10.9 percent, well above the national average of 9.3 percent.

These are our neighbors.

The poor and least powerful are often invisible in our community: older people who need help with food, utility bills or medicines, the newly unemployed, or those who need help with mortgages or rent payments.

You can help.

OCS relies entirely on donations and grants to meet its budget. Through your job, church, club, school, civic group, or on-line donation, you can help. Contributions are needed, and donations are tax deductible.