Oberlin Community Services (OCS) is a responsive, community-based organization that addresses basic needs of low-income and vulnerable community members through three cornerstones of service: food, emergency financial assistance, and resilience programs. Since its inception in 1955, OCS has grown into one of the largest social service organizations in the county, providing relief to thousands of residents each year. Creating the Cooper Community Resource Center in 2023 allowed OCS to help more local families more efficiently while also providing space to partner organizations, making a “one-stop shop” for a range of services. Currently, this includes addressing mental health and addiction, home energy updates, economic development, child development, and legal advice.

Our Mission & Vision

OCS empowers area residents through emergency assistance, food programs, and other services while promoting systemic change.

We envision a sustainable and thriving community where everyone flourishes.

Our Services

Our emergency assistance service region includes the City of Oberlin, Ohio and ten nearby townships, villages and cities: Brighton, Camden, Carlisle, Huntington, Lagrange, New Russia, Penfield, Pittsfield, Rochester, and Wellington.

Our food programs serve Lorain County residents at or below 200% of the poverty level.

Area residents continue to face job loss and medical emergencies, leading to many families facing economic hardships. More and more OCS clients are middle-income people who have lost their jobs and are falling into the ranks of the low-income for the first time in their lives. Many who come in to see us are struggling with sporadic and inadequate income, hunger, lack of health care coverage, substandard housing, and home foreclosure. Some of our clients suffer from mental health issues, physical disabilities, and/or criminal records that keep them out of the workforce. OCS seeks to alleviate these problems by providing food and other necessary goods, utility assistance when there is threat of shut-offs, and rent or mortgage assistance to avoid evictions and homelessness. OCS works on an interagency basis with regional partners to optimize available resources and services offered. For example, we are part of a United Way of Greater Lorain County collaborative with twelve other agencies working to prevent these problems and to create longer-term solutions through personal counseling, job advice and training, and careful case management. We engage closely with our clients and develop an ongoing relationship with them. At OCS, we focus on our key services and clients while providing a wider array of services through our partner agencies. Our goal is to contribute to the success of every family or individual in need that visits us.