CLEVELAND — A new report from the Ohio Association of Community Action Agencies is highlighting the crisis of Ohio children growing up in poverty.
The findings show the childhood poverty rate in Ohio sits at 17.7%, while 24.1% of children in Cuyahoga County are living in poverty. The number is up by about 1% from the prior year, and it comes as federal funding for programs shrinks.
"We've done a disservice to people in poverty, because we don't think about all the things that are connected," said Dr. Jacklyn Chisholm, CEO of Step Forward, the community action agency for Cuyahoga County.
Chisholm explains the issue of poverty is complex and exacerbated by a number of factors. She says jobs in the city of Cleveland didn't recover or adapt to the sharp decline in manufacturing, and as those jobs left the area, they were replaced by positions in hospitality and some in medicine.
However, entry-level positions often don't cover the cost of living for residents. Those issues for adults then trickle down to children, and those children are stuck in a difficult cycle.
"You know, we always talk about the fact that children are our future. What happens to a child if they're our future and they start off with not enough food, which means nutrition is an issue? They don’t have a roof over their head, necessarily," Chisholm told 3News. "They're the next generation. What are we doing for them? 'What are we doing to them?' is the question."
Behind the numbers are people like Taisha Suggs, a mom of three who came to Step Forward in July to be a part of the professional development program there.
"Personally, I think the stigma around us is we're lazy and we don't do the work," Suggs said. "I can honestly say for myself: I do the work, and I have been doing the work. It's just hard. "
Suggs' goal is to become an early childhood educator, and she's currently getting her degree online. But she's still facing challenges on the hunt for a job.
"It's hard when you're not working and you're trying to find employment and you don't have the income coming in that you need to be able to supply food for your family," she explained.
However, Chisholm wants the community to take action like Suggs. She says some people are worried to come to Step Forward because they don't believe they will qualify for assistance. Other times, Chisholm says pride is a barrier.
Her message is that Step Forward is here to help everyone facing poverty through professional development programs, utility assistance, child care, and more.
If you'd like to look into those programs and assistance, you can find information here.