September 1st and 2nd marked the third annual Ohio Benefit Bank Community Meeting and Training hosted by OASHF. Over 500 counselors and others who make the OBB possible were in attendance to hear updates and receive additional training. The two day event gave individuals involved in The Ohio Benefit Bank network the opportunity to come together to learn of fellow counselors successes, as well as news ways in which to utilize The Ohio Benefit Bank to better serve those in need.
This year’s meeting was slated with a number of special guests, including Key Note speaker, Douglas Lumpkin, director of The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS). From the time that Director Lumpkin took the reins at ODJFS, and even during his tenure as the Director of Franklin County Department of Job and Family Services, he has been a key player and vital partner in the utilization of The Ohio Benefit Bank. Knowing the hardships that are being faced at the county department of job and family services, matched with the increasing number of Ohioans in need, Director Lumpkin has stated, “We know we are in difficult times, but we are committed to working with our partners – including our partners at the counties and at the Benefit Bank – to find ways to be more creative, more innovative, and to leverage all the tools at our disposal to do a better job of serving our customers while also operating more efficiently. We already have done much, but we know we can do more. Together, we need to ask: How do we make the world work better?”
Along with this year’s Key Note Speaker, The Ohio Benefit Bank Community Meeting and Training was also attended by Lisa Roberts, the director of the Friends and Neighbors Food Pantry, Jack Frech, director of the Athens County Department of Job and Family Services, Barb Packer, with Lutheran Social Services of Central Ohio, as well as Justin Balding, producer for NBC News. Featured in the Dateline NBC America Now: Friends and Neighbors, Lisa Roberts worked with Justin Balding and his associates at NBC News, in an effort to shine light onto the reality that is southeast Ohio; a region of the country that has been plagued with poor economic conditions for the greater part of the last 60 years, since the fall of the coal mining industry.
Throughout the meeting, special recognition was given to Ohio Benefit Bank sites, along with individual Ohio Benefit Bank Counselors, whose exemplary work and dedication to helping those in need has stood out among the Ohio Benefit Bank network.
The two day meeting was a great time to learn and network with others that are passionate about addressing the needs of Ohioans in need. While those involved with the OBB reflected on past successes, we are looking forward to what is coming up this coming year. With the growth of the program and increased support, we are working towards giving support to some of the hardest working people in Ohio who may need an extra hand with benefits and tax credits. Hopefully there will be new faces and more great success stories next year!
