Agency Descriptions

American Red Cross – Lorain County Chapter: Offers 24-hour countywide emergency assistance to disaster victims and military families. Teaches CPR, first aid and babysitting classes. Also, provides blood services.

Arthritis Foundation Northeastern Ohio Chapter: Educates about arthritis, prevention, symptoms, diagnostic techniques and treatment options; teaches lifestyle management skills to help individuals control arthritis and improve their quality of life.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Lorain County: Provides professionally supported one-to-one mentoring with measurable impact helping youth become responsible adults.

Boys and Girls Club of Lorain County: Provides after-school programming for 6-18 year olds emphasizing character & leadership development, education & career development, health & life skills, arts, sports, and fitness & recreation.

Catholic Charities Services of Lorain County: Provides emergency and transitional services, hot meals, parenting classes, youth violence prevention programs, mental health counseling, adoption, foster care, and older adult case management.

Children’s Developmental Center: Provides assessment and treatment to children with communication, physical, and developmental disorders.

Common Ground:  Provides innovative, holistic, educational experiences for youths, adults, and workplaces, fostering human potential – body, mind, and spirit.

Community Services for the Deaf & Hard of Hearing: Provides American sign language interpreting, case management for persons who are deaf and their families, advocacy, information and referral and American sign language classes.

El Centro de Servicios Sociales: Provides bilingual social services to Lorain county residents in the areas of information and referral, employment, money management, family violence prevention, and youth/senior services.

FAITH House: Provides homeless single-parent families with safe, affordable transitional housing and comprehensive supportive services that address special needs and lead to self-sufficiency and permanent community housing.

Family Planning Services of Lorain County: Provides contraceptive methods, related gynecological services and pregnancy testing for women. Other services include free educational programs and resources to the community.

Girl Scouts of Erie Shores: Welcomes a diverse membership of girls and adults. Empowers girls to build confidence, courage, and character, and make the world a better place.

Heart of Ohio Council, Boy Scouts of America: Prepares young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling the values of the Scout Oath and Law.

The Linden School: Provides high quality early childhood education and childcare to families of children 6 weeks through 9 years old, regardless of income. Nationally accredited program.

Linking Employment, Abilities & Potential (LEAP): Empowers individuals with disabilities in making significant life choices and changes to enhance their employment and independent living opportunities.

Lorain County Alcohol & Drug Addiction Abuse Services (LCADA): Provides treatment, prevention, and outreach services for substance abuse and dependency. Programs are designed for adults, adolescents, women with children, pregnant women and the homeless.

Lorain County Office on Aging: Optimizes senior citizens' independence by countywide information, support service, transportation, mobile meals, food delivery, housekeeping, chore, home repair, volunteer placement, and Senior Years newspaper.

Lorain County Safe Harbor/Genesis House: Provides temporary emergency shelter, support, advocacy, information & referral, & education and outreach for Lorain County victims of domestic violence and their children.

Lorain County Urban League: Empowers African Americans and all disadvantaged persons in our community to participate equally in the educational, economic and social mainstream.

Lucy Idol Center for the Handicapped: Provides transportation, activity therapy, nursing, psychological services, music/physical therapy, and socialization to disabled adults.

Neighborhood House Association: Provides emergency shelter, day care, youth activities, senior nutrition, senior assisted living, senior home maker and socialization, Help Me Grow and parenting plus programs.

The Nord Center: Provides comprehensive behavioral healthcare, residential, vocational, psychiatric, case management, counseling and specialized services serving the mental health needs of Lorain County residents.

Save Our Children: Provides innovative, year-round youth programming to more than 120 children and youth each year through its After School, Summer and Teen Youth Council programs.

Second Harvest Food Bank of North Central Ohio: Provides nearly 3 million pounds of food and grocery products to 120 hunger-relief charities serving families in Crawford, Erie, Huron and Lorain counties.

Volunteer Guardianship Program of Lorain County: Enhance quality of life of incompetent older adults by providing legal guardians to serve as advocates and decision-makers when no less restrictive alternative exists.

YWCA of Elyria: Provides programs in youth development, health and fitness, advocacy, and comprehensive residential services for homeless women and their families.