The Ohio Benefit Bank is a public-private partnership that provides a free online tool to help Ohioans assess eligibility and apply for over 20 state and federal assistance programs. It is implemented through the Ohio Association of Second Harvest Foodbanks and partner organizations. The Benefit Bank has helped over 273,000 individuals access over $577 million in benefits, tax credits, and other assistance. It offers three site models - counselor assisted, self-serve, and professional edition - to help individuals complete applications and tax returns.

1. www.oashf.org
OHIO ASSOCIATION OF
www.ohiobenefits.org
SECOND HARVEST
FOODBANKS
Introduction to The Ohio Benefit BankTM December 2011

2. Who We Are
2
The Ohio Benefit Bank (OBB)TM is implemented through a public-private partnership
between the Ohio Association of Second Harvest Foodbanks (OASHF) and the state of Ohio,
9 state agencies and 4 federal agencies, and 1,158 faith-based and community organizations
across Ohio.
The mission of OASHF, Ohio’s largest charitable response to
hunger and home of the OBB, is to assist Second Harvest
Foodbanks in Ohio in providing food and other resources to
people in need and to pursue areas of common interest for
the benefit of people in need.
In State Fiscal Year 2011, OASHF and its member foodbanks
were able to acquire and distribute more than 150 million
pounds of shelf stable and agriculture products to Ohio’s
Emergency Food Network.
 Over 1.82 million people relied on the Food Assistance Program as of March 2011.
 “Every dollar of SNAP benefits generates $1.84 in terms of economic activity" - Agriculture Secretary Vilsack 8/16/11.

3. Who We Are
3

4. Ohio’s Unclaimed Funds
4
Nationally over $67.1 billion Federal dollars provided to help stabilize low-to-moderate
income families go unclaimed each year, more than half of which are available through the
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
 In Ohio, more than $2.24 billion Federal
dollars in tax credits and work support $289,983,396.59
programs go unclaimed by Ohio citizens
each year; more than half is unclaimed $1,276,485,620
SNAP funding.
$272,255,780
 Unclaimed Federal dollars must be SNAP Benefits Not Accessed
returned each year for re-allocation to $65,146,199
EITC Funds Not Accessed
other states or other Federal programs. $76,227,280
Federal Children's Medicaid
 The Ohio Benefit Bank strives to assist Benefits Not Accessed
$258,369,407
Ohioans to access these unclaimed Federal CHIP Benefits Not
Accessed
funds which in turn provide revenue for Medicare Part D Benefits Not
Accessed
our local economies.
Value of Pell Grants Not
Accessed
Sources and methodology are available by contacting jrenwick@oashf.org.

5. OBB’s Potential Impact for One Family
5
Below are the estimated amounts for one adult with 2 children and an earned
income of $15,600 a year (gross)*. This represents an individual earning $10 an
hour for 30 hours a week.
$ 5,028 in Earned Income Tax Credit
$ 4,728 per year in potential Food Assistance
$ 150 per year in Home Energy Assistance
= $9,931 potential income enhancement
Adding healthcare such as Healthy Families or Healthy Start would drastically
increase this amount. The Estimated Benefits and EITC Credit alone would provide
a potential increase in annual income of more than 64%!
*According to the recent statewide Ohio Hunger study by Mathematica Inc., the average annual income for households accessing
the emergency food assistance network was $11,590. 75% of households had incomes below the federal poverty level.

6. A Solution - What we Offer
6
A Solution What We Offer
 The OBB Online program is offered free to  Potential eligibility calculation for over 20
organizations seeking to better serve benefits and programs.
Ohioans. The program is:  An application completion tool.
 Internet-based, composed in simple  A free income tax assistance program for
English or Spanish, and accessible from current and prior years state and federal
any computer with internet access and taxes, and e-Filing capability.
a printer.
 The OBB software screens for often
 Question-guided and serves as the missed credits, including: Earned Income
knowledge expert: accurate answers are Tax Credit, Child and Additional Child Tax
vital. Credits, Child and Dependent Care
Credit, Education Credits, Estimated
 Serves as a tool to provide income
Business Taxes, Schedule CEZ, and Capital
enhancement and to stimulate local
Gains and Losses.
economies.

7. Programs Supported by The OBB
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 USDA Child Nutrition Programs
 Ohio Food Assistance or SNAP
 Supplemental Security Income/Social Security Disability Insurance
 Women Infants and Children (WIC)
 Veterans Education Benefits
 Bureau for Children with Medical Handicaps (BCMH)
 Child and Family Health Services
 Ohio Cash Assistance (OWF)
 Child Care Assistance
 Big Brothers Big Sisters “Amachi”
 Health Care Programs for Families and Children
 Medicare Savings Program
 Extra Help for Medicare Part D
 Ohio Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP)
 Golden Buckeye program
 Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP)
 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
 Federal and State electronic tax filing (Tax Year 2007 to current)

8. Current Results
8
 To Date, The OBB has potentially returned to Ohioans more than
$577 Million! This money goes directly to local economies through
medical expenditures, food purchases, $2,460,916 $2,346,585
0.41% $4,855,760
and a variety of other areas through 0.43%
0.84%
income tax refunds.
$106,175,132
18.37%
 Currently the OBB has:
 3,566 trained counselors
$152,046,534
$308,138,257
 1,158 sites statewide
26.31%
53.31%
Tax Assistance
 Assisted over 273,658 individuals Food Assistance
within all households served. Child Care Assistance
Health Coverage
Prescription Assistance
Energy Assistance
$1,939,614 Senior Employment Assistance
0.34%
(Inception – Nov 2011)

9. Study on the Impact of the Ohio Benefit
Bank
9
OBB Increases Access to
Ohioans are Seeking Services
Benefits
In 2010, OASHF commissioned a  51% of respondents said they
study*, focusing on the impact of would have been unlikely or
the OBB, in particular: very unlikely to apply for
 the OBB experience benefits without OBB.
 who accesses services, and
“Food Stamps definitely changed things and
 short term impacts. helped.”
“Having benefits just puts it to where you’re not
82% were seeking taking money out of what you need to survive. It
helps out.”
help with food
assistance. - Ohio Benefit Bank Clients -
* The study took place in three phases over a six to eight month period of time. It was funded by The Columbus Foundation and designed, conducted and
analyzed by Ohio University’s Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs at Ohio University.

10. Study on the Impact of the Ohio Benefit
Bank
10
OBB Increases Access to Clients Obtain Needed
Benefits Benefits
 72% who completed the process
reported being approved for one
 88.5% of clients participating or more benefits, primarily food
had completed or were in the assistance.
process of finishing the
 The OBB experience was positive,
application process with their
helpful and easy to access.
CDJFS.
 83% of OBB client respondents
rated their OBB experience as
excellent or good.
“The benefits make life not so bad. They make
the difference between having and not having
food, but don’t address the other daily stressors “The Benefit Bank provided a wonderful service.
of whether to pay bills or buy gas or to look for Very convenient and the lady was really
work.” respectful and compassionate.”
- Ohio Benefit Bank Client - - Ohio Benefit Bank Client -

11. Benefits Improve Lives
11
Positive Household Impacts
Clients experienced short-term
improvements
Fewer household hardships were reported
at phase 3 of the study:
In the Prior 3 Months… Reduced By:
"Often" ran out of food 18%
Used food pantry 16%
Moved at least once 18%
Missed utility payment 6%
"Very often" felt stressed 8%
Experienced two or more hardships 6%

12. OBB Site Models
12
Counselor
Self-Serve Professional
Assisted
Edition Edition
Edition

13. Counselor Assisted
13
 New counselors attend a training offered at
many convenient locations.
 The trained counselor can educate and assist
clients in preparing their applications
packages for state agencies who administer
the work support programs. The
application(s) may take 1-2 hours.
 Tax training covers the basics of what is
required to complete an income tax return
and how to use the program to screen for
various tax credits and simplify the process of
completing a return.

14. OBB Self-Serve Site Model
14
 Clients use the software on their own
vs. one-on-one with an OBB Counselor
 Detailed reporting of client use at the
site available
 Perfect model for sites with less
resources and time.
www.ohiobenefits.org

15. OBB Self-Serve
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 Ohioans have the option to
complete applications for a
variety of work support
programs by going to
www.ohiobenefits.org.
 Anyone in Ohio with a household
income of $60,000 or less can
self-file their income taxes for
free.
 Visit www.ohiobenefits.org and
click “File your taxes for free
today!” on the home page.

16. OBB Pro
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 For agencies with staff that provide
more extensive case management
services to their clients.
 Combines the traditional, easy-to-
use Benefit Bank online service
with additional case management
tools.
 OBB Pro counselors are able to
work on client applications without
the client present.
 OBB Pro counselors must be
authorized representatives for all of
their clients.

17. Helpful Tools – Quick
17
Check
Quick Check
 Helps to check potential eligibility for various benefits and work support programs.
 Is based on the size, income and expenses of the household.
 Uses a 5 star rating to indicate how likely a person is to be eligible for the credit or
program based on the information provided.
 Go to www.ohiobenefits.org and click “Apply Now”.
Household size. Information for each
person living in the household is entered.
Household income. How much earned and
unearned income was there for the tax
year?
Household expenses. How much is the
person’s cost of living? What are their
expenses?

18. Helpful Tools – The Benefit Bank Site
Locator
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The Benefit Bank Site Locator provides information for the OBB locations nearby.
Click the Benefit Bank Locator link on www.ohiobenefits.org, enter a zip code and
click “Search”.
A map and detail list of OBB sites
will be displayed.

19. A Resource for You
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The OBB Express travels throughout the state
with two OBB Counselors to bring help & hope
to low-income Ohioans.
The van is equipped with two
workstations, can accommodate up to eight
laptops, and can also provide satellite
internet service within 50 feet of the van
anywhere with a view of the southern sky.
To schedule the OBB Express please contact Russell Allen at: 614-221-4336 or rallen@oashf.org.
Follow the OBB Express blog: http://obbmobileexpress.blogspot.com/.
The OBB Express is powered by The Columbus Foundation.

20. How Can I Get Involved?
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 Become an OBB Site
 Participate in a Pre-Training Orientation, sign an Organization Agreement
and have staff or volunteers trained. To sign up, visit:
http://www.oashf.org/programs/program-detail.php?id=1&page=23
 Complete Benefits and/or Tax Training
 Training consists of 2 parts:
 Online training at your own pace (max 1.5 hrs) and
 In-person training (about 3 hours) offered regionally
 Choose the Site Model that works best for your organization: Counselor
Assisted, Self-Serve or Professional.
 Become a Volunteer
 If you don’t currently have a site to work with, we can set you up with a site
that could use your help by calling the OBB Hotline at 1-800-648-1176.

21. How Can I Get Involved?
21
 Spread the word about The Ohio Benefit Bank
 You can help us to gain more volunteers and sites while helping people
with critical needs to connect with help and hope
 Connect clients with The Ohio Benefit Bank Self-
Serve
 Take advantage of our free marketing even if you
are not an OBB site by calling the OBB hotline at:
1-800-648-1176

22. The Ohio Benefit Bank Regional Coordinators and
Service Areas
22

23. Questions? Thank you very much!
23
Jason Elchert
Deputy Director
jason@oashf.org
614-221-4336 ext. 224
Maryjo Mace Woodburn
Director of Work Support Initiatives
maryjo@oashf.org
614-221-4336 ext. 268
www.oashf.org
General Information: 614-221-4336
OBB Hotline: 1-800-648-1176
www.ohiobenefits.org