The Ohio Benefit Bank (OBB) is a free online tool that helps Ohioans access over $2 billion in unclaimed work support programs and tax credits each year. Administered through a partnership between the Ohio Association of Foodbanks and state and federal agencies, the OBB estimates eligibility and assists with applying for over 20 benefits programs. Since 2006, the OBB has returned over $1 billion to over 486,000 Ohioans through programs like SNAP, Medicaid, tax credits, and more. The OBB is available through various models including a counselor-assisted website, self-serve site, and mobile access.

1. Ohio Association
of Foodbanks
www.ohiofoodbanks.or
g
www.ohiobenefits.org
Introduction to
The Ohio Benefit
Bank™

2. Who We Are
The Ohio Association of
Foodbanks is Ohio’s largest
charitable response to hunger.
Our mission is to assist Ohio’s 12 Feeding
America foodbanks in providing food and
other resources to people in need and to
pursue areas of common interest for the
benefit of people in need.

3. Who We Are
The Ohio Association of Foodbanks serves as the
home of The Ohio Benefit Bank (OBB™).
The OBB is implemented through a public-private
partnership between the Ohio Association of
Foodbanks, the State of Ohio, four federal
agencies, nine state agencies, and about
1,300 faith-based and community
organizations across Ohio.

4. Who We Are

5. The Problem: Ohio’s Unclaimed Funds
In Ohio, more than $2.24 billion in work support
programs and tax credits, provided to help stabilize
low- and moderate-income
families, go unclaimed
each year.
$289,983,396.59
$1,276,485,620
About 95 percent of those
funds are federal dollars
which, if unused, Ohio
must return to the federal
government.
$272,255,780
SNAP Benefits Not Accessed
$65,146,199
$76,227,280
$258,369,407
EITC Funds Not Accessed
Federal Children's Medicaid
Benefits Not Accessed
Federal CHIP Benefits Not
Accessed
Medicare Part D Benefits Not
Accessed
Value of Pell Grants Not
Accessed

6. An Answer: The Ohio Benefit Bank
The OBB helps individuals and families to access these unclaimed
funds, providing revenue to local economies.
Here’s an example of how the OBB could help to increase household
stability for a family of one adult and two children with an earned annual
income of $15,600 (or $10/hour for 30 hours/week):
$5,028 from the Earned Income Tax Credit
$4,728 in Food Assistance
$150 in Home Energy Assistance
= $9,931 in potential income enhancements
These benefits and credits alone would provide an increase in annual
income of more than 64 percent!

7. How Does the OBB Work?
The OBB is a free online service that is:
• Internet-based, available in easy-to-read
English and Spanish
• Question-guided
• A tool to stimulate local economies and
household incomes
The OBB offers:
• A potential eligibility calculator that estimates
eligibility for more than 20 work support
programs and tax credits
• An application completion tool
• A free income tax assistance
program, including free e-filing for federal and
state tax returns

8. Programs Supported by the OBB
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USDA Child Nutrition Programs
Food Assistance (SNAP)
Supplemental Security Income/Social Security Disability Insurance
Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
Healthcare programs for families and children
Bureau for Children with Medical Handicaps (BCMH)
Child and Family Health Services
Medicare Savings Program
Extra Help for Medicare Part D
Ohio Senior Community Service Employment Program
Golden Buckeye Program
Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP)
Ohio Cash Assistance (OWF)
Child Care Assistance
Vocational Rehabilitation Services
Big Brothers Big Sisters “Amachi”
Veterans Education Benefits
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
Free tax filing (federal and state, including e-filing and back taxes)
The Ohio Youth and Young Adults in Transition Universal Plan

9. Current Results
Since its inception in
2006, the OBB has returned
more than $1.04 billion in
potential work support
programs and tax credits to
over 486,000 Ohioans.
Those income
enhancements go directly to
local economies through
medical expenditures, food
purchases, and many other
areas.

10. Study on the Impact of the OBB
A study conducted by the
Ohio University Voinovich
School of Leadership and
Public Affairs found that:
• 50 percent of OBB clients
surveyed would have been
“unlikely” or “very unlikely” to
apply for benefits without the
OBB
• 83 percent of OBB clients
surveyed rated their OBB
experience as “good” or
“excellent”

11. OBB Site Models: Adapting to Need
OBB
CounselorAssisted
(Original
Model)
OBB
Self-Serve
OBB
Pro
OBB Direct
Access
OBB
Access
SSI/SSDI

12. OBB Counselor-Assisted
• New sites attend a onehour, pre-training
orientation
OBB
CounselorAssisted
(Original
Model)
• Interested sites complete
site enrollment paperwork
• Sites send new
counselors to regional
training, including handson practice on computers
• Separate trainings for
benefits and taxes

13. OBB Self-Serve
• The OBB Self-Serve
edition is available from
any computer with
Internet access
OBB
Self-Serve
• Self-Serve sites can
provide access to OBB
Self-Serve and receive
detailed reporting just by
attending a brief online
training

14. OBB Pro
• OBB Pro is meant for
agencies with staff that
provide extensive case
management services
OBB
Pro
• Pro counselors must be
authorized
representatives for their
clients, and they can work
on applications without
the client present
• Pro requires traditional
OBB training and an
additional webinar

15. OBB Direct Access
• OBB Direct Access is a highly specialized
process that must be carried out in partnership
with the local County Department of Job and
• Family Services
In counties
OBB Direct
Access
with Direct
Access, sites
with special
training can
provide onsite phone
interviews
with CDJFS
caseworkers

16. OBB Access SSI/SSDI
• Application completion assistance for
Supplemental Security Income and Social
Security Disability Insurance
OBB
Access
SSI/SSDI
• This special online service provides staff with
case management roles the ability to serves as
authorized representatives and assist clients in
their applications for
SSI and SSDI
• Becoming an OBB Access
SSI/SSDI counselor
requires an additional
training

17. Helpful Resources: QuickCheck
• Potential eligibility calculator estimates eligibility for work
supports and tax credits
• Based on household size, income, and expenses
• Uses a five-star rating to indicate the likelihood that a
person is eligible for one or more benefit
• Go to www.ohiobenefits.org and click “QuickCheck”
Household size: Basic information for each
person living in the household
Household income: Earned and unearned
income for the year
Household expenses: Basic expenses are
entered to calculate the household’s cost of
living

18. Helpful Resources: Site Locator
The Benefit Bank Site Locator is an
interactive map that locates the OBB sites
near an address or zip code.
Go to www.ohiobenefits.org,
click “Benefit Bank Locator,”
enter an address or zip code,
and click “Search” to find
OBB sites in your area.

19. Helpful Resources: Mobile Express
The OBB Mobile Express, powered by The Columbus
Foundation, attends events that will target specific
populations, including seniors, veterans, and people living with
disabilities. These populations often face unique barriers to accessing
and utilizing benefits, barriers the Mobile Express team helps overcome
by identifying effective strategies that are then shared with the OBB
network.
Reserve the
Mobile Express
for free for your
next event!
Just go to
ohiofoodbanks.or
g to submit a
request today!

20. Getting Involved with the OBB
• Become an OBB site
• To sign up for pre-training orientation, the first
step in becoming a site, visit
www.ohiofoodbanks.org
• Become a volunteer
• Call our hotline at 1-800-648-1176 to be
connected with an OBB site near you where you
can volunteer
• Spread the word
• Order free marketing or connect clients with OBB
Self-Serve at www.ohiobenefits.org

21. For more information
• Contact us by e-mail
• Our staff will make sure that your question is
promptly directed to the right person! Just email contactobb@ohiofoodbanks.org.
• Visit our website
• We have new partnership
coordinators, network development
coordinators, and training & user support
coordinators who can help. Find a specific
staff person by visiting
www.ohiofoodbanks.org/contact

22. Questions? Thank you very much!
Jason Elchert
Deputy Director
jason@ohiofoodbanks.org
614-221-4336 ext. 224
Zach Reat
Director of Work Support Initiatives
zach@ohiofoodbanks.org
614-221-4336 ext. 236
General Information: 614-221-4336
OBB Hotline: 1-800-648-1176
www.ohiobenefits.org