Marion County Job & Family Services https://mcjfs.com Mon, 22 Jun 2026 19:22:22 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0 https://mcjfs.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/cropped-favicon-32x32.png Marion County Job & Family Services https://mcjfs.com 32 32 Verification Text Reminders https://mcjfs.com/verification-text-reminders/ Mon, 22 Jun 2026 19:14:15 +0000 https://mcjfs.com/?p=3672

After reviewing the information below, go to https://ssp.benefits.ohio.gov/apspssp/ssp.portal to sign up.

 

]]> Elder Abuse Awareness Month https://mcjfs.com/elder-abuse-awareness-month/ Mon, 15 Jun 2026 12:00:00 +0000 https://mcjfs.com/?p=2714

JUNE IS ELDER ABUSE AWARENESS MONTH

JUNE 15, 2026, IS ELDER ABUSE AWARENESS DAY

June is Elder Abuse Awareness Month and June 15 is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) and was launched in 2006 by the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse and the World Health Organization at the United Nations.  The purpose of WEAAD is to provide an opportunity for communities around the world to promote a better understanding of abuse and neglect of older persons by raising awareness of the cultural, social, economic, and demographic processes affecting elder abuse and neglect.

Elder abuse is a largely hidden and growing problem in the United States.  It is defined by law as “an act or omission, which results in a serious physical or emotional injury to an elderly person or financial exploitation of an elderly person; or the failure, inability or resistance of an elderly person to provide for himself or herself one or more of the necessities essential for physical and emotional well-being without which the elderly person would be unable to safely remain in the community.”  Elder abuse can include physical, sexual, emotional, neglect, and financial exploitation. Another form of elder abuse is self-neglect.

Purple is the color associated with Elder Abuse Awareness – individuals are encouraged to wear purple on Monday, June 15, 2026, which is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day.  By wearing purple that day it makes a statement of unity to promote a safe and healthy environment for older adults.  Why purple?  Because we associate the color purple with royalty, dignity, and respect — the same words we should be using to describe our elders.

For more information about Marion County Adult Protective Services, please click on this link:  Marion County APS

]]> 2026 Summer EBT Benefits https://mcjfs.com/2026-summer-ebt-benefits/ Wed, 27 May 2026 21:29:03 +0000 https://mcjfs.com/?p=3639

What is Summer EBT?

The Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer Program for Children (Summer EBT or SUN Bucks) began in 2024 and provides grocery benefits to low-income families with school-aged children when schools are closed for the summer.

Summer EBT benefits will either be loaded to a household’s Ohio Direction Card, or a benefit card will be sent in the mail to each eligible child.  

Families can use the money to buy food during the summer at grocery stores, farmers markets, and other authorized retailers. Families will receive a one-time benefit of $120 for each eligible child and participation will not affect children or families’ immigration status.

For more information go to: SEBT.Ohio.Gov 

]]> High-Risk Transactions Will Be Automatically Blocked On All SNAP Cards https://mcjfs.com/high-risk-transactions-will-be-automatically-blocked-on-all-snap-cards/ Wed, 13 May 2026 12:00:00 +0000 https://mcjfs.com/?p=3621

Starting May 13th, all Ohioans receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and making online or out-of-state purchases must unlock their benefits card before proceeding. EBT cards or the Ohio Direction Card will default to a “block high-risk transaction” status, requiring cardholders to unlock their card before making an out-of-state or online purchase. While cardholders are encouraged to immediately relock their card, they will be prompted to set a time period, 30, 60, or 90 minutes, to automatically relock the card. You can find more details here:  EBT CARD LOCK OPTIONS HELP SECURE BENEFITS

SNAP Card Auto Lock For Certain Purchases
]]> Report Changes In Income https://mcjfs.com/report-changes-in-income/ Mon, 30 Mar 2026 13:09:14 +0000 https://mcjfs.com/?p=3556

 

How to Report a Change

For a video to review step-by-step instructions on how to report a change on a case within an existing Ohio Benefits Self-Service account, click here:  
 

 

]]> SNAP Text Reminders https://mcjfs.com/snap-text-reminders/ Mon, 23 Mar 2026 18:45:23 +0000 https://mcjfs.com/?p=3512

Stay on track with your SNAP benefits with text reminders! This option lets you report changes to your SNAP case faster and easier from your phone. If you have opted-in to get text messages from Ohio Benefits, you can report changes and upload verification documents through a secure link sent to your smartphone. Reporting changes on time helps keep your SNAP case correct and helps make sure you get the right benefit amount.

 

How it Works:

Every 3 months during your certification period, you’ll get a text message asking if you have any changes to report. The text will also remind you what kinds of changes you need to report. If you have changes to report:

  1. Reply “YES” to the message from 1-844-640-0266
  2. Tap the link within 15 minutes and verify your identity
  3. Report changes and upload documents by following the prompts

SNAP text reminders are optional. If you choose not to use text reminders, it will not impact your benefits or scheduled interview appointment. You do not need to have an Ohio Benefits Self-Service Portal (SSP) account to take advantage of SNAP text reminders.

]]> Pay Child Support Over The Phone https://mcjfs.com/pay-child-support-over-the-phone/ https://mcjfs.com/pay-child-support-over-the-phone/#respond Tue, 17 Feb 2026 16:04:52 +0000 https://mcjfs.com/?p=3477

New Feature: Pay Child Support Over the Phone!

We’re excited to announce a convenient new way to make your child support payments — by phone!

Starting today, you can securely pay your child support obligations using our automated phone payment system. This feature is designed to make the process faster, easier, and accessible anytime.

 
How It Works
  • Call Marion County Child Support  at 740-387-6688.
  • Follow the prompt to access the Ohio Child Support Payment Central in order to enter your payment details.
  • Payments can be made using a credit card or debit card (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover Card are accepted).
  • Available 24/7, so you can pay at your convenience.
 
Why Use Phone Payments?
  • Quick and easy — no need to visit an office or mail a check.
  • Secure — your information is protected.
  • Immediate confirmation — get peace of mind knowing your payment is processed.

 

For more information or assistance, visit the Ohio Child Support Payment Central at  https://oh.smartchildsupport.com/ or contact our customer service team at 740-387-6688.

]]> https://mcjfs.com/pay-child-support-over-the-phone/feed/ 0 COMMUNITY RESOURCES https://mcjfs.com/community-resources/ Tue, 03 Feb 2026 13:00:00 +0000 https://mcjfs.com/?p=2240

For additional Marion area community resources such as food pantries, community meals, housing, transportation, etc., click here:

                                            MARION COUNTY RESOURCE GUIDE (rev 01-27-2026)

Marion Area COMMUNITY MEALS Calendar (updated 01-07-2026)

 

Marion Area FOOD PANTRIES Calendar (updated 01-07-2026)

]]> Protect Your EBT Card – Use The Lock & Unlock Features https://mcjfs.com/elementor-3374/ Fri, 16 Jan 2026 21:22:51 +0000 https://mcjfs.com/?p=3374

Click Here For A Video On How To Lock And Unlock Your EBT Card

]]> Protect Your EBT Card https://mcjfs.com/protect-your-ebt-card/ Tue, 01 Jul 2025 08:00:00 +0000 https://mcjfs.com/?p=2826

According to the Ohio Department of Job & Family Services, officials with the U.S. Food and Nutrition Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation have indicated that criminals are targeting SNAP benefit recipients in every state, including Ohio.

Criminals have increasingly used “skimming” to steal EBT card numbers.  Such as when a fraudulent device is placed over a point-of-sale card reader to steal payment card information.  When a recipient swipes their card over a compromised device, they are unsuspectingly sharing their card information with criminals.

Tips to avoid skimmer devices:
  • Do not use the card reader if you notice anything unusual.
  • Pull at the edges of the keypad before swiping your EBT card to ensure there is nothing over the reader.
  • Notify store staff if you notice anything suspicious with the card reader.

For more information about how to protect your account, visit jfs.ohio.gov/cash-food-and-refugee-assistance/Protect+Against+Fraud

The best way to keep from being a victim is to be vigilant.  Here are some tips for SNAP recipients:
  • Manage your benefits through the secure ConnectEBT portal or ConnectEBT app on your mobile phone or tablet.
    • Users should take advantage of the card lock option, which allows the individual to lock the card from being used at a retailer location and unlock the card to provide access to benefits only while the individual is making a purchase.
    • Users are able to block out-of-state transactions in-person only.
  • Create a PIN for your card that is unique and difficult to guess.
  • Change your PIN monthly, before each scheduled deposit.
  • Never share your card number or PIN.  ODJFS will never ask for these numbers.
  • Carefully examine point-of-sale card readers before using them to check for skimming devices.
  • When using your card, cover the keypad with your body or hand to stop others from seeing your PIN.

 

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