Food Assistance Program
The Food Assistance Program helps people with low income obtain nutritious food. Food Stamp benefits are issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture through county job and family services departments and are used to purchase specific staples and grocery items at participating grocery stores. Eligibility, determined by the CDJFS, is based on federal guidelines including income, resources and household size. A household may consist of an individual or group of individual who live together and usually purchase, prepare and eat their food together.

Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT)
Electronic Benefits Transfer or EBT, allows individuals to receive food assistance benefits and purchase their food electronically. The Ohio Direction EBT Card is a debit card. Food assistance is automatically deposited into the account each month on the same day. The day is determined by the last digit of the assistance group case number. The card can be used to purchase food at grocery stores which display the Ohio Direction Card sticker. The amount of the purchase is electronically deducted from the balance and the balance will remain available until used.

Ohio Works First
Ohio Works First (OWF) was established to provide time-limited cash assistance to eligible families through Ohio's Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) program which emphasizes employment, personal responsibility and self-sufficiency. Cash assistance is provided to eligible families for up to 36 months. For child only cases, there are no time limits. After a 36 month time-limit, cash assistance is not available unless the county department of Job and Family Services approves an extension. A family may apply for a hardship exemption at any time their 36 month time-limit has ended. A family may apply for a good cause extension after a 24 month waiting period following the 36 month time-limit. Each county develops its own policy for hardship and good cause. If application is made in Ashtabula County, the family must meet the Ashtabula County Department of Job and Family Services Hardship and Good Cause policies.

Child Care
Assistance is provided to subsidize the cost of child care to eligible families with children under age 13 whose parent/caretaker(s) are employed, attending school or cooperating with their self-sufficiency contract. The Ashtabula County Department of Job and Family Services also certify professional home care providers and parent/provider inspected homes.