Yesterday, City Council adopted a budget that includes 1% of the General Fund for human services, which will provide an additional $790,000 in human services funding over last year. This funding will be used to expand services to low income residents for workforce supports and housing, and to provide proactive support for troubled youth with a focus on violence prevention. HSC appreciates Council’s commitment to the 1.5% ordinance adopted last year, which establishes a schedule to restore human services funding to 1.5% of the City budget over 5 years.
We also appreciate the many HSC members who came out to testify at various public hearings in favor of the 1%, including Freestore Foodbank, YWCA, IKRON, Lighthouse Youth Services, Greater Cincinnati Behavioral Services, Santa Maria Community Services, Women Helping Women, Easterseals, and Our Daily Bread, among others.
This budget provides hope to the more than 13,000 low income residents who benefit from this funding annually, and demonstrates that Cincinnati is a city of compassion that is committed to lending a hand up to its most vulnerable citizens.
