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COLUMBUS – The Ohio Association of Community Action Agencies (OACAA), in cooperation with Strategic Research Group (SRG), will release the 2025 State of Poverty in Ohio Report on Thursday, August 14, 2025, at The Ohio Statehouse Ladies Gallery. The press conference will begin at 2:00 p.m.
This year’s report highlights the growing prevalence of “service deserts,” which are areas where critical resources are scarce or even entirely out of reach. The report reveals the lack of access to pharmacies, food, healthcare, transportation, and more, can threaten the health and well-being of Ohioans living in poverty.
“Ohio’s service deserts disproportionately impact high-poverty communities in both urban and rural areas,” said Philip E. Cole, executive director of OACAA. “When families and whole communities have a difficult time accessing basic needs like food and medicine, that is normally a demonstration of lack of access to employment and other economic opportunities as well.”
The 2025 report aggregates data from sources including the U.S. Census Bureau and independent research reports, to uncover barriers Ohioans face each day. The data, combined with graphics, narrative, and scenarios of people in poverty, shine a light on the impacts of Ohioans living in service deserts.
During the press conference, Cole and Tina Kassebaum, Partner and Principal Investigator of SRG, will highlight the report’s findings, discuss the methodology, and answer questions. Copies of the report will be available at the press conference, as well as online at www.oacaa.org immediately following.
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