Here's what we found for you

If you recently experienced a disaster and need immediate assistance

• Call 911 for immediate medical attention
• Find a shelter if you have evacuated because of a disaster, and need to shelter outside of the hazard area. Search online using the American Red Cross Shelter Finder for help with locating open shelters near you.
• Text loved ones or use a Wi-Fi connection to update your status on social media to let others know you are safe.

In recent years, heroin use has been on the rise across the nation, throughout Ohio and in Stark County. According to Stark County Mental Health & Addiction Recovery (StarkMHAR), 1,444 members of our community were treated for opiate use in 2016 – nearly six times the number treated 10 years earlier. Find resources and programs to help raise awareness, educate the community and combat this growing epidemic.

Emergency shelter space is limited in Stark County and reserved for people with nowhere else safe and appropriate to stay. Seeking any available safe housing, even if temporary, while connecting to other desired housing assistance may need to be considered. Questions to explore:

1. Where did you stay last night? Is it safe for you? If so, is there something that would allow you to stay there again tonight? (food, utility support,

In 2023, 2-1-1, Stark County’s helpline, transitioned to StarkHelpCentral.com. 

Closing the Stark County information system and online database—that was run by United Way of Greater Stark County—and moving resources to StarkHelpCentral.com helps streamline the process for community members looking for resources and information.  

StarkHelpCentral.com can help you find community resources available to you and your family. The searchable community resource website is supported by Stark County Mental Health & Addiction Recovery (StarkMHAR),

If you’re facing financial hardships and need help with rent and utilities to help you stay afloat, Stark County offers various programs to assist. Review the options available and reach out to find out which programs might work best for you.

When families are dealing with a financial crisis, children are impacted whether we realize it or not. Most everyone in Stark County experiences the practical and emotional impacts of money troubles at one point or another, and it can be helpful to open up an honest dialogue with the entire household about the challenges. Talking about hardships could help children cope and even bring families closer.

Although financial challenges affect everyone, they can still take a major toll when they hit close to home.

When your family faces a job loss, medical issue or another significant financial setback, you might be shocked, confused and unsure where to turn. Fortunately, there are resources for young people and families who need emergency financial assistance in Stark County.

The UK organization LifeSIGNS started dedicating March 1st as Self Injury Awareness Day in 2002. Now, 20 years later, it is a national awareness day for many countries, including the U.S. Self-injury goes by other names, including self-harm and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), and encompasses a large range of actions that one takes to cope with extreme emotion, release tension from these emotions, or take back a perceived loss of control. While teens tend to be the most likely to self-injure,

As young people transition to adulthood, they may be unprepared for the financial and personal demands of independence. For emerging adults with limited income, the burden of these new responsibilities can be scary and overwhelming. Discover community resources and public assistance programs to help individuals and families in Stark County achieve financial stability and success.

When children are exposed to violence, abuse or even natural disasters, their confidence is shaken, and their view of the world can be altered. A child’s psychological and physical response to these events can have long-lasting implications for their success in school, their personal relationships and their behavior. Find local resources and childhood counseling to support children who have experienced trauma in Stark County.

Just like anyone else, LGBTQ+ teens undergo a variety of lifestyle changes on their path to adulthood. They face new challenges, from living independently and finding a job to evolving relationships. However, emerging LGBTQ+ adults often find that coming out and coming into their own is an additional source of stress. Learn about the local programs and services available to support these local young people as they develop new coping resources and strategies.

After school, it is important for students to look forward to what’s next. Whether they pursue a career, enroll in college or enlist in the armed services, young people have options in choosing their path toward adulthood. Some of these opportunities will require a high school diploma, others may demand a background of skills or training. Either way, emerging adults should have a plan for the future, so they are set up for long-term success.

For some young adults who do not receive benefits through their employers, purchasing medical insurance can be a hardship. Yet, it’s vital to secure health care coverage to stay healthy and offset large medical expenses. The Ohio Medicaid program offers those who qualify a way to obtain state-funded medical insurance, which provides coverage for many important health care services at little or no cost to the individual. Learn what Medicaid benefits could mean for you.

The transition to adulthood is a time of significant changes and challenges. As you seek full-time employment, experience changes in your relationships and move toward independent living, life can feel overwhelming. No matter why you are hurting, it is important to remember you are not alone. Find mental health service providers and emotional support resources for young adults in Stark County. Call the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 if you need immediate assistance.

Most people will experience a traumatic event at some point in their lives. Whether it is a natural disaster, exposure to violence or abuse, or the death of a loved one, a person’s ability to cope with these experiences can have a lasting effect. When a teen experiences trauma, they may respond differently than a younger child or an adult. Find local resources to help support young people who have gone through trauma and their traumatic stress in Stark County.

When a young person’s safety and well-being is threatened, it can have negative effects for a lifetime. It’s often more challenging for a young adult to cope with such events because they’re also dealing with other significant challenges, including personal relationships and living independently for the first time. Whether sudden or long-lasting, these experiences can leave a young person confused, angry or anxious. Find local resources to support these emerging adults through traumatic events.

Navigating life’s challenges is difficult enough. We’re here to make finding help for basic needs simple. Learn how to apply for cash, food and/or medical assistance and get started today. Cases are processed in the order they are received, so it is important to start the process as soon as possible.

Public assistance applications can take up to 30 days to complete. If you need immediate food, clothing, housing or medical help, please view these other resources:

• Clothing &

This year, we’ve faced a pandemic unlike anything in our lifetimes. As we get closer to a vaccine for coronavirus, many people in Stark County are still feeling the stressful effects. Fortunately, the stress response is normal during a crisis.

Are you looking for ways to manage feelings of stress and anxiety? Here are some common questions we have received related to mental health, coping with COVID-19 in the community, and an overall stressful year.

Mental Health Awareness Month is observed every May in the United States. It’s a time to recognize that our mental health is part of our overall health, fight stigmas surrounding mental health issues, learn about various issues and policies, and more. Whether or not you are personally dealing with a mental health issue or a loved one, it is important to find ways to participate. Below are some tips for Mental Health Awareness Month.

Updated 11.2023

For some families struggling with poverty and hunger, Thanksgiving can be a difficult holiday.  If you are dealing with food insecurity, need help with the expense of purchasing the needed ingredients for a special meal or are struggling with high medical bills, low wages, housing needs or other issues, we have gathered some valuable resources below.

Stark Help Central.com wants to help ensure everyone can enjoy the holiday, especially children.

Young children need proper nutrition and medical care in order to grow, develop and thrive. When a household is in financial crisis, it can have serious, long-term health, social and behavioral implications throughout their lives. Fortunately, families in Stark County are not alone in facing these challenges. There are local agencies dedicated to providing food, clothing, shelter and cash assistance to those who are experiencing hard times.

Even parents who are employed with steady incomes may struggle to make ends meet when they have child.

As the opioid crisis in Northeast Ohio continued to grow, the Stark County Opiate & Addiction Task Force was created in 2011 to help educate the community and provide necessary resources on opioids. In 2014, Project DAWN (Deaths Avoided With Naloxone) was created by the Ohio Health Department to bring together educational and naloxone distribution programs during the opioid epidemic. In order to prevent opioid overdose and to further harm reduction strategies, these organizations provide free overdose kits for anyone in Ohio who wants one.

Despite all the information available about anxiety, depression, addiction and other mental health issues, many misconceptions persist.

Mental health misconceptions can be dangerous when they keep people from getting the treatment they need. Let’s talk about mental health issues and learn to separate fact from fiction. What are some common misconceptions about mental health?

Mental health issues are uncommon,

Sometimes you might hear the terms mental wellness or mental health and think they mean the same thing. While they are connected, they actually mean two different things. What the difference?  Mental Wellness is your overall mental wellbeing, and everyone has it! Mental wellness is when people can recognize their abilities, cope with typical stress, work and function well.  In order to be mentally well, we have to take care of our minds just like we do the rest of our body.

Do you roll your eyes when you hear the words ‘self care’? Yeah, me too, and we are hearing it now more often than ever. For 20 years much of our community’s training emphasis has been on understanding both the devastation of trauma and the healing power of Resilience. Who knew that, unknowingly, we were preparing ourselves for 2020 – when our entire world would
experience a collective and ongoing traumatic pandemic.

The stability and predictability that had structured our lives?

As we age, our bodies and needs change. Nutrition is one of the most essential factors in maintaining health, independence, and quality of life. Yet for many older adults, eating a balanced, nutritious diet isn’t always easy. That’s why meal assistance programs for seniors, like Meals on Wheels, are such a critical resource in Northeast Ohio.

From preventing malnutrition to reducing social isolation, these senior nutrition services provide more than just a meal.

In honor of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) Pride Month, let us take a moment to learn more about what we can do in our personal and professional lives to create safe spaces and caring relationships for our LGBTQ youth (and adults).

Far too many LGBTQ+ youth do not feel safe and accepted or feel a sense of pride in themselves.  In fact, LGBTQ+ youth experience bullying, parental rejection, depression, and thoughts of suicide at significantly higher rates then their heterosexual peers.

Who We Are

In 2015, The Legacy Project of Stark was founded by Eugene Lingenhoel. As he was delivering backpacks & school supplies at Lehman Middle School in Canton City, the principal, Jeanne McNeal, who is now the principal at Oakwood Middle School in Plain Local, asked Eugene if he would be willing to meet with some of her students.  Jeanne saw a need for her students to have a positive role model in their life and saw an opportunity to provide that for them.