Children & Youths

A man helps a teenage boy with his homework at a table

Explore programs designed to support youth and community well-being, including family stabilization, summer camps, youth engagement, and more.

Child Support

Child support services are designed to work with both parents to promote healthy relationships and successful co-parenting that will enhance the lives of children in Franklin County.

Board Invests $215K to Expand College Readiness Programming

The Franklin County Board of Commissioners approved Resolution 0429-26 on June 23, 2026, authorizing a $215,000 grant to the Willie and Vivian Gaddis Foundation to expand college readiness coaching, financial aid literacy, and scholarship navigation for first-generation and low-income youth in Franklin County.

Child Care Assistance

Franklin County Department of Job and Family Services (FCDJFS) Child Care Program offers several programs that assist families in covering the cost of child care.

Legacies United Gets $50K Grant

Franklin County approved a $50,000 grant to Legacies United Foundation to support the Beyond the Game Youth Initiative. The investment funds intergenerational youth leadership programming, including the Recess All Stars pilot, at the Linden Community Center and Columbus City School sites. Dennis Gullick IV, president of Legacies United Foundation, was present at the May 12 session.

County Funds Aviation Career Program for Franklin County Youth

The Franklin County Board of Commissioners approved Resolution 0427-26 on June 23, 2026, authorizing a $40,250 grant to Buckeye Tigers Aviation for a week-long career exploration program serving 25-30 youth ages 12-18, including flight experiences and visits to aviation facilities across Central Ohio.

County Backs Ohio Somali Week Spring Cup With $67K Grant

The Franklin County Board of Commissioners approved Resolution 403-26 on June 16, 2026, authorizing a $67,530 grant to the New American Heritage Sports League to support the 2026 Ohio Somali Week Spring Cup. The multi-day youth soccer tournament and cultural event activated county venues, supported local vendors, and promoted community engagement across Franklin County.

County Invests in Youth Drone Program

The Board approved an $84,225 grant to CARES Learning Partnership to provide 30 high school students ages 15 to 18 with drone piloting skills and restorative practices training across three consecutive sessions. The program connects youth to careers in public safety, construction, and utilities, and is open to justice-involved and truancy-affected students.

Family Stabilization Unit

The Family Stabilization Unit is a pilot program that work across local government agencies to help youth and their families successfully navigate the challenges of a complex human services system.

Franklin County Funds Omega Lamp Youth Scholarship Program

The Franklin County Board of Commissioners approved a resolution on June 23, 2026, authorizing a $21,000 grant to the Omega Lamp Foundation for academic support, mentorship, and scholarship programming serving at least 30 youth and 50 family participants in Franklin County.

County Invests $160K into Ohio Futures Youth Media Production Training

Franklin County approved a $160,000 grant to Ohio Film Futures Inc. to deliver a two-phase Media Production Camp for county youth ages 14 to 18. The program runs May through October 2026 and provides more than 280 hours of training in script writing, filming, editing, podcasting, and media production, along with professional portfolio development.

77K Free Books for County Children

Franklin County renewed its partnership with Dolly Parton's Imagination Library of Ohio and Nationwide Children's Hospital to provide free monthly books to children from birth to age five. The renewed agreement is expected to deliver over 77,000 books this cycle.

Nationwide Children's Hires Four Ready 2 Earn Interns Full Time

The Franklin County Board of Commissioners approved a $75,000 Ready 2 Earn subaward with Nationwide Children's Hospital on October 6, 2026. All 19 summer interns completed the program, earning $15 an hour for 30 hours a week, and the hospital hired four of them full time. Ready 2 Earn served more than 630 young people this summer.

No Kidding Ohio

Through interactive presentations with compelling real-life stories, our Peer Educators teach teens and young adults about the realities of being a young parent while connecting them to resources that empower them to reach their educational, professional, and relationship goals.

Parents and Children Together (PACT) Program

Children of Incarcerated Parents (COIP) provides wraparound services to assist families with an upward trajectory encompassing all social determinants of health to mitigate barriers experienced as a result of parental incarceration.

Summer Programs

Franklin County is investing over $10 million to support enriching activities for youth this this year, from free day camps for elementary and middle school students to paid work experiences and a college and career readiness program for high school students and young adults.

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