Malachi Center, in the Ohio City neighborhood, serves some of the community’s most vulnerable residents. The neighborhood has a 42 percent poverty rate for families with children.

1 in 5 households lacks internet and half qualify for food bank benefits (Center for Community Solutions, 2022). 100 percent of participants qualify as low income and most struggle with challenges related to poverty. Many participants in Malachi Center’s programs are also dealing with homelessness or housing insecurity.

Many Malachi Center participants reside in nearby public housing or live in the area within walking distance of Malachi Center. There are participants however who come from a range of both east and west side neighborhoods. Many of the participants are also dealing with an array of challenges including acute and chronic physical and mental illnesses, substance abuse, trauma, and the impacts of chronic stress.