As a private agency, Encourage is able to develop connections with public agencies in order to help more children. We currently serve Northeast and Central Ohio including the counties of Ashland, Coshocton, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Guernsey, Holmes, Knox, Licking, Lorain, Medina, Muskingum, Portage, Richland, Stark, Summit, Tuscarawas, and Wayne.

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Every month, our agency receives dozens of requests for foster homes for youth and siblings from the counties we serve. We frequently turn away up to 80 children every month due to the lack of suitable foster homes. Simply put, we need more foster homes.

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Today over 14,000 precious hearts have been uprooted, forgotten, abused or neglected in Ohio alone. This is approximately how many children and youth were removed from their homes due to abuse, neglect or inappropriate living conditions. According to the Ohio Department of Children and Youth, as of March 31 2026, despite the need, there were only 9,441 licensed foster homes and kinship families.

Below you can see the number of children in foster care in each county we serve from the 2025 PCSAO Fact Book.