The Columbus Federation of Settlements (CFS) is a coalition of seven neighborhood-based organizations that helps individuals and groups build upon their strengths and draw upon community resources. It is this historic focus on the neighborhood that differentiates Settlement Houses in Columbus from other social service agencies and provides the coalition with its greatest potential.
Poverty is predominantly concentrated in the inner city of Columbus, where one in five single mothers and their children
live in poverty, and where academic achievement is lower than average for the area. The Columbus Settlement Houses are clustered in and around the central city where need is highest and residents face multiple daily challenges.
Together,
the Settlement Houses cover a population of about 247,000 people—35% of
the entire population of Columbus.
Of these, about 65,000 (26% of the
residents living within any Settlement House area) live below the
federal poverty level.
The Settlement Houses collectively provide services to areas comprising almost two-thirds (61%) of the total number of
people in Columbus living below the federal poverty guidelines. The Settlement Houses collectively provide services to areas comprising almost half (47%) of the total number of people living in Columbus categorized as a “minority” population (African American/Black, Asian, Hispanic/Latino). The Settlement Houses also collectively provide services to areas comprising over a third (38%) of the total number of people living in Columbus over the age of 65.
Because of their locations in impoverished areas, Settlement Houses
traditionally and currently serve families most in need:
- new Americans
- older adults
- members of minority populations
- people who are
unemployed or underemployed
- those who are living in poverty
- and those
who have multiple needs that place them at high risk
for myriad social, health, economic, and personal problems
CFS member agencies provide many similar services, such as after-school
programs, community outreach, senior services, and summer activities
for school-age children. Additional programs offered at some member agencies include child care, counseling, computer training, employment
counseling, GED classes, home repair, food pantries, and free clothing distribution. No matter the particular services provided, the focus remains on
building upon individual neighborhood strengths, thus distinguishing
each of the Settlement Houses from one another.
