Ohio Families Deserve a Living Wage. Raise the Minimum to $14 Now!
To: The Ohio General Assembly and Governor of Ohio

Imagine working full-time, doing everything right, but still not earning enough money to pay for food, rent, and childcare. That’s what’s happening to thousands of working families in Ohio, especially single parents.

I’m a social work student and a single mom myself, so I see this problem up close every day.

Right now, even though Ohio's minimum wage is around $10.70 per hour (as of 2025), that is not enough to survive. Experts look at the "ALICE" Report, which shows the real cost of living. For one adult and just one child in Ohio, you need to be earning about $13.45 per hour just to cover the absolute basics!

That huge gap means single parents are constantly stressed out, worried about things like:

• Choosing between paying the electric bill or buying groceries.
• Not being able to afford safe childcare while they work.
• The constant worry that affects their mental health and their kids' stability.
• It’s not right that people working hard are still trapped in poverty. Our current wage keeps families stuck, and that affects all of us!

The Solution is A Living Wage for Ohio Families
I am asking the Ohio General Assembly and the Governor to take action and make sure our state minimum wage truly reflects the real cost of living.

 We need Ohio lawmakers to commit to raising the minimum wage to a level that meets the true cost of living for working families, starting with a goal of at least $14.00 per hour to cover the gap we see in the ALICE Report.

Raising the minimum wage isn't just a number change. it's a way to:

• Reduce Poverty -  Give single parents the power to pay for necessities without public assistance.
• Improve Mental Health - Less financial stress means better emotional well-being for parents and a more stable home for children.
• Boost Our Communities -  When working families have more money, they spend it locally, helping our economy!

Sign and Share!

If you believe that every hard-working single parent in Ohio deserves to be able to pay their bills, please sign this petition!

Every signature sends a loud and clear message to our lawmakers.  We must raise the minimum wage to support working families and end the cycle of low-wage poverty.

Sign this now and share it with everyone in Ohio! Let's get these busy parents the break they deserve!

Signed,

A Social Work Intern Who Grew Up in Poverty and Knows the Drastic Effects It Takes on Mental Health