WK4 Private vs. Public Agencies Discussion
Must post first.
Objective 1: Compare and contrast the policies and procedures of public and private helping agencies.

The goal of this activity is to explore primary differences between private and public helping organizations. Eligibility as determined by means testing is the standard government agencies use to fix a level of assistance to a given client. Private agencies are not bound by the same regulations.

Use the federal government or the State of Ohio website to research types of public assistance available to needy populations. Here are a couple websites to get started.
www.benefits.gov for federal benefits
www.jfs.ohio.gov for state of Ohio benefits

Pick one type of benefit and compare what the government agency offers with what types of services a private agency might provide to a similar client. Below are a few examples.
Food Needs-Public-Supplement Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) www.benefits.gov
Food Needs-Private-Mid-Ohio Food Bank www.midohiofoodbank.org
Employment Needs-Public Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Training- Office of Workforce Development www.jfs.ohio.gov
Employment Needs-Private Goodwill Industries www.goodwill.org
Disaster Relief-Public-Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) www.fema.gov
Disaster Relief-Private -Salvation Army www.salvationarmy.org
The Red Cross www.redcross.org

Prepare to share in discussion on the following points:
What similarities and differences do you find in the public versus private agency?
Which agency would you turn to if you were in need?
Which agency provides the most practical help for the greatest number of clients?
What religious orientation did you notice in any private agency?