241-KIDS is Hamilton County’s 24/7 child abuse hotline — the number anyone can call when they’re concerned about a child’s safety. For more than 50 years, Hamilton County Job and Family Services has operated this critical emergency line, responding to reports of suspected abuse, neglect, dependency and families in crisis who need help.

Hotline workers answered nearly 50,000 calls last year. Some are heartbreaking. Some are urgent. All are important. And when a child may be in danger, these professionals respond immediately.

In this podcast, you’ll hear from the hotline workers themselves — the voices behind the calls – about the challenges they face and the life-changing work they do every day to help protect children and support families.

To learn more about Hamilton County, Ohio, our services and job openings, visit hamiltoncountyohio.gov.

In this episode of Heart & Hustle, we sit down with Tony Staubach, Food Waste Diversion Coordinator for Hamilton County ReSource, to rethink how we view food. Tony shares how simple habits like meal planning and shopping with intention can keep food out of the landfill and money in your pocket. With organic waste accounting for roughly 15% of our local landfill and the average family of four throwing away around $1,600 in food, the stakes are higher than most people realize. The good news? Cutting food waste is one of the easiest and most impactful ways to reduce our environmental footprint while making a real difference at home.

Learn more about food as a valuable resource by visiting us at wastedfoodstopswithus.org.

To learn more about Hamilton County, Ohio, our services and job openings, visit hamiltoncountyohio.gov.

In this episode of Heart & Hustle, County Administrator Jeff Aluotto chats with Michelle Balz from Hamilton County ReSource about all things waste management. Together, they go beyond the basics of recycling—talking about how to keep your produce fresher for longer, safely dispose of hazardous products around the house, turn yard waste into healthy soil through composting, and more. It’s a practical, down-to-earth conversation packed with tips to help you reduce waste and make the most of what you already have.

To learn more about Hamilton County, Ohio, our services and job openings, visit hamiltoncountyohio.gov.

Season 5, Episode 3 of Heart and Hustle in Hamilton County dives into how repairing and preserving homes strengthens entire communities. Hamilton County Administrator Jeff Aluotto and Media & Engagement Director Bridget Doherty talk with LaChé Roach of LISC Greater Cincinnati about Lead Safe Hamilton County and the Revive + Thrive Home Repair Loan Program. Together, these efforts are tackling urgent health and safety needs, keeping families in their homes, and protecting Hamilton County’s vital housing stock — a key step toward stabilizing neighborhoods and securing generational wealth.

To learn more about Hamilton County, Ohio, our services and job openings, visit hamiltoncountyohio.gov.

In this episode of Heart and Hustle in Hamilton County, hosts Jeff Aluotto and Bridget Doherty speak with Greg Forté, Director of the Office of Small Business, about how the County is supporting its thriving community of micro-businesses and entrepreneurs. They highlight impactful programs such as grant funding, coaching, and events like Small Business Day and Pitch Night, which have helped over 1,700 unique businesses since 2022. Looking ahead, the Office aims to expand its outreach and solidify Hamilton County as the top destination for small business growth in the nation.

To learn more about Hamilton County, Ohio, our services and job openings, visit hamiltoncountyohio.gov.

Ever wonder why fire hydrants aren't always red? We're back with another off-site episode of Heart and Hustle, where we go out and learn all things fire hydrant maintenance with our field operations crew from Planning + Development in Springfield Township. Teaser alert: fire hydrants tend to be magnets for cars!

To learn more about Hamilton County, Ohio, our services and job openings, visit hamiltoncountyohio.gov.

This episode explores the story of the new Regional Safety Complex and how the County, City, and communities came together to relocate a gun range out of Lincoln Heights. Hosted by County Administrator Jeff Aluotto and Communications Director Bridget Doherty, it also features Deputy County Administrator Anson Turley and Hamilton County Sheriff Office Chief Deputy Jay Gramke. 

To learn more about Hamilton County, Ohio, our services and job openings, visit hamiltoncountyohio.gov.

Whenever we have a long hiatus in our podcast, we return with a new season of jam-packed government content for our one listener! We jest (but do appreciate our one fan). In our season opener, we talked with Robert Bell and Gabrielle Woehler with the Hamilton County Economic Inclusion and Equity Department.  Robert and Gabrielle discuss the evolution of DEI efforts baked into the County's purchasing, spending, and hiring efforts. 

Under Mr. Bell's leadership, Hamilton County has an overall MBE/WBE spending goal of $14 million per year and $70 million in five years. This is a direct result of implementing the County's first disparity study. We get into the details and discuss the equity framework that guides the department to provide opportunities for all Hamilton County residents!

To learn more about Hamilton County, Ohio, our services and job openings, visit hamiltoncountyohio.gov.

"Don't call it electrocuting fish," was our first lesson in electrofishing- a practice where you temporarily stun and collect fish and other aquatic wildlife to determine the health of a stream or waterway. We took our podcast on location to Howard's Creek in Whitewater Township with Sara Fehring and Sarah Meadows from the Hamilton County Conservation District. So, grab your rubber waders and your net and get ready to learn about electrofishing and why we collect this data on the fish population!

To learn more about Hamilton County, Ohio, our services and job openings, visit hamiltoncountyohio.gov.

In 2022, over 50,000 calls rang into Hamilton County's 513-241-KIDS hotline, and over 6,000 cases were opened for assessment. During the entire month, Hamilton County Job and Family Services has been sharing tips on how to prevent child abuse and support families. HCJFS Director Michael Patton and Deputy Director of Children's Services Alexandra Patsfall  joined the Heart and Hustle Podcast to discuss the Child Abuse Prevention Month efforts and their #OneSmallThing  campaign. 

To learn more about Hamilton County, Ohio, our services and job openings, visit hamiltoncountyohio.gov.