**PAID PODCAST**
MARION, OH (MARION COUNTY NOW) — As Marion County voters prepare to decide on a renewal levy for the Marion County Board of Developmental Disabilities (MCBDD), local parents are highlighting the daily impact those services have on families across the community.
Speaking on the “Community Spotlight” program with host Randy Bigley, Marion resident Karime Hord shared how the board provides vital resources for her 13-year-old son, who has profound autism, as well as roughly 1,000 other individuals across Marion County. When factoring in parents, siblings and caregivers, Hord noted the agency’s reach touches more than 4,000 residents locally.
Hord emphasized that the upcoming ballot measure is a renewal levy rather than a new tax, meaning 100% of the funding remains in Marion County without increasing existing tax rates.
Through MCBDD, Hord’s family connected with a social worker who helped them secure and fund a specialized enclosed safety sleeper bed—an expensive piece of equipment that prevents her son from wandering at night and allows her family to rest safely. Beyond specialized equipment and nutritional support for children with sensory needs, the board coordinates family support groups, community inclusion events like an annual prom and kickball games, and essential adult day habilitation and employment services.
Without the renewal levy, Hord warned that vital programs—especially transportation, employment opportunities and daily social connections that keep adults with developmental disabilities from becoming isolated—could face severe reductions. Residents with questions about how levy funds are allocated are encouraged to contact MCBDD Community Relations Director Nikki Workman or visit the board’s website and social media pages.