Area briefs

St. Vincent DePaul of Fostoria receives grant FOSTORIA — St. Vincent DePaul Society of Fostoria has been awarded a $10,800 grant from the White Family Charitable Fund of Tiffin Community Foundation to aid people in need with bed bug extermination services in Fostoria and Seneca County. "We are very grateful to the White Family Charitable Fund. With the funds they provide, we will be able to improve the quality of life of the needy and help them to safely remain in their homes," said Annie Cassidy, president of Fostoria St. Vincent DePaul. The organization has a mission to "Help Others During Their Time of Need." The staff interviews clients every Thursday from 9 a.m. to noon at High Street Methodist Church, 243 W. High St., Fostoria. For information about services provided or to make a donation, visit facebook.com/St. Vincent dePaul Fostoria or www.stvfostoria.net, email stvfostoria@gmail.com or call 419-435-7259. New business opening in Fremont FREMONT — Sandusky County Chamber of Commerce is set to celebrate the grand opening and ribbon cutting of Hometown Hub of On Point Wellness at 1 p.m. Nov. 16 at 1311 E. State St., Fremont. Partners Dee Lento and Danyelle Lantz have been operating out of another location for a few years, but recently moved to the new location for a better visual presence. They offer well-known meal replacement shakes, greens boosters and boba teas as well as protein hot oatmeal bowls, cake pops, waffles and coffee. They also offer health and wellness challenges and community fitness events. For more information, contact Stacy Root at 419-332-1591 or visit the chamber's website, www.scchamber.org. Free assistance available for healthcare coverage signup TOLEDO — Toledo/Lucas County CareNet's licensed and certified navigators are available to provide northwest Ohioans with free assistance with Health Insurance Marketplace and Medicaid enrollment. Marketplace open enrollment for 2024 plans is Nov. 1 - Jan. 16, and residents must enroll by Dec. 15 for coverage to start Jan. 1. To help people find the right coverage option for 2024, the federal government is focusing on increasing access to consumer assistance and awareness about the availability of low-cost Marketplace plans, according to Julie Grasson, executive director of Toledo/Lucas County CareNet. "The Marketplace continues to make improvements, and CareNet is here to help northwest Ohioans explore, compare and select plans. This is a free service for anyone who needs help enrolling or re-enrolling in coverage through the Marketplace or Medicaid." CareNet has navigators who speak English, Spanish and Arabic. They can provide free assistance in-person, on the phone or via a virtual meeting to residents of 21 northwest Ohio counties. Anyone can schedule an appointment calling 833-628-4467 or visiting widget.getcoveredamerica.org. CareNet is a member of the Ohio Association of Foodbanks' navigator consortium, which serves 77 of Ohio's 88 counties. For more information, visit toledocarenet.org or getcoveredohio.org. The project is supported by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as part of a financial assistance award totaling $2.52 million with 100% funding by CMS/HHS.