Lifeline was founded on June 19, 1973 with the mission of helping Lake County's low-income residents by providing assistance and life skills programming that was designed to increase self-sufficiency. In 1980, Lifeline became a participating agency of the United Way of Lake County. In 1987, Lifeline was designated as Lake County's Community Action Agency by the Ohio Department of Development. And in 2008, Lifeline became certified by the Ohio Department of Mental Health as a mental health agency.
Today, Lifeline is a community leader in providing services and advocating for Lake County residents who live in poverty. Program areas include housing, health services, financial literacy, information and referral services, utility assistance and reentry outreach.