Apr 29, 2011

Nearly 400 area residents attend Athens Job Fair

Employers from around the region were taking applications, and several were hiring, at the job fair at the Athens Community Center on Wednesday, April 20.

This year’s event was the seventh-annual Area 14 One-Stop Job Fair, and more than 60 employers from southeast Ohio, Columbus and West Virginia took part. Hundreds of area residents attended the event so that they could apply for work and learn about job opportunities available in the region.

Apr 25, 2011

Task Force opposes plan to privatize state prisons

The Athens County Reentry Task Force opposes Ohio Governor John Kasich’s proposal to sell five of Ohio’s prisons and allow them to be run by for-profit companies.

Most of the discussion on the proposal so far has focused on the financial implications of the arrangement. The Reentry Task Force believes the Ohio General Assembly should reject the proposal because of the ethical issues it raises.

Apr 22, 2011

Additional comments from our clients about the challenges they face

As a follow-up to a recent post, here are additional comments from Athens County Job and Family Services clients, talking about the challenges they face meeting their basic needs:

“My husband has a full-time job, but it is barely enough to cover utility bills, mortgage, property taxes and household expenses. Now that gas prices are so high, we cannot afford car repairs and normal maintenance. My husband and I are both in poor health and cannot afford the medications, procedures and surgeries that would ease some of our pain. My husband has mini strokes and works very hard. He is also a veteran of the U.S. Air Force. My husband and I do not qualify for Medicaid. I can’t believe that citizens are treated this badly. “

Apr 4, 2011

Comments from a few Athens County families, discussing the challenges they face in trying to meet their basic needs

At a time when Ohio residents are already hurting, state leaders are planning to make even deeper cuts to the budgets of programs and services in place to help people living in poverty. We already do not provide enough assistance to help our neighbors meet their basic needs, and now we are making additional cuts in order to pay for tax cuts that benefit the rich.
Here are a few comments from Athens County residents, discussing the challenges they are currently facing in their lives: