Athens County Job & Family Services

A few facts about Food Stamps

2012-01-25T14:44:00.000-05:00

The Food Stamps program today is called the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which emphasizes that the program is not meant to provide enough food for a family for a month. In 2008, when the United States Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service announced the name change, the press release stated that the program is designed to provide “a vital supplement to the food budgets,” of the recipients.
The following figures are taken from the United States Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service report: “Characteristics of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Households: Fiscal Year 2010 - September 2011.”

• In fiscal year 2010, an average of 40.3 million people living in 18.6 million U.S. households participated in the SNAP program each month.

• The average monthly benefit received by SNAP households in 2010 was $287.

• Nearly half (47 percent) of all SNAP recipients are under age 18.

• Also in 2010, 41% of all SNAP participants lived in households with earnings. For most of these households, earnings were the primary source of income.

• Between 1990 and 2010, the percentage of households with no cash income of any kind nearly tripled. In 1990, 7 percent of SNAP households had zero gross income. This increased to nearly 20 percent in 2010.

• More than 21 percent of SNAP households receive Social Security and nearly 21 percent receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits given to the aged and disabled.

• In 1990, 42 percent of all SNAP households received cash welfare benefits and only 19 percent had earnings. In 2010, only 8 percent received cash welfare, while 30 percent had earnings.

• In fiscal year 2010, 76 percent of all SNAP households included a child, an elderly person, or a disabled nonelderly person. These households received 84 percent of all SNAP benefits.

• The percent of eligible people who chose to participate in SNAP rose from 54.1% in fiscal year 2002 to 72.2% in fiscal year 2009.

Additional facts about food stamps:

• Every $5 in new SNAP benefits generates nearly twice as much ($9.20) in total community spending, according to the SNAP Community Outreach Toolkit.

• More than 10,000 Athens County residents receive SNAP benefits each month, according to figures from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services Public Assistance Monthly Statistics.

Tax assistance program at the Work Station

2012-01-24T15:55:00.000-05:00

The tax assistance program at The Work Station in The Plains is now open on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays to help area residents with their basic income tax forms.

The Ohio Benefit Bank is coordinating the tax assistance program this year, and all appointments must be scheduled through the Ohio Benefit Bank and not through The Work Station. The number to call to schedule an appointment is 1-800-385-6813, extension 2236.

The program was initially assisting taxpayers at The Work Station on Wednesdays and Fridays. Because of strong demand for this free service, though, the program is now also at the Work Station on Thursdays.

In order to be eligible to receive assistance with their income tax forms, area residents must have an annual income that is at or below $60,000. Area residents who are self-employed may also be able to receive assistance, as long as their expenses do not exceed $5,000.

The program provides assistance for area residents who are filing basic tax returns and in most cases cannot assist taxpayers who have to report items like capital gains or rental income.

Trained volunteers are available at The Work Station from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Wednesdays and from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays to assist area residents with their taxes.

The program also provides tax assistance at the Second Harvest Regional Food Center in Logan on Mondays through Fridays from 7:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m., and on Saturdays from 8 a.m. until noon.

Presidential candidates claim credit for welfare reform, but what did the reforms really accomplish?

2012-01-17T12:09:00.000-05:00

In recent campaign speeches and debates, presidential candidates Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum have both claimed credit for welfare reform and promised additional reforms if elected. And over the last 15 years, Democrats and Republicans alike have all proclaimed welfare reform to be a bipartisan success. But what really happened with welfare reform and what exactly are these political leaders basing their claims on?

“Contrary to the political rhetoric from both political parties, welfare reform was not a success,” explained Jack Frech, director of Athens County Job and Family Services. “Any objective evaluation of the state of poor families in America today will conclusively show that these families are worse off now than they were in 1996, when welfare reform was put into place.”

The 1996 reforms made welfare a block grant program that has had its funding kept at approximately $17 billion over the last 15 years.

“How many other federal programs are expected to provide adequate services on the same budget that was in place 15 years ago? This has been the most intentionally harmful public policy for families and children in recent memory,” Frech said. “How can anyone say that welfare reform has been a success when there are 7.3 million children living at less than half of the Federal Poverty Level?”

Athens County Job and Family Services has compiled a report looking at the true impact of welfare reform in America. The report looks at the stated goals of the reforms and if these goals have been met. The report also examines the impact that the reforms have made on children and families.

Click here to read the report, which is posted at jfs.athenscountygovernment.com.

Click here to read an additional, more in-depth report on welfare reform.

Small food pantry makes a big impact on the lives of area residents

2011-12-09T14:14:00.000-05:00

Tom and Shirley Fox live in a small house on a quiet little road in Athens County. About the only thing big at the property, in fact, is the large dog that ambles about outside.

Inside this humble home located near Millfield, though, the couple runs the Ray of Hope Food Pantry and provides a large amount of hope and assistance to people every day.

“We’re doing something to try to help other people,” Shirley said. She and her husband originally volunteered with the Feed My Sheep food pantry in Mineral. When they asked the director one day what else they could do to help, he suggested that they open a food pantry.

So, for the last eight years, Tom and Shirley have been running the Ray of Hope food pantry out of their home. The Feed My Sheep pantry helped them get started and provided them with food to hand out for several years.

When the time came for Tom and Shirley to take over the responsibility of getting all of the food for the pantry themselves, they were not sure how they were going to do it. Shirley explained that she walked into the room where they keep the pantry and prayed, asking for guidance and support for this work they felt called to do.

“The next day, someone came by and brought us some stuff,” Shirley said. Today, the food pantry has several regular donors, which include local individuals and families, as well as a few churches in the region and one in Columbus. The food pantry accepts donations of food, clothing and toys, as well as personal care items. When people donate cash to the food pantry, Shirley uses the money to buy more items for the pantry, often purchasing personal care items. The pantry currently helps around 20 families each month.

“Sometimes we don’t have food,” Tom said. “We could probably do more if we had it.” A few years ago, when the pantry had much more food on a regular basis, it was helping between 60 and 70 families each month.

The pantry is not part of the county-wide food pantry system, and families are able to pick up a food box once a month.

“If they absolutely need it, we’ll give them more,” Shirley said. As the economy has worsened locally and across the county in the last few years, Tom and Shirley have seen the impacts on local families firsthand.

Recently, for example, two single women were in the pantry picking up some food and other items. The women told Tom and Shirley how they had been searching and searching for jobs but had not found anything yet. They were worried about how they would be able to provide for their children.

“They stood there and just cried and cried,” Shirley said. She hears a lot about the problems people are facing and always tries to visit with the pantry visitors.

“Because we are small, we can sit down and talk with them,” Shirley said. “They are able to tell us their problems.” Many people are thankful to have someone to talk with and discuss the challenges they are facing. Tom and Shirley can’t always help with the problems, but they always listen and help if they can.

One additional way that Shirley tries to help people is by providing nutritional food. Just because people are poor doesn’t mean that they should have to eat unhealthy foods, she said. She works to provide healthy food for her clients, and she will also talk with the clients about ways they can serve nutritious meals to their families.

The Ray of Hope Food Pantry is currently accepting donations of Christmas items to hand out to local families, and Tom and Shirley hope to be able to help a large number of people this year. For Thanksgiving, Tom explained, they handed out boxes of Thanksgiving meal items to 24 families. That was in addition to the regular food boxes for 23 families that the pantry handed out in November.

And while Tom and Shirley work hard to help local families, they live on a limited income and a tight budget of their own. They are thankful for what they have, though, and don’t mind all of the hours and work they put in to keep the pantry running.

“I like it,” Tom said.

“It’s fun,” Shirley added.

The food pantry, which is located at 17082 Truetown Road, is open to families in need on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 1-4 p.m. Area residents who would like to donate to the pantry can drop off items any time throughout the week. For more information, call 767-3728.

Open interviews for truck drivers, mechanics to be held on Dec. 14 at The Work Station

2011-12-06T15:48:00.001-05:00

A local company will be conducting open interviews for truck drivers and mechanics on Wednesday, Dec. 14 from 1-5 p.m. at The Work Station in The Plains. For more information on the positions that area residents can apply for, click here or call The Work Station at 797-1405.

Homeless shelter sees increase in demand, does not have enough room for all of the people in need

2011-12-05T14:50:00.000-05:00

Click here to read an article in The Athens NEWS on increases in homelessness in Athens County and the region. The Good Works Homeless Shelter in Athens County is being forced to turn away more homeless people than ever before simply because the demand for assistance is so high.

Ohio's poverty crisis

2011-11-30T09:30:00.003-05:00

If all of the children living in extreme poverty in Ohio lined up and held hands, the line of children would stretch all of the way from Cleveland to Columbus.

Living in extreme poverty means that your household income is at or below 50 percent of the Federal Poverty Level. According to figures from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, more than nearly 275,000 children are living in extreme poverty in Ohio. That number is shocking and disappointing.

But while many of the poverty figures in Ohio have been well-publicized in recent years, many people don’t have an understanding of just how large the problem is. Here are a few facts to help put the poverty crisis into perspective:

The number of children living in extreme poverty is larger than all Ohio cities except Cleveland, Cincinnati and Columbus. The number of children in extreme poverty could more than fill up any other city in Ohio.
The number of children ages 5 and younger who are living in extreme poverty is greater than the number of people living in the cities of Lancaster, Lima and Zanesville combined. More than 112,000 children ages 5 and younger are living in extreme poverty.
If all of the people of all ages living in extreme poverty in Ohio lined up and held hands, the line would more than stretch from Cincinnati to Cleveland and then back to Cincinnati again. More than 768,000 Ohio residents live in extreme poverty.
A family of four living in extreme poverty is living at or below an annual income of $11,175, or just $932 per month. A family of two living in extreme poverty is living at or below an annual income of $7,355, or just $613 a month.
The number of children ages five and younger living in extreme poverty in Ohio has increased from 62,298 in 1999 to more than 112,000 today, an increase of nearly 80%.
The number of all Ohio residents living in extreme poverty has increased from 530,076 in 1999 to more than 768,000 today, an increase of nearly 45%.

Homeless area residents explain the challenges they are facing

2011-11-16T09:55:00.001-05:00

Throughout the last year, many of our clients at Athens County Job and Family Services have filled out surveys discussing the hardships they are facing. Following are several of the comments from clients who are currently homeless or are in danger of becoming homeless:

“Currently, my hardships are that I have no job and am having a hard time finding work. As a result, I have no home, I just have to bounce around from place to place and stay with my friends. I also have no money to pay for groceries or food at all. I won’t need help for long, but at the moment I would really appreciate it.”

“I have no money or income. I have been living out of my car and I am seeking help with food. I have been looking for work, but no luck. Please help. I would also appreciate medical, too, but food is what I need. Thanks for your time.”

“At this time, I am homeless. My in-laws are letting me stay with them for a short time, but I have to pay $100 a month to help with bills. I am currently unemployed but am seeking work. They cannot afford to feed me so I’m applying for food assistance. Also, I am a diabetic so I must eat differently from them. To add to the trouble, I am obligated to pay a total of $400 a month in child support. With me not living with my children, I cannot get medical help with my diabetes. Being unable to find employment, I must find side jobs to do just to pay the $100 rent, which in hand has me struggling on feeding myself and that is a HUGE issue due to my diabetes. It is very hard to control when I can’t afford food, let alone buying my insulin.”

“My ex-boyfriend and I split and I had to move back in with my parents. I have no car right now or a job, so I’m trying to get a job, but it seems that with having a felony five on my record (receiving stolen property), no business will give me a chance. I do not receive assistance right now, and I get $45 a week to support my son in child support, which honestly isn’t much. My child needs winter clothing as well as I do, and I have no job to go buy clothing at the moment. I’m living with my parents, but am expected to buy my own food and pay $100 in rent a month.”

“I have just moved back in with my mother, as I’m working on getting the SSI going again. I fix my own food, and I need medical assistance to go see a doctor.”

“Right now, I am homeless. I stay here and there, wherever I can. All I have is my food stamps. I get $180 a month. They do help, so I can at least eat during the month. I just wish Job and Family Services could help me get into a home. I have very bad back problems and bipolar problems and have tried for SSI and have missed appointments due to no ride or no gas money. It’s been real hard without any help! Plus, with my mental problems, I forget a lot of things, especially appointments.”
“I can’t make my house payment and keep all of the utilities on. I can’t do it all by myself.”

“I am facing a lot of hardships right now. I currently am homeless and the cost of food is so much over with the food stamps (they do help) but you can still barely eat well all month. It would be nice if we could get an increase in food stamps and with cash assistance.”

“I’m still in school and I have to find a way to and from school every day because I’m homeless and I don’t have a job.”

“Currently, I am unemployed with absolutely no money coming in at all. I have medical needs as far as paying for prescriptions and regular doctor visits and unpaid medical bills. Currently, I have a credit card bill and have no place to live, so I am homeless with no money to find a place to live. I have been staying wherever I can with whoever will help me out, like friends. But I have a mailing address that they will let me have my mail sent to. Also, I currently do not have a vehicle.”

“I just left an abusive relationship and I’m staying at My Sister’s Place with my daughter. We don’t receive enough food to feed us both and because of my past relationship, I am sanctioned so I can’t receive any cash from JFS. I have no job, so I constantly worry about what I’m going to do. I’m tired of depending on everyone else. I’m attending Hocking College also, so I’m trying very hard to better our lives. It would just be nice to get a little more help along the way. Thank you. I appreciate all of the help that JFS is giving us. It helps me keep my daughter fed and if anything happens to her, I know I can get her medical attention. Thank you so much.”

“I am homeless and that makes it hard to find jobs, especially when there are no jobs hiring.”

“Currently, I am living from place to place till I can get money to get my own place. I have very bad back problems and severe bipolar issues so it makes it really hard to keep a job if I do fine one. My depression and anxiety really get to me when I work around people. It is just really hard to find a job in Athens County and when I do my problems mess it up for me. My back problem is my biggest issue. It doesn’t matter if I have a job standing up or sitting down; the pain in my back always affects me.”

“Right now, I am currently homeless without employment. I am pursuing a Social Security claim. I would not have insurance or be able to buy food without the help of JFS.”

“At this time, both myself and my boyfriend are unemployed and living with my mother. Due to lack of jobs, we have to worry about coming up with money to buy the things we need for our daughter, such as diapers, wipes and food. I’ve worried many months about how we were going to provide for our daughter.”

“I lost my job in December. My gas, electric and water will soon be shut off due to non payment. I am struggling to buy food. I have two children. My husband does work, but we cannot make it alone on his income. I have been looking for work for a month to no avail. We need temporary help till I can find work.”

November is Open Enrollment Month for Medicaid clients in Athens County

2011-10-31T15:40:00.000-04:00

November is the Open Enrollment Month for all Medicaid clients in southeast Ohio, including Athens County.

November is the only month of the year that southeast Ohio residents can switch between the three managed care plans providing Medicaid coverage. All area residents who are eligible for Medicaid are strongly encouraged to look closely at the benefits of each of the plans.

Area residents are also encouraged to talk with their current physicians or health care providers to make sure their services are covered by the managed care plans.

The three companies providing the managed care plans in southeast Ohio are United Healthcare Community Plan of Ohio (formerly known as Unison), CareSource and Molina HealthCare of Ohio.

Area residents can receive information about the benefits offered by the three companies, as well as information on how to switch their Medicaid coverage by contacting the Ohio Managed Care Enrollment Center at 1-800-605-3040 or 1-800-292-3572 (TTY) between the hours of 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.

Enrollment counselors are available by phone to discuss the managed care plans, answer questions and help area residents choose the Medicaid plan that is best for them.

Area residents can also log onto the Ohio Medicaid Managed Care Enrollment Center website at www.ohiomcec.com to receive more information or to register online. The website also has tips on how to choose the managed care plan that is best for your family, as well as information on the health care providers in the region that are covered by the different managed care plans.

Special event to raise money for Friends and Neighbors food pantry

2011-10-26T10:06:00.000-04:00

A special event featuring bands, great food, a costume contest, a haunted hayride and other activities will be held this Saturday near Coolville in order to raise money for the Friends and Neighbors Community Choice Food Center.

The event is being held to raise money for the center’s new food pantry facility, and will be held at the location of the new center.

The Friends and Neighbors Community Choice Food Center is currently located in Lottridge but is planning to move to a new, permanent location near Coolville. The new facility is located near the Dixon Road exit off of U.S. Rt. 50/Ohio Rt. 32 near Coolville, and the fundraiser will take place there from noon until 9 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 29.

Eight bands are donating their time to be at the fundraiser on Saturday and will perform a wide variety of music. The activities throughout the day will include a chili cook-off, a pie baking contest, a costume contest, kids games and a haunted hayride.

All area residents are invited to attend and help raise money for the Friends and Neighbors Community Choice Food Center.

Budget cuts force Child Support Enforcement Agency to alter its schedule for processing cases

2011-10-05T14:49:00.001-04:00

Due to a state budget cuts, it is now taking longer for the Athens County Child Support Enforcement Agency to process cases.

The agency is part of Athens County Job and Family Services, which lost more than $1.2 million in funding in the new state budget and had to scale back programs and lay off staff. This most recent budget cut was on top of several other state and federal budget cuts in recent years. In response to the funding cuts, the Athens County Child Support Enforcement Agency has now altered its schedule for processing cases.

Area residents should now expect the following time frames:

· Cases should be opened within 20 days of the completion of an application.

· Paternity establishment may take up to 80 days if an interview is not needed, or 101 days if an interview is needed.

· After the establishment of paternity, the average time for support order establishment is 97 days.

· The trial date will be six months after the date the case is filed with the court.

· Enforcement review now takes 60 days from the date that the enforcement is requested or the need for enforcement is identified. If judicial action is needed, the case will be referred to the legal department within 60 days. After the case is referred, the motion for the hearing will be filed within 90 days.

· Court hearing dates will be held approximately 6 months after the case is filed with the court.

· The average time frame for the completion of the modification process from application to completion is now 104 days.

· The average wait time to answer calls is now 15 minutes.

· The average wait time for walk-in visitors is also 15 minutes.

· All voicemail messages are returned within 2 business days.

· All e-mails are responded to within 2 business days.

· The issuance of payment history requests and/or income verifications now takes 2 business days to complete.

These time frames are approximate and represent the average time frames. Some cases may require more or less time based upon the individual facts of each case.

Dateline NBC special that featured Athens County wins an Emmy Award

2011-09-27T15:31:00.000-04:00

The Dateline NBC special that aired in July of 2010 and featured Athens County won an Emmy Award during the Monday, Sept. 26 ceremony in New York City for News and Documentary programs.

“America Now: Friends and Neighbors,” originally aired on Sunday, July 25, 2010 on NBC. A short follow-up to the program then aired on Aug. 1, 2010. The program won the award for Outstanding Continuing Coverage of a News Story in a News Magazine.

The hour-long program followed the lives of several Athens County and southeast Ohio residents for several months as they dealt with poverty-related issues. Much of the program also focused on the Friends and Neighbors Community Choice Food Center in Lottridge.

The program received very high television ratings and received more than 800 comments on the Dateline NBC website.

Lisa Roberts, director of the Friends and Neighbors Community Choice Food Center, was featured prominently in the program and then was invited to New York City for the awards ceremony. When it was announced that the Dateline NBC special had won the prestigious award, Roberts was even invited up on stage with the producers and other officials from the program.

“America Now: Friends and Neighbors” can be seen online on the Dateline NBC website at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38382773. In addition to the hour-long program that was shown on television, the follow-up and several additional clips are also featured on the web site.

Federal cuts to social services would hurt Athens County, southeast Ohio

2011-08-24T11:55:00.000-04:00

If the new federal budget calls for significant cuts to social service programs, Athens County and most of the counties in Ohio’s Sixth and 18th Congressional districts stand to be hurt much more by the cuts than other counties in Ohio.

Athens County Job and Family Services has put together a report examining the impact that federal funding has in Ohio's Sixth and 18th Congressional districts. The report clearly shows the strong benefits of government programs in the two districts and the need to support funding for these programs.

To read the report, click here.

To see an excel file with data on the two districts and the state, click here.

To see a PDF of the data files for the Sixth District, click here.

To see a PDF of the data files for the 18th district click here.

To see a PDF of the data files for Ohio, click here.

To see a file that looks at federal government spending in each district, click here.

Athens County Child Support Enforcement Agency to no longer accept payments at its office

2011-08-10T13:47:00.000-04:00

Due to budget cuts that have forced staff reductions, the Athens County Child Support Enforcement Agency will no longer be able to accept cash payments or any other payments for child support or spousal support at its office beginning on Sept. 1, 2011.

The agency is providing several payment options for area residents who previously paid at the Athens County Job and Family Services County Home Building.

The options include:

• Payments by mail. Payments can be made in the form of a personal check, money order or cashier’s check. All checks should be made payable to Ohio CSPC and should be mailed to Ohio CSPC, PO Box 182372, Columbus, OH 43218-2372. Personal checks of more than $20,000 cannot be accepted, but payments of that amount or higher can be made by certified check. Also, checks should not be sent to the Athens County Child Support Enforcement Agency.

• Payments by checking account debit cards. These payments can be made by logging onto www.ExpertPay.com. The website has a $2.50 registration fee, but there are no additional fees. Additional information can be found on the website.

• Payments by credit card. These payments can be made by logging onto www.e-ChildsPay.com. The website currently only accepts MasterCard, Visa and Discover cards. The processor charges a fee of $11.75 for all payments made on this site.

Individuals who choose to pay by check should include their names, Social Security numbers, SETS case numbers (the 10-digit number that begins with a 7), court order numbers and the amount that should be applied to each case (if the individual has more than one case).

For more information, call the Athens County Child Support Enforcement Agency at 593-5046 or stop into the County Home Building and ask to be seen as a walk-in appointment.

Dateline NBC program that focused on Athens County nominated for an Emmy

2011-08-09T14:42:00.000-04:00

A nationally-televised news program that focused on Athens County and aired in 2010 has now been nominated for a prestigious national award.

The Dateline NBC special, “America Now: Friends and Neighbors,” has been nominated for an Emmy Award by the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. The News & Documentary Emmy Awards will be presented during a ceremony in New York City on Monday, Sept. 26.

“America Now: Friends and Neighbors,” originally aired on Sunday, July 25, 2010 on NBC. A short follow-up to the program then aired on Aug. 1, 2010.

The program has been nominated for the award for Outstanding Continuing Coverage of a News Story in a News Magazine.

The hour-long program followed the lives of several Athens County and southeast Ohio residents for several months as they dealt with poverty-related issues. Much of the program also focused on the Friends and Neighbors Community Choice Food Center in Lottridge.

The program received very high television ratings and received more than 800 comments on the Dateline NBC website.

“America Now: Friends and Neighbors” can be seen online on the Dateline NBC website at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38382773. In addition to the hour-long program that was shown on television, the follow-up and several additional clips are also featured on the web site.

Job Corps to hold public meeting at The Work Station on August 10

2011-08-04T09:13:00.000-04:00

All area residents between the ages of 16 and 24 who would like to learn more about different career opportunities may want to take part in an upcoming meeting at The Work Station in The Plains.

On Wednesday, Aug. 10, representatives from the Job Corps will be meeting with area residents at The Work Station from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. The Job Corps is a program that can help people earn their GEDs, learn about different career options and even begin training for different fields.

Careers such as Medical (LPN, STNA, Nursing Assistant), Culinary, Office, Auto Body and Union Trades (including Brick & Cement, Mason, Heavy Equipment Operator, Carpentry, Electrical, Welding) are just a few of the numerous possibilities.

As part of the Job Corps program, participants receive housing and food, and they can earn money while they are learning.

The Wednesday, Aug. 10 meeting is open to the public and all area residents are invited to attend and learn more about this innovative program. For more information, call The Work Station at 797-1405 or 1-877-351-0405.

Athens County Reentry Program expands

2011-08-02T11:38:00.000-04:00

The Athens County Reentry Program is expanding its services and personnel in order to help more ex-offenders live independently after serving their time in prison.

The Ohio Office of Criminal Justice Services recently awarded a grant to Athens County Job and Family Services and the Athens County Reentry Task Force to allow for the expansion of the program.

Coordinator Jay Wamsley leads the program, which provides guidance and assistance for ex-offenders who are preparing to leave the prison system as well as those who have been out of prison for an extended period of time. The goal of the program is to help these individuals build independent lives so that they can avoid the problems that led them to prison in the first place. The initiative is designed to increase public safety, lower local law enforcement costs and reduce Athens County’s high recidivism rate.

The grant funding is allowing Wamsley to now work full-time in this position and to have an additional staff member work with him. Athens County has already seen success in reducing the recidivism rate of the ex-offenders who have been working with the reentry program, and this expansion should lead to additional success. The programs and services currently offered to ex-offenders include:

• Assistance with navigating the health care and public assistance programs as they transition into life outside of prison.

• One-on-one meetings with ex-offenders before and after they leave prison to help answer their questions and to provide information on community resources, mental health programs, substance abuse treatment programs, educational opportunities and other services.

• Assistance with employment searches.

• Support groups such as the Citizen Circle, which meets on the third Thursday of each month at The Work Station in The Plains.

• Workshops and seminars held on a variety of subjects for ex-offenders at The Work Station.

The public is invited to the monthly meetings of the Athens County Reentry Task Force, held at 9 a.m. on the fourth Monday of each month at the Athens County Job and Family Services County Home office.

Ohio residents can now apply online for assistance, make changes to their cases online

2011-07-22T09:36:00.001-04:00

Ohio residents can now apply online for cash assistance, food assistance and Medicaid, and they can make changes to their cases online as well.

The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services has created a new website that allows state residents to apply for food assistance, cash assistance and Medicaid through one simple form. They can also now complete interim reports for their cases, fill out forms to reapply for services and report changes to their cases online.

The new web site also allows clients to:

• Review case information, including monthly benefit status, benefit issuance dates, card balances, and frequently asked questions,

• Print out up to 12 months worth of benefits history (this information is often needed when applying for other assistance programs),

• Receive access to common forms and notices,

• Enroll in a managed care plan,

• Find out where to return verification materials, with county addresses and fax numbers.

Athens County residents can still apply and make changes to their cases in person at the Athens County Job and Family Services offices if they prefer. The new online application has been added as another option in order to help the program be more convenient for Ohio residents.

For those residents who want to apply online but do not have a computer or Internet access, they can apply on the new computer stations set up in the Athens County Job and Family Services lobbies or at The Work Station in The Plains, or they may apply on other public computers in the area. The new online system requires each user to set up an account and have an e-mail address. If users do not currently have an e-mail address, the system will assist them in setting one up.

The online application form for cash assistance, food assistance and Medicaid is located at https://odjfsbenefits.ohio.gov/SelfServiceSplash.jsf.

Stories of our clients - Julie's story

2011-07-19T10:32:00.000-04:00

Life is pretty tough for Julie right now.

She is out of work, she doesn’t have enough money to get by, and she and is dealing with health problems. She and her husband have a three-year-old daughter to take care of and they are having a hard time making ends meet. They are currently living with Julie’s cousin in order to save money.

The cousin, Larry, is dealing with his own health problems that make it impossible for him to work. He receives Social Security disability payments, along with receiving Social Security payments that his late mother set up for him before she passed away. He also has a difficult time getting by, but living with Julie and her family helps him a great deal.

Larry’s health problems are very serious, and he was happy with the care he was receiving from his longtime doctor. He receives Medicaid, which allows him to be able to afford to see his doctor.

One problem with Medicaid, though, is that sometimes health care centers and medical offices won’t accept insurance from some of the plans offered by Medicaid. A few months ago, Larry’s doctor stopped accepting the health insurance plan he has through Medicaid, so he had to switch doctors.

Larry would have preferred to switch health insurance plans, but Medicaid recipients in Ohio are only allowed to switch providers during one set open enrollment month each year. This is very frustrating to Larry, and he’s understandably upset about leaving the doctor that knew him and his medical history well.

Julie’s family also has several problems to deal with, but the main one right now is not having enough money to get by. Even with sharing household expenses with Larry and with receiving cash assistance and food assistance, they barely have enough to pay the bills.

“A lot of the time, we only have one meal so that my daughter can have three meals a day,” Julie said. She is thankful to have a home and to be able to pay the rent and the other bills, but she wishes the government could increase the assistance levels, even slightly to help families in need. It would be especially helpful, she added, if the assistance programs could pay for diapers and other expensive items for young children.

Public assistance benefits do provide support, but not enough to allow people meet their basic needs. The average cash assistance payment per month in Ohio is $375 and the average food assistance benefit is $292 per assistance group per month. Combined, these benefits do not even get a family of three up to 50% of the Federal Poverty Level. Benefit levels need to be increased in Ohio to help families meet their basic needs.

Julie would prefer it if her family could support itself on its own and she hopes to be working again soon. Larry wishes that his health problems didn’t prevent him from working and supporting himself. They are both at a time in their lives where they need government assistance just to meet their basic needs, and right now the assistance often falls short. We need to do more to help them.

Stories of our clients - Susan's story

2011-07-13T10:21:00.000-04:00

Susan (not her real name) was very happy with her life just a few months ago. She enjoyed her job, she and her husband had a nice home for their son and everything was going pretty well.

They weren’t getting rich and they had some medical concerns and other problems, but overall life was stable and enjoyable.

But then, just before Susan was set to take her paid vacation at work, she learned from her bosses that her job was being eliminated due to budget cuts. She is now out of work and her husband, who has held several jobs in recent years, also does not currently have steady full time work.

Now she and her family have lost their home, Susan and her husband no longer have health insurance and Susan doesn’t know how to pull herself out of this.

“We’re homeless now,” she said, explaining that they are staying with other people until they can find a way to get a home of their own again. She’s thankful for the help, but said it is tough not having their own space.

She also has some serious medical issues and has doctor’s appointments already scheduled. With no insurance, she can’t afford to see the doctor or purchase the medicine she needs. She is hoping to get approved for health insurance through Medicaid and to receive food and cash assistance from the state, but she does not know yet what she and her family will be eligible for.

One thing she is not eligible for, at least so far, is unemployment benefits. Susan is confused about why this is the case and is upset that she is not able to receive these payments.

She’s upset about a lot of things right now, understandably so. She’s trying, though, to get another job, get another home and rebuild her life. Susan is hoping that the food and cash assistance programs and Medicaid will help her get started.

If she does receive food and cash assistance benefits, though, the benefits will be much lower than the unemployment benefits would have been. Public assistance benefits do provide support, but do not provide enough to help people meet their basic needs. The average cash assistance payment per month in Ohio is $375 and the average food assistance benefit is $292 per assistance group per month. Combined, these benefits do not even get a family of three up to 50% of the Federal Poverty Level. Benefit levels need to be increased in Ohio to help families meet their basic needs.

Susan and her husband have both taken part in different educational and job training programs in the past, and they both want to be working and supporting themselves once again. Times are tough, though, and jobs are scarce.

Susan is sad about everything she has lost, but hopeful that she’s at the low point now and that things will get better again soon. She’s been knocked down, but she’s going to get back up and keep going. She just needs a helping hand to get her back on her feet.

Free lunch program keeps children fed in the summer

2011-07-11T09:36:00.000-04:00

“Do you guys have the free lunches?” a young boy asked as he walked up to the picnic table at the park beside the swimming pool in Nelsonville on a recent summer day.

This young man was one of hundreds of children who receive free lunches in Nelsonville every day throughout the summer. The lunches are passed out by the Nelsonville Community Center, thanks to a grant-funded program from Hocking-Athens-Perry Community Action.

“I think this is amazing,” said Rhonda Bentley, director of the Nelsonville Community Center. “I love this program.”

This is the third year the Nelsonville Community Center has run the lunch program, and the eighth year that Rhonda has been involved with it.

“This is for all children,” Rhonda added. The program does not have any income guidelines, eligibility rules or other regulations. It’s simple; kids just walk up to the table and ask for a lunch.

“All children are welcome,” Rhonda said.

Brittney Bartlett (shown in the image on the right), helps with the lunch program and explained that they pass out 175 free lunches each day.

On Mondays through Thursdays, they pass out sack lunches filled with items like cheese sandwiches, fruit, fruit juice, milk and other items.

“They’re really healthy lunches,” Brittney said. On Fridays, they pass out Domino’s Pizza (made with whole wheat crusts to make them healthier) along with sacks filled with food items the kids can eat for meals at home over the weekends. The volunteers also pass out afternoon snacks on Mondays through Fridays.

“The kids love the lunches,” Brittney said.

Volunteer Stacey Bentley said that many local families don’t have enough money to provide three meals a day for their children in the summer, so the lunch program is very beneficial. Some children fill up on the lunches and the snacks each day because they may not have a meal at home in the evening.

“The kids are allowed to take seconds so they can eat as much as they’d like,” Stacey said. She added that many families have money at the beginning of the summer to pay for pool passes for their children, but they can’t afford to send money with them to the pool every day to buy their lunches. Many of the children swim for much of the day and take breaks to eat the free lunches and snacks.

On Friday, Aug. 12, the Nelsonville Community Center will pass out backpacks and school supplies to local children, all free of charge. The Center is planning to hold a special event at the park next to the pool that day, and will have activities for children. The Center is currently accepting donations of school supplies to pass out and will accept donations up until Aug. 12. Many families can’t afford school supplies or backpacks, so the Nelsonville Community Center is hoping to help as many families as possible.

The Nelsonville Community Center, located at 77 W. Washington St., on the Public Square in Nelsonville, also offers numerous activities and services throughout the week, including a free community lunch on Fridays. The Center sells used furniture to help pay its bills, and invites all area residents to stop in to see the wide range of furniture items in excellent condition that are for sale at very low prices.

For more information on the Nelsonville Community Center, the lunch program or the school supplies donations, call the Center at 740-753-4100.

State budget cuts force layoffs, changes in programs and services

2011-06-21T10:59:00.000-04:00

State budget cuts are forcing Athens County Job and Family Services to eliminate 25 positions, 18 of those through layoffs.

In the proposed state budget, Athens County Job and Family Services stands to lose $1.2 million in state and federal funding. The agency is also projected to lose an additional $670,000 in federal stimulus funds.

“Our staff members struggle every day to meet the overwhelming demands of an increasing caseload of families in need,” Director Jack Frech said. “Cutting services to poor people to pay for tax cuts for the wealthy represents the worst of what’s left of our social conscience.”

The elimination of 25 positions means the number of staff members will decrease from 112 to 87. Since 2009, the agency has dropped from 144 to 87 staff members through layoffs and attrition, a total loss of 57 positions.

The latest round of layoffs eliminates the positions of seven caseworkers, three social program coordinators, three investigators, three aides, one administrative assistant and one accountant. In addition, the agency has lost through attrition the positions of three supervisors, two account clerks, one social program coordinator and one aide.

The loss of funding and staff members will affect the agency’s programs and services in several ways, including the following:

• The number of child support hearings will be cut in half from 1,100 per year to 550. This will result in delays in the enforcement and modifications of child support.

• The enrollment for the Hocking College retention program has been frozen.

• Clients will no longer receive assistance with their Social Security disability applications. The agency helps an average of 195 people per year with the application process.

• Clients who are applying for assistance or requesting changes in their cases will likely face more delays in having their cases processed. This at a time when applications for assistance continue to rise.

• Most summer employment programs for youth and adults have been suspended.

• Funding the agency previously provided for the Athens County Food Pantry has been eliminated. This funding varied from year to year and often came from extra funds at the end of the budget year.

All of these changes are in addition to the numerous reductions of programs and services, and in some cases, the elimination of programs that Athens County Job and Family Services has endured since 2009 due to state budget cuts. These cuts have included the elimination of programs to help families pay for car repairs or work uniforms, a teen pregnancy prevention program, a dental program and a program that provided free computers and computer training to families. In addition, programs such as the Workforce Investment Act job training program, a program that provided emergency funds for utility bills and food expenses, and the tax assistance center program have all been scaled back due to budget cuts in the last two years.

“We will continue our fight to restore these cuts and to provide adequate assistance for our most vulnerable citizens,” Frech said.

Local officials urge state leaders to protect funding for safety net programs

2011-06-16T16:47:00.000-04:00

The Ohio budget process may be close to being finished, but area residents still have time to encourage state leaders to make major changes to protect services for families in need.

The Ohio House of Representatives and the Ohio Senate have both passed their versions of the two-year state budget, and now legislative leaders from both bodies are trying to come up with one budget plan for the next two years. The House and Senate budget plans, along with the plan submitted by Ohio Gov. John Kasich, call for deep cuts to human services programs, local governments, education and other areas of the state government. These cuts will further harm the state’s safety net system, which has seen its funding slashed several times in recent years.

“Ohio needs to raise revenue, instead of just continuing to cut the budgets to state programs,” said Jack Frech, director of Athens County Job and Family Services. His agency has lost millions of dollars in state funding in the last three years and had to lay off staff and reduce or eliminate services. Now, Athens County Job and Family Services stands to lose more than $1 million in the latest round of cuts.

The state income tax cuts from 2005 have reduced revenue significantly and are responsible for more than half of the current state budget deficit.

“ The fiscally and morally responsible move for the state would be to roll back the income tax cuts that have not produced the jobs or revenue that were promised,” Frech said.

And now that state leaders are expecting extra revenue to come in before the budget plan is finalized, it is vitally important that this funding be used to lessen the impact of some of these budget cuts and not used to provide for further tax cuts to benefit the rich.

Bill Dunlap, deputy director of the Athens-Hocking-Vinton Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services Board, explained that the last two-year state budget resulted in cuts of more than 30% in mental health and alcohol/drug addiction funding in Ohio.

“In the current budget proposal, 47 boards will receive a 30% reduction in mental health funding while 4 boards will receive no mental health funding at all. In addition, 37 boards will receive a 16% reduction in alcohol and drug addiction funding while 13 boards will receive no alcohol and drug addiction funding,” Dunlap said.

Under the current budget proposals, non-Medicaid community mental health funding will have declined by 76% over the last 10 years and non-Medicaid funding for community alcohol and drug services will have declined by 51%.

“These cuts have had real and devastating consequences that are reflected in the skyrocketing suicide rates, drug overdose deaths and increased costs to other systems such as corrections and nursing homes,” Dunlap said.

“The behavioral health system continues to urge the conference committee to increase the mental health budget by $15 million and the alcohol and drug addiction budget by $9 million in order to keep our system funded for fiscal year 2012 at the same funding level as fiscal year 2011,” Dunlap said.

Superintendent Eric Young of the Athens County Board of Developmental Disabilities said his Board stands to lose $433,000 from the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities state subsidy in the budget proposal. In addition, the Board could also lose more than $700,000 in federal Medicaid matching funds that could be drawn down with the state money, as it receives $1.68 for every $1 of state funding that is used for Medicaid services.

“We can’t afford to leave federal dollars on the table when there is so little money available in Ohio right now,” Young said. “In addition, changes in Ohio's tax code will result in the Athens County Board of Developmental Disabilities losing a combined $314,000 from the proposed Tangible Personal Property Tax and Public Utility Tax reductions. “

All of these funding reductions, coupled with growing expenses will force the agency to make adjustments by reducing costs, pursuing new revenue streams and prioritizing the programs and services that are offered.

“These reductions will result in increased caseloads, larger waiting lists for programs, and fewer resources to support our programs such as early childhood intervention, preschool, school age, adult day service, residential services, transportation and supportive employment,” Young said. “One big problem is that all local social service agencies are facing significant state funding cuts at once and this will force them to rely more heavily on and compete for local funding at a time when our local taxpayers are already over-burdened.“

All area residents are urged to contact their legislators to encourage them to maintain state social service funding in the new budget and to prioritize any new revenue projections for areas such as emergency food, mental health and addiction treatment services, early childhood programs, social services, education and home-based care for seniors and people with disabilities.

Earning their GEDs opens up new doors for Athens County residents

2011-06-09T10:19:00.000-04:00

The Athens County Adult Basic and Literacy Education (ABLE) program honored its graduates from the 2010-2011 academic year with a special ceremony held on Friday, June 3 in Chauncey. Graduates from a wide range of ages and backgrounds earned their GEDs through the program at the Athens County Job and Family Services Work Station this year, and a large crowd of family members and friends attended the ceremony to support the graduates.

Several of the graduates explained during the ceremony and after that they will now be continuing their educations in college or taking on new job opportunities.

The three main speakers for the ceremony were graduates Fionna Mobbs, Virginia Moore and Carol Moder. A previous blog post featured a few of the comments from Mobbs and Moore.

Moder explained in her remarks that she had a hard time in school when she was growing up and found out later in life that she had ADHD. She dropped out of school and then went on to work several jobs and raise a family. Because she never earned her degree, though, Moder often had to lie when filling out job applications.

“I said I graduated,” she said. But while she was able to get by without the diploma, she didn’t want her children to have to do the same.

“I emphasized school, school,” Moder said. After some changes with her current job, she learned that if she didn’t provide proof of her degree, she would lose her position.

“Now what was I going to do?” Moder said. “I never dreamed that at 64 I’d need a high school diploma.” She loved her job and the people she worked with, so Moder chose to enroll in the ABLE program at The Work Station so that she could earn her GED. And while she admitted that she still doesn’t understand algebra, Moder said that all of the assistance helped her a great deal and made it possible for her to earn her degree.

“When I found out I passed…I just sobbed and sobbed,” Moder said.

After the ceremony, graduate KaSandra Wallace said that now that she has her GED, she plans to study website design and e-business at Hocking College.

Graduate Charlotte Evans said she was home schooled in Florida, but found out in the last year that she did not have the official degree that she needed for college. The staff members at The Work Station were very helpful in getting her signed up for the GED test and having the test fee waived, and Evans is thankful for all of the assistance. She is also now attending Hocking College.

Robin Crothers also decided to enroll in the GED program so that he could go onto earn his college degree and work in fields that provide more job security. He already has nearly completed his first year of studies in the computer networking program at Hocking College and after he graduates in 2012, he plans to study computer science at Franklin University. Crothers said that teacher Scott Hatfield was particularly helpful, and he was thankful for all of the assistance from the staff members at The Work Station.

Graduates honored for their achievements, discuss their plans for the future

2011-06-08T16:21:00.001-04:00

The Athens County Adult Basic and Literacy Education (ABLE) Program honored its 2010-2011 graduates during a Friday, June 3 ceremony and also heard from three special speakers during the evening.

The ABLE program is coordinated by the Athens County Job and Family Services Work Station and has helped 67 area residents receive their GEDs in the last year. And by the time the school year concludes at the end of June, the program likely will have more than 70 graduates. Over the last several years, the program has averaged more than 70 graduates per year.

Each June, all of the graduates from the academic year are invited to a Graduation Program held at Chauncey Elementary School in their honor. The Work Station coordinates the event and always provides special music and a dinner for the graduates and their families. Sixteen of the graduates took part in this year’s event, and a crowd of around 100 was on hand to salute the graduates for all of their hard work.

“You all achieved a milestone,” said Joe McGowan, director of The Work Station, during the ceremony. “We are all very proud of you.”

The three main speakers for the day were three members of the graduating class, Fiona Mobbs, Virginia Moore and Carol Moder.

“I went to work one day and found out there was no more work and I was out of a job,” Mobbs explained during her remarks. Mobbs went to school in England, but did not have the type of degree she needed in America to get different jobs. After losing her last job and not being sure what to do next, she decided to go to The Work Station and to Tri-County Career Center to earn her GED.

“I got a lot of help from the employees at The Work Station. I could not have done it without them,” Mobbs said. She especially thanked Mike Garvin, McGowan and Candy Byron.

“She was amazing,” she said about Byron, who is a teacher. “They were all there for me whenever I needed them.” She is thankful for the help she received and excited about the doors that have opened up to her now that she has her GED.

“Now I have a great job,” Mobbs said. “I couldn’t be in a better place in my life.”

Moore explained that she dropped out of school when she was pregnant. It was hard to go back to school now after 13 years, but it was something that she wanted to do and felt like she had to do.

“It took me a long time to do this,” she said, adding that she greatly appreciated all of the support she received as she went through the program. “Thank you.”

Moore is the first of her mother’s four children to earn her GED, and she is now continuing her education at Hocking College, where she is studying nursing.

After the ceremony, Moore said that she decided to go back to school so that she could get a better paying job to provide for her family.

“In five years, I have to put my son through college,” she said. It took a lot of work to go back to school and receive her GED, and Moore said she was overcome with joy when she learned she had earned her GED.

“I just cried,” Moore said.

The comments from speaker Carol Moder and other graduates will be posted on this blog later in the week.

Impact of federal budget cuts also discussed at the recent One Ohio Now meeting in Athens

2011-06-01T09:22:00.000-04:00

Doug Stanley, director of the Hocking-Athens-Perry Community Action Program (HAPCAP), said at the May 24 One Ohio Now meeting in Athens to discuss the state budget proposal that while his agency should not be hurt directly by the state budget, it could be greatly impacted by cuts to the next federal budget.

“We’re very concerned,” Stanley said. Many of the programs that Community Action agencies use to help people living in need are at risk of being cut significantly in the next federal budget.

“Fiscal year 2012 is going to be a huge battle for funding,” Stanley said. He added that state and federal government leaders are taking the wrong approach when they only talk about making cuts in order to solve their budget problems.

“It’s not just spending,” Stanley said. The U.S. has cut its tax rates to very low levels, which has contributed to the budget problems. “But we keep talking about cutting taxes,” Stanley said.

Eric Young, superintendent of the Athens County Board of Developmental Disabilities, explained that his agency is also facing significant cuts in the state budget proposal. In addition, many of the families who receive services from his agency also receive services from other local agencies that are facing state funding cuts.

Wendy Patton, who works with Policy Matters, said that while many people are understandably confused about how the state budget closes an $8 billion gap, a few huge funding cuts make up a large part of the difference. Education loses $2.1 billion in funding, local governments lose $1 billion, higher education is facing significant cuts and other cuts are being made all across state government.

By taking money from local governments, Patton said, state leaders are trying to solve their problem by passing the problem on to the local governments.

And by cutting funding for public education, state leaders are causing problems for the public schools and putting the schools on the path to having up to 50 children in a classroom in some districts, Patton said.

She added that while state leaders are cutting funding for vital programs and services, they are also talking about cutting taxes again, even though it has not been proven that cutting taxes produces jobs or economic development.

Patton encouraged everyone to contact their state senators to tell them to protect funding for vital services and to take a more balanced approach to the budget, including looking at ways to bring in revenue rather than just continuing to cut taxes and cut funding.

She also reminded those in attendance that the state already cut income taxes significantly in 2005, promising that the cuts would result in more job opportunities and economic development.

“I’m here to tell you, it didn’t happen,” Patton said.

Comments from a Washington County school official at the May 24 One Ohio Now meeting in Athens

2011-05-31T16:14:00.000-04:00

Bob Caldwell, superintendent of the Wolf Creek Local School District in Washington County, explained at the Tuesday, May 24 One Ohio Now meeting about the state budget proposal that the current budget plan takes away funding that was promised to schools and local governments, and also brings additional cuts for schools.

“Many years ago, we were asked to do more with less,” Caldwell said, referring to the numerous budget cuts public schools have sustained over the years. “And then it became even less.”

In 2001, the Ohio General Assembly created the kilowatt-hour tax as part of the deregulation plan for electric utilities in the state. The tax was designed to replace the funding previously brought in by the public utility excise tax on electric companies. The new tax was paid by consumers, rather than by the utility companies, and state leaders explained at the time that it was being used to keep funding in place for schools and local governments.

Since 2001, though, the schools and local governments have seen their share of the kilowatt-hour tax revenue decrease, and now it is being taken away completely in the new budget. According to Caldwell, taking this tax funding away from schools causes his district to lose out on nearly $1 million.

“They are still charging you and me the kilowatt tax,” he added. The money from the tax, though, isn’t going to schools and local governments as originally promised.

“It’s not going toward what they said it was going to go to,” Caldwell said, adding that the funding is now being used to cover other state budget items.

Caldwell also discussed one of the problems with the current funding model for public schools in Ohio. Public schools rely a great deal on local property taxes, but the amount of taxes can vary greatly from one school district to the next.

In Upper Arlington, for example, 1 mill of property taxes brings in $1.6 million

In the Wolf Creek district, 1 mill of property taxes brings in $131,000

In the Trimble Local School District, 1 mill of property taxes brings in just $41,000.

The state’s school funding system has been declared unconstitutional four times, but it still has not been corrected, Caldwell added. He would like to see state leaders make positive changes to the school funding system instead of continuing to take money away from public schools.

“I happen to believe that public education is the essence of a democracy,” Caldwell said.

Media coverage of the meeting to discuss the impact of the state budget proposal

2011-05-31T09:31:00.000-04:00

Here are a few links to articles about the May 24 meeting in Athens to discuss the potential impacts of the state budget proposal on Athens County and southeast Ohio. One Ohio Now and Athens County Job and Family Services helped to organize the meeting.

Click here to read the article in The Athens NEWS

Click here to read the article in The Post.

Click here to read the article posted by One Ohio Now.

Additional comments from the One Ohio Now meeting about the state budget proposal

2011-05-27T16:30:00.000-04:00

Andrea Reik, director of Athens County Children Services, explained at the Tuesday, May 24 One Ohio Now state budget meeting that her agency is looking at a cut of $200,000 in the current budget proposal. Reik is concerned about the cut to her agency, as well as the cuts to many other social service agencies that local families depend on.

Athens County families are already facing tough times, and now the state is proposing to cut more of the programs these families rely on.

One example of how the national recession has hit Athens County hard in the last few years is the fact that Athens County Children Services has seen an increase in the number of child neglect cases involving families unable to provide for their children.

“We are also seeing more homeless families,” Reik said, adding that many families are being forced to move in with other families for economic reasons. “That puts kids at risk.”

At a time when more and more families are suffering from poverty, it makes no sense for the state to keep cutting from the programs designed to help poor children and families.

“Do we care about children? We are the safety net for children and families, and it’s being torn to shreds,” Reik said. She hopes state leaders will reconsider the cuts and provide more funding for the safety net programs that serve children and families living in poverty.

Local officials explain how the proposed budget cuts will impact Athens County, encourage Ohio residents to contact their state senators and representatives

2011-05-27T15:48:00.000-04:00

Ohio residents still have time to have an impact on the proposed state budget and can call on state leaders to take a balanced approach to the budget instead of just making further cuts to programs that help children and poor people.

That was one of the key messages of the One Ohio Now public meeting held at the Athens Community Center on Tuesday, May 24. The meeting featured representatives of local social service agencies, unions and a school district, all talking about how the proposed budget will affect the people they serve.

“This is not a done deal,” said Jack Frech, director of Athens County Job and Family Services. Frech encouraged people to call or write their state senators and representatives, as well as Governor John Kasich and to let them know how they feel about the current budget proposal.

Frech explained during the meeting that Athens County Job and Family Services has already faced numerous cuts in state funding in the last ten years in addition to the huge cut in funding that is in the current budget proposal.

“We were in a bad place to begin with,” Frech said. “We’ve had to cut our programs year after year.” The current state budget proposal calls for reducing the Athens County agency’s state funding by more than $2 million, a cut of nearly 20 percent. Across the state, the budget proposal would result in significant cuts to Job and Family Services offices and decimate many of the programs that were put in place to help people receiving public assistance become independent.

For Athens County Job and Family Services, the cut would likely mean additional program cuts or reductions, along with more staff layoffs.

In 2001, Athens County Job and Family Services had 170 employees. Due to budget cuts over the last 10 years, the agency is now down to 104 employees and that number will decrease again if the current budget proposal is approved.

Athens County Job and Family Services staff member Shawn Stover said during the Tuesday meeting that it is hard for the agency employees to see state funding cut from programs that their clients need to survive. The employees know that more and more local families need help, and are frustrated that there are fewer programs and fewer staff members available to assist these families.

“It’s unbearable. It’s intolerable. I can’t stand it,” Stover said.

Additional blog posts will include more information from the One Ohio Now meeting.

Public forum to examine how the state budget proposal will affect Athens County, southeastern Ohio

2011-05-20T12:39:00.000-04:00

Local officials and area residents are all invited to take part in a public forum on Tuesday, May 24 to discuss the potential impacts of the proposed state budget.

The open discussion will begin at 2:30 p.m. at the Athens Community Center, and all area residents are invited. The event is being coordinated by Athens County Job and Family Services and One Ohio Now, a coalition of organizations from across the state advocating for a balanced solution to Ohio’s budget problems.

The current budget proposal is calling for significant cuts in a wide range of budget areas, including education and social services. Athens County Job and Family Services, for example, is facing a funding cut of more than $2 million in the current budget proposal.

State budget cuts as currently proposed will lead to reductions in state and local services, layoffs and countless numbers of negative effects in southeastern Ohio communities and across the state.

All area residents are invited to take part in the public forum.

National magazine writes about poverty in Appalachia

2011-05-11T16:29:00.000-04:00

The national magazine, The Nation, recently wrote an article about poverty in Appalachia and interviewed our director, Jack Frech for the article.
To read the article on the web site for The Nation, click here.

Ohio House budget hurts poor families

2011-05-06T16:19:00.000-04:00

The two-year state budget proposal passed this week by the Ohio House of Representatives does nothing to help Ohioans in poverty and in many cases will just make things worse for poor children and families.

“At a time when we have seen an increase in wealth by the richest Ohioans and an increase in the number of people living in poverty, we have continued to grant tax cuts to the families who are living in luxury,” said Athens County Job and Family Services Director Jack Frech. “And at the same time, we are continuing to cut the programs that were put in place to help poor children and families, programs that provide food, clothing, shelter, job training, daycare, emergency utility assistance, medical care and services for the elderly.”

The budget bill passed by the Ohio House of Representatives calls for reducing funding for Job and Family Services offices in Ohio by $80 million. This budget cut will result in a direct reduction, and in some cases elimination, of services for Ohio’s poorest and most vulnerable families.

These cuts are on top of continued funding reductions to Job and Family Services agencies in Ohio over the last 10 years. They also come at a time when media reports are detailing record profits for corporations, record bonuses for CEOs and a massive accumulation of wealth by the richest Ohioans. And while the income gap between the rich and the poor has been increasing, state leaders have cut taxes for the wealthy. The budget proposal from the Ohio House of Representatives even calls for eliminating the estate tax, which will further benefit wealthy Ohioans.

“We continue to imagine that the wealth from the richest folks will trickle down to the poorest families. The facts from the last three decades show us that this has not been the case,” Frech said. “We are very disappointed in the decisions being made by the members of the Ohio House of Representatives.”

The Ohio General Assembly needs to take action by raising taxes on the most fortunate Ohioans and restoring funding for the programs designed to help Ohio’s poorest families meet their basic needs.

“We are hopeful the Ohio Senate will show more compassion,” Frech said.

Nearly 400 area residents attend Athens Job Fair

2011-04-29T10:53:00.000-04:00

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.

Tri-County Mental Health and Counseling Services, Inc., for example, currently has six positions available, according to Tammi Midkiff. She was talking to potential employees about the open positions and was very happy with the quality of applicants. She was especially enthusiastic about one potential employee who was extremely prepared and appeared to be a very good fit for one open position.

“This was for a position that has been difficult to fill,” she said. No decision had been made yet on that applicant or on any others, but Midkiff felt very positive about the job fair and said she is always impressed with the Athens event.

“This is by far the best job fair I have attended,” Midkiff said.

April Sinift went to the job fair hoping to find work, and said she was pleased with the number of employers. She has an associate’s degree in accounting and talked to several potential employers about job openings related to her degree.

Wilma Guess was also looking for work at the job fair and was thankful for the opportunity to talk one-on-one with so many employers.

“It’s a great thing to do to help people get jobs,” she said.

Abby Arrington was applying for jobs at the job fair and said she was happy with it.

“I think this is really helpful,” she said. She wished there were more positions for people age 18 and younger, but said she had found a few jobs that she was able to apply for.

Lowe’s Home Improvement store of Athens is currently hiring for several seasonal positions, and Steve Peterson was talking to potential employees about the positions. He was advising area residents to apply online and said he was pleased with the number of people he spoke with.

Bellisio Foods of Jackson was taking applications for entry level and supervisory positions at the job fair, according to Mike Goodwin. The business has openings in numerous areas and is looking for strong candidates for many different positions, Goodwin said. He added that he spoke with a large number of people applying for work at the job fair.

Eliza Coey of Home Health Care of Southeast Ohio said she was also pleased with the number of potential employees she spoke with.

“There were quite a few,” Coey said. Her agency is taking applications for open positions and she was pleased with the quality of the applicants she spoke with.

Logan Health Care Center is currently hiring nurses, and Mary Stack said she was pleased with the number of people who stopped at the booth to talk about job openings. This was her third year at the job fair, where Stack said has found qualified applicants every year.

Susan Lachman from Rocky Brands said she spoke with several people about the nine positions the company currently has open.

“Some of them looked very promising,” Lachman said. She has attended the Athens job fair previously, and said it is one of the best job fairs that she attends.

Task Force opposes plan to privatize state prisons

2011-04-25T13:54:00.000-04:00

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.

These ethical issues include the following:

• What are the implications of basing the operation of a prison on a purely profit motivation?

• Will a private company cut corners and provide a reduced level of custody and treatment in order to maximize profit?

• Does the existence of private prisons actually create a demand for more prisoners, which could result in locking up more Ohio residents?

• How will the demand for more prisoners impact the current discussion on sentencing reform in Ohio? The current focus is on crafting legislation that would keep low-level, non-violent offenders out of prison.

The Athens County Reentry Task Force has released a position paper studying these issues and stating the group’s opposition to the proposal. The paper can be found on the Athens County Job and Family Services website, located at jfs.athenscountygovernment.com or by clicking here.

The Athens County Reentry Task Force is a collaboration of public and private entities in Athens County working together to reduce recidivism, increase public safety and help ex-offenders become productive members of society.

Additional comments from our clients about the challenges they face

2011-04-22T13:57:00.002-04:00

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. “

“I’m a single parent to three children who are all in school. My kids’ father lives in another state and is currently not paying child support. I do work, but I am still in need of the help I get through Job and Family Services when it comes to my medical for myself and my kids, as well as the food assistance. I wish it was so much easier to make an absent parent, no matter where they live, pay child support. I work 6 days out of 7 just to be able to pay my bills. Now, with the rise of gas prices, that adds on to my monthly bills. I try my hardest to make sure my kids are healthy and having the medical help I can. If they try and take away these services or cut the help, I can handle it on myself not having, but my kids need it. Life is not all about the rich. People don’t understand what we face on a daily basis.”

“I am a single mother of a young child. I have also been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. I currently have no job and I am enrolled at Hocking College. I only get food stamps and medical insurance, but it does help.”

“Getting back and forth to the doctor has been hard. I have no car, no money for gas. No heat. Not enough food. My medical coverage doesn’t cover everything. Not enough doctors in my area.”

“I cannot find sustainable income. I have several overdue bills (mainly medical) and I owe $50,000 on student loans. My nephew (whom I care for) requires new clothing – he has outgrown all of his summer clothes from last year. Additionally, he is receiving counseling from Tri-County Mental Health for behavioral and emotional problems. While his medical card covers this, the price of gas is climbing higher, so the resources I need to him to his weekly (and much-needed) appointments are not guaranteed.”

“I am a 19-year-old single mother who is still in high school. I have no job and no car to have a good job. I have applications in literally everywhere close to where I live in Athens County. I live with my mother and 7 other people, with a two-bedroom house with no hope of getting my own place for me and my 2-month-old son. I get $355 a month and with that I help pay rent ($150), a dresser payment and a phone bill, which leaves me with almost nothing to spend on my son or me, and I don’t get child support so I have to squeeze by and rely on others to help.”

I have arthritis, fibromyalgia, diabetes, bursitis and asthma. I have twice started jobs that I couldn't finish for health related reasons. Financially, I am barely keeping my head above water. I am waiting for my Social Security to be approved. I am behind on my electric bill, my car is falling apart, and it’s hard to keep my son in school clothes and supplies.”

“Being a construction worker in Ohio is very hard. If we don’t build, we don’t work and there is very little work for skilled labor in the state of Ohio if we can’t travel to our sister states, West Virginia, Pennsylvania. We cannot afford medical or even feeding our children.”

“The business where I worked has closed down. I receive Social Security benefits for my two children for death benefits. I also have another child and struggle to make ends meet.”

“I cannot pay for any medical bills I have. I also have a daughter that is financially hard to provide for without the help of food stamps and medical assistance."

“Lack of being able to find a job with growing back child support and failing use of my knees.”

“I have two kids and I am out of work. I had to go sign up for Food Assistance and Medicaid. I want to work, there are just not any good jobs out there anymore.”

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

2011-04-04T10:57:00.000-04:00

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:

“I am working as much as I can at my current job and I am still looking for another. There are very few out there and they are hard to find. I don’t make nearly enough to pay for rent, utilities and gas for our car, not to mention car repairs and other unexpected expenses. My fiance got hurt at work and was denied for disability so I support our family of four. And even though he has serious health issues, he is still trying to find a job because we have no choice and yet it is a struggle to find one. We put forth our best effort and can never get ahead. We don’t want to be on welfare but with the economy and the lack of jobs, we have no choice.”

“I am pregnant and need medical help. I have a four-year-old daughter who needs medical as well. My husband was just laid off from his job and we need help paying our bills and feeding our family. We have no income now and it’s been hard trying to find another job. We struggle to keep our vehicle and have gas to go to the doctor and for my husband to go apply for jobs. It is a really hard time.”

“I get food stamps and I work full time, but even working and getting assistance, it’s still hard to feed three people and pay bills.”

“I just left the food bank today, with a heavy heart and an empty gas tank. I chose the option of going without lunch for the last three days. Every month the food stamps run out and leave empty stomachs of children and adults all over Ohio. Food banks have become a staple, not just for emergencies.”

“My husband and I are over 50 and lost our jobs at the university 10 years ago. We’ve tried our own businesses, but they have failed leaving us in debt. We find ourselves overqualified and too old to be employable in the Athens area. One job cited the cost of health insurance in laying off my husband. Medically, I suffer from clinical depression and hypothyroidism. I don’t know where my medications will come from if I can’t pay for them. I can’t afford to get myself healthy. We are without heat, except for a small wood stove and live at 50 degrees. We don’t know what we will do when unemployment benefits run out as we are already unable to pay for basic needs.”

“I lost my job in December. My gas, electric and water will soon be shut off due to non payment. I am struggling to buy food. I have two children. My husband does work, but we cannot make it alone on his income. I have been looking for work for a month to no avail. We need temporary help till I can find work.”

“I am 55 years old with two kids. I am back to school getting my degree to help me with a good paying job. My wife worked for a company as a production manager, but the company was sold and moved up near Toledo. So the help we get until I finish school is critical.”

“Well, first-off I am a recovering addict and receive medicine to take care of my problem. I have no medical or prescription coverage, so it’s costing me about $400 a month. I also pay a total of $400 a month in child support. I am employed and my paychecks average around $15 -$20 a week after taxes and child support. I do receive $200 in food stamps, but I’m still struggling to live. I’m trying to do well with my recovery, but it’s so hard when I can’t even afford gas to get to work. It makes no sense that people who work and try to do well can’t receive any help. If I could get medical coverage it would make a world of difference. I have teeth breaking off and I can’t afford a dentist. I get so upset that I work 30-40 hours a week and still have to borrow money to get there.”

“I need surgery for several things. My water lines broke and my husband left me, so now all I will have is $577 a month.”

“We are a family of four. We have two young children. My boyfriend is the only one working so that I can care for our children. He only makes $8 an hour and we struggle to pay our bills and buy needed personal supplies and things for our children.”

“My husband previously got laid off of work and is seeking full-time employment still, and I have been unable to work due to my Multiple Sclerosis, which gives me occasional blackouts and weak muscles. We have two small children who need childcare and my daughter goes to preschool Monday through Friday. Due to current expenses and gas prices, we had to sell our vehicle and now transportation for the four of us has become stressful. My MS caused me to lose the vision in my right eye and I have a lost a lot of muscle control in my back, legs and arms. Hospital visits are complicated due to my doctor being in Columbus and arranging daycare for my little ones. Good help is hard to find and the more support and people that help each other makes life a blessing.”

Rich getting richer, poor getting poorer in Ohio

2011-03-25T15:18:00.000-04:00

The 2005 income tax cuts severely impacted Ohio's budget and provided very little benefit to most Ohioans. The tax cuts have resulted in job losses, eliminations and reductions of programs and services, and major problems for many Ohio counties, particularly the Appalachian counties. For more information on how the tax cuts have hurt Ohio, including figures for all of the Ohio House and Senate districts that include the Appalachian counties, click here. For contact information for how to contact Athens County's state senator and state representative, click here. For information on how to contact all of the state senators in Ohio, click here. For information on how to contact all of the state representatives in Ohio, click here.

State budget proposal would take more than $2 million in funding away from programs to help Athens County residents living in poverty

2011-03-22T16:03:00.000-04:00

• The current budget proposal from Governor John Kasich calls for a cut in funding of more than $2 million for Athens County Job and Family Services. This loss of funding is spread across several of our agency’s programs and will severely impact our programs and services.

• This newly proposed cut is on top of losses of nearly $3 million in funding in the last three years from state budget cuts.

     o In 2008, Athens County Job and Family Services lost $400,000 in state funding.

     o In 2009, Athens County Job and Family Services lost more than $1.3 million in state funding.

     o In 2010, Athens County Job and Family Services lost more than $1.25 million in state funding.

• Previous budget cuts have forced Athens County Job and Family Services to eliminate or reduce vital public programs and lay off staff members at a time when more and more area residents were turning to the agency for help.

• Athens County Job and Family Services does not have all of the details yet on the proposed budget cuts and how they would affect the agency and its programs.

• The 2005 income tax cuts are responsible for a large portion of the state’s budget crisis, and are responsible for the cuts in state funding to schools, colleges, universities, state offices and local government programs.

• Athens County residents are urged to contact state leaders and ask them to roll back the income tax cuts and make changes to the budget to protect services for people in need.

In tough budget times, state leaders need to ask everyone to sacrifice, not just select groups of people

2011-03-14T09:35:00.000-04:00

While state leaders have proclaimed loudly over the last few years that they don’t want to raise taxes on all Ohio residents, in reality they have been raising taxes on select groups of individuals such as public employees, people living in poverty, those with legal problems and those with health problems.

• Actions such as forcing state employees to take unpaid days off of work, increasing insurance payments and reducing pay are basically just taxes on state employees to raise money for the government.

• Actions such as reducing funding for social service programs so that emergency assistance programs for people living in poverty are reduced or eliminated are basically just taxes on poor people, taking away their funding in order to provide more for the government.

• Actions such as making the poor pay application fees for free public legal services, forcing prisoners to pay fees to fund the legal system and forcing ex-offenders to pay fees to the parole offices are all taxes on people who have gotten into legal trouble. The majority of these people are poor, and the state is taking money away from them to fund government programs.

• Actions such as initiatives to reduce the number of people eligible for Medicaid are taxes on people with health problems, forcing them to go into debt or become bankrupt because of medical bills they will never be able to pay off.

• Actions such as reducing funding for mental health services as well as drug and alcohol addiction services are taxes on people facing mental health and addiction issues. These people are in desperate need of help and often have very little way to pay for the counseling or medications they need. The state has taken funding away from them to pay for other programs.

State leaders have made countless other actions in recent years, all while claiming that they are not raising taxes and these changes have mainly hurt the poor. At the same time, the state has reduced the income tax rates, which has mainly helped the rich. Wealthy Ohioans have benefited greatly in the past few years, and the gap between the rich and the poor has grown larger than ever.

State leaders need to eliminate the income tax reductions, and stop trying to balance the budget on the backs of a few select groups of people.

Tax cuts only helped the rich, need to be rolled back

2011-03-11T15:45:00.000-05:00

The 2005 income tax reductions reduced the state income tax by 21%, costing the state more than $2 billion per year. While state leaders argued that the tax cuts would help economic development and put more money in the pockets of state residents, the state’s economy has only faltered since the tax cuts were put in place and the average state resident has seen very little benefit from the cuts.

• Taxpayers who make an average annual salary of $40,000 save about $280 per year due to the tax cuts. If the taxpayers receive regular paychecks twice a month, that means a savings of about $12 per paycheck.

• Taxpayers who make an average annual salary of $300,000 save roughly $4,000 per year thanks to the tax cuts. If these taxpayers receive regular paychecks twice a month, they receive a savings of about $167 per paycheck.

Also, keep in mind that the tax reductions were phased in over 5 years, so most taxpayers who made $40,000 per year or even up to $60,000 likely did not even notice their state income taxes being reduced by about $2 or $3 per paycheck each year.

The tax cuts did not spur economic growth or create new jobs as supporters said they would. The only people who truly benefited from the tax cuts were rich Ohioans. At the same time, the tax cuts decimated the state budget and forced the state to lay off employees and reduce or eliminate services. It’s time to eliminate the tax cuts and restore funding for Ohio’s public services.

The impact of income tax reductions on the state's budget deficit

2011-03-09T16:18:00.000-05:00

While Ohio leaders debate where to cut funding in order to balance the state budget, it is important to remember that a large part of the budget deficit was caused by the state’s income tax reductions. These tax cuts overwhelmingly benefited the wealthiest Ohioans more than any other group of state residents.
Athens County Job and Family Services recently looked at how each county in Ohio is affected by tax cuts, social services, government jobs and other factors.
Click here to read the press release about the report.
Click here to view the research information for each county in Ohio.
Click here to view federal tax information for each county in Ohio.
Click here for a page with downloadable Excel files with the information for each county in the state.

Tax cuts have hurt Ohio residents

2011-03-09T11:12:00.000-05:00

Athens County Job and Family Services Director Jack Frech wrote a letter to the editor recently discussing the state budget situation, the 2005 income tax reductions and Senate Bill 5. Click here to read a copy of the letter as published in The Athens NEWS.

Too poor to die

2011-02-11T10:20:00.011-05:00

Ten years ago, Ohio eliminated the program that provided state money for indigent burials in order to save a relatively small amount in the state budget. Today, when so many people are struggling to get by and poverty is rampant, many families have no money to pay for funeral expenses when a loved one dies. Click below to read the story of on Athens County family faced with this tragic situation, and see how the community pulled together to help the family now that the state has turned its back on this responsibility.

Athens County resident Betty Davis died during the last weekend of January. The widow, who was in her late 70s, lived in a mobile home in Coolville with her sons and a grandchild. Her neighbors described her as “family-oriented” and “colorful.” She lived a good life and was rich in terms of friends and family, but poor in terms of money.

When Betty died at the hospital, her family members were very upset and signed some forms they did not completely understand. The forms resulted in Betty’s body being sent to a local funeral home, where it was embalmed as directed by the papers that were signed. The family then received notice that the embalming process cost $1,000 and that the bill had to be paid in two weeks. And if they wanted to purchase a casket, hold calling hours and hold a funeral, it would all cost several thousand dollars more.

Betty had told family members that she did not want to be cremated, but the family learned that if they did not come up with the $1,000 in two weeks, the funeral home was going to cremate the body. Then, Betty’s ashes would be mailed back to the family in a few weeks or months.

“They didn’t have $1,000. They didn’t even have $6,” said Lisa Roberts, director of the Friends and Neighbors Community Choice Food Center in Lottridge. “Grown men were crying.” She and the Center decided to help the family, and other area residents and community groups also offered assistance.

Lisa’s husband, Kenny Roberts, worked with some friends to get some lumber and make a casket for Betty. What normally would have cost thousands of dollars, Kenny and three friends made for $128.

“The four of them worked for 16 hours,” Lisa Roberts said. When the casket was finished, there was no good place to store it until it was needed, so it stayed in Lisa and Kenny Roberts’ living room for a few days.

Lisa helped raise money to pay the funeral home, and then she went and picked up the body to transport it back home. Once back in the Coolville area, a local nurse and a nursing student volunteered to help prepare the body for a funeral.

Kenny Roberts and several other men also spent much of one day digging a grave next to where Betty’s husband is buried in a cemetery on a hillside overlooking the village of Stewart. A caretaker from the cemetery provided some assistance, while other groups also pitched in to help out. A local flower shop helped with the flowers and Betty’s church provided space for the funeral and a luncheon.

Many other people also volunteered or donated to the family, and it was a wonderful example of the community pulling together to help a family in need. At the same time, though, it was also a strong example of how pervasive poverty is in our society and how so many people can’t afford to live or die.

“It’s scary,” Lisa Roberts said. “It could be me tomorrow.” Most churches, food pantries and social service organizations spend all of their money on food and necessities to help keep people alive, and they don’t have the resources to help families when their loved ones die. Many people are struggling just to get by each day, they have no money to pay for the expenses involved with a funeral.

The state of Ohio used to provide funds for indigent burial costs, but that funding was eliminated in 2001 as a part of budget cuts. This budget cut provided a relatively small savings for the state of about $1.5 million, but it had a huge impact on the poor.

Some cities and counties do provide funding today for indigent burials, but many places do not. In most places, the funding only pays for cremating or burying bodies that are not claimed by any family members.

And since the time that Ohio eliminated its funding for indigent burials, Ohio has greatly reduced its income taxes, apparently able to afford the reduction in tax funds but not able to afford to restore funding for indigent burials.

And today Ohio is considering greatly reducing or eliminating the estate tax, which taxes the inheritances left by wealthy Ohio residents when they die (and often have lavish funerals). So while yet another tax on the rich stands to be reduced so that they can hold on to more of their wealth, the poor are left out in the cold, digging graves in the middle of winter for their loved ones and worrying about if they can afford to die.

The impact of welfare reform in America

2011-01-26T09:54:00.000-05:00

In a country where nearly 7 million children are living in extreme poverty, how can anyone claim that welfare reform has been a success? Athens County Job and Family Services recently completed a report examining the impact that welfare reform has had in America. The report looks at the stated goals of welfare reform and shows how the reforms have affected people living in poverty. The report also includes commentaries from conservative and liberal leaders, poverty statistics, media reports on welfare reform and information on out-of-wedlock births. To read the news release about the report, click here. To go right to the report, click here.

America's welfare system

2011-01-13T14:18:00.003-05:00

Athens County Job and Family Services recently compiled a great deal of information dealing with the 1996 Welfare Reform Act and the impact it has made. One main point of the research was to look at the stated goals of welfare reform and how the goals have or have not been met in the last 15 years. The agency also gathered together studies of welfare reform by different organizations, commentaries from conservative and liberal researchers, and newspaper clips dealing with the reform and its impact.

Click here to read over the information dealing with the Welfare Reform Act and the impact it has made.

Fast and Free Tax Assistance Center set to open soon, but needs volunteers

2011-01-07T14:52:00.002-05:00

The Athens County Fast and Free Tax Assistance Center is scheduled to open later in January, but urgently needs more volunteers to help with the tax returns, answer phones, schedule appointments, greet customers and assist in other ways. Click here to read more about how you can volunteer at the Athens County Fast and Free Tax Assistance Center.

Poor families can't afford more cuts in programs and services

2010-12-10T08:25:00.001-05:00

Over the past 10 years, Ohio has slashed the budgets of programs to help poor people numerous times. State leaders have slowly but surely picked apart the programs and services that were intended to help poor families meet their basic needs and give them the opportunity to overcome their circumstances. Now, Ohio leaders are looking at more budget cuts in 2011, and poor families simply cannot afford any more cuts in programs or services. Click here to read more about the cuts in the last 10 years and why state leaders need to protect poor families in the next budget

Volunteers needed

2010-12-01T08:41:00.002-05:00

The Athens County Fast and Free Tax Assistance Center at The Work Station in The Plains is looking for volunteers to work during tax season. The center offers free assistance to Athens County residents who are filing basic tax returns. Volunteers are needed to assist with the tax returns, answer phone calls, schedule appointments and greet visitors. Click here for more information on volunteering for this valuable program.

No increase in Social Security benefits means no increase in Ohio Works First cash assistance benefits

2010-11-18T12:35:00.001-05:00

The fact that Social Security benefits are not increasing for the second straight year means that cash assistance benefits for Ohio’s poorest citizens are also staying the same for the second straight year. This is despite the fact that the cost of living is increasing in the state and the Ohio Works First benefits already do not provide enough funding to get a family up to even half of the federal poverty level. For more information, click here.

More and more people do not have enough money to buy the food they need

2010-11-16T15:30:00.004-05:00

A new report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture shows that more than 17.4 million families in America, or 51 million people, were "food insecure" in 2009. In Ohio, nearly 680,000 families, or 14.8% of all families in the state, were food insecure in 2009, according to the report.

The report also explains that number of people in Ohio and all across the country who do not have enough food to eat has increased significantly in recent years.

Click here to read an article from The Washington Post about the report.

Click here to read an article from The Columbus Dispatch about the report, including detailed information about what the report says about food insecurity in Ohio.

Annual Report shows increasing demand for public assistance programs

2010-10-26T13:49:00.003-04:00

The Athens County Job and Family Services 2009-2010 Annual Report details how the demand for public assistance has increased in Athens County in the last year, and in the last five years. The report also provides information on Athens County, our agency and the many different programs we run to help Athens County residents. Click here to read our Annual Report.

Donations made back-to-school time easier for local families

2010-10-21T14:09:00.002-04:00

People from all across the country made going back to school a little easier for hundreds of area children this fall.

Each year, many local families struggle with all of the expenses involved in buying school supplies and back-to-school items for their children. In an effort to help these families, several food pantries, churches and community organizations in Athens County hand out free school supplies in August.

The Friends and Neighbors Community Choice Food Center in Lottridge is one place where school supplies are distributed each summer. The center receives local donations of school supplies, but it also receives donations from a unique group of supporters in Columbus. And this year, thanks to the publicity from the Dateline NBC program that featured Friends and Neighbors, school supply donations poured in from all across the country.

Patti Riordan, who lives in Columbus, volunteers her time every summer to pass out school supplies at the Friends and Neighbors center. She also organizes a donation drive in Columbus.
Riordan explained that when she or other volunteers see notebooks, backpacks, pencils or other back-to-school items on sale at stores close to their homes, they e-mail each other so that they can all go and buy large quantities of the items to take to Friends and Neighbors. Riordan and other volunteers then help pass out the materials to local families in need. This summer, Friends and Neighbors held two big back-to-school giveaway days in Lottridge in August, and the food pantry also held giveaway days at food pantries in Meigs and Washington counties.

At Lottridge, children, parents and grandparents all gathered at a special tent set up for the day and had the opportunity to pick up backpacks, paper, pencils, pens, glue and a wide rang of other items the children need for school. The families also had the opportunity to pick up free clothes to send their children back to school in.

“Mommy, this is fun. You don’t have to spend any of your money here,” one little girl told her mother as they were picking up items.

Many families are barely getting by and simply cannot afford the extra expenses involved with sending their children back to school, explained Lisa Roberts, director of the Friends and Neighbors. The donations from people in Athens County, Columbus, across the country and even internationally are all very much appreciated, and are all going to help people in need, Roberts said.

Angela Smith, a volunteer at Friends and Neighbors, added that she hopes people realize just how vital these donations are to families in need. “It is tremendously important,” Smith said.

1.75 million Ohioans now living in poverty

2010-09-29T10:09:00.002-04:00

New figures from the U.S. Census Bureau show that more than 1.75 million people in Ohio are now living in poverty. The Census figures also show that the number of people living in poverty in Ohio increased significantly from 2008 to 2009. Currently, 15.2% of all people in the state live below the poverty line. Poverty is a crisis in Ohio and in America, and it is time for our political leaders to take action to help these families in need. Click here to read more about the new poverty statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Disaster relief assistance available for Athens County residents

2010-09-27T15:49:00.001-04:00

The state of Ohio is making some funds available for households whose residences were affected by the recent severe weather in Athens County. For more information on who is eligible and how to apply, click here.

43.6 million Americans are living in poverty

2010-09-16T14:38:00.001-04:00

New figures released by the U.S. Census Bureau today (Sept. 16, 2010) show that 43.6 million Americans are living in poverty. These new figures, which are for 2009, show an increase of nearly 4 million people over the number of people living in poverty in 2008. The Census figures also show that 15.5 million children under the age of 18 are living in poverty. This is an increase of 1.4 million children living in poverty in just one year. Click here to read more about the new Census figures.

New insurance program available for Ohio residents with pre-existing conditions

2010-08-20T16:22:00.001-04:00

Ohio residents who have pre-existing medical conditions and have been turned down for health insurance coverage are being encouraged to apply with the new Ohio High Risk Pool. The Ohio High Risk Pool, which is being managed by Medical Mutual of Ohio, is designed to provide health insurance coverage to state residents who have pre-existing conditions. State residents must be without health insurance for six months or more before they are eligible to apply and they may not be eligible for Medicare, Medicaid, Healthy Start or an employer-sponsored health insurance plan.

The Ohio High Risk Pool has two plans to choose from, as customers can choose the plan with the $1,500 deductible or the plan with the $2,500 deductible. The two plans do not have any sliding fees or income guidelines. The rates are determined solely by which plan is chosen, the customer’s age, where the customer lives and if the customer is a smoker. Monthly rates for Athens County residents range from $92 to $665. A 23-year-old Athens County resident who does not smoke and chooses the plan with the $2,500 deductible, for example, would pay $124 per month. A 57-year-old Athens County resident who does not smoke but chooses the plan with the $1,500 deductible would pay $425 per month.

Applicants to the program must provide written documentation of the pre-existing condition from a physician or nurse practitioner, evidence of denial of health insurance coverage by two insurance providers, proof of residency in Ohio and proof of citizenship. The federal government’s healthcare reform program requires each state to have a high-risk insurance pool, and the health insurance coverage in Ohio from the Ohio Risk Pool will begin on Sept. 1. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is providing funding for the program, but funding is limited so interested area residents are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. For more information, call 1-877-730-1117 or log onto www.ohiohighriskpool.com.

August is Child Support Awareness Month

2010-08-19T13:11:00.001-04:00

August is National Child Support Awareness Month, and it is a good time to remember that child support does not just mean financial support, but emotional support as well.

Each year, National Child Support Awareness Month is held to raise awareness about the importance of child support programs. These programs are designed to help provide children with the opportunity for a better life. Research shows that children who grow up with emotional and financial support from both parents become more productive. The theme for this year is “Throughout life, support matters.”

The Athens County Child Support Enforcement Agency plays an important role in the lives of thousands of Athens County children. Each year, the agency collects approximately $4.4 million in support payments for more than 10,000 children. Most parents who are obligated to pay child support do so without any problems. In fact, the Athens County Child Support Enforcement Agency is only actively involved with a very small percent of the child support cases in the county. The Athens County Child Support Enforcement Agency thanks those parents who put their children first.

In addition to providing financial support, all parents are also strongly encouraged to provide emotional support by being involved in their children’s lives, engaging them in conversation and remaining active with them no matter how old they are. For more information on the Athens County Child Support Enforcement Agency, call 593-5046 or 1-800-436-8933 or send an e-mail to cseahelp@athenscountygovernment.com.

Program provides daily meals for hundreds of local children

2010-08-17T15:51:00.004-04:00

Each year, more and more children in Athens County and across Ohio benefit from the free and reduced lunch programs at the public schools. During the summer months, though, many families do not have enough money to pay for all of the meals for their children, so summer feeding programs spring up across the region. One of the largest programs of this kind in Athens County is run by the Nelsonville Community Center.

The center, which is staffed completely by volunteers, is led by Rhonda Bentley. She explained that every Monday through Friday in the summer, community center volunteers served breakfast and lunch to children at the park next to the city pool. Breakfast was served from 9-10 a.m., and it usually drew around 100 children. Lunch was served from 1-2 p.m., and often drew around 300. In a city of around 5,000 people, it is stunning to have that many children showing up for free lunches every day.

“It’s amazing to me, too,” Rhonda said. Many of the children are at the city pool on the hot summer days, and then they walk to the park for the free lunches. Their families may be able to find the money to get the children in the pool, but without this program many of the children would not have had money for lunch, Rhonda said.

Many of the children also come to the park just for the lunches. Some show up early and wait, and some pick up their lunches and take them home or to wherever they are playing that day. On rainy days when people are not swimming, the Nelsonville Community Center still passes out more than 160 free lunches.

Hocking-Athens-Perry Community Action provides the food for the breakfast and lunch programs. The meals are all very basic, with lunches made up of items such as peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, turkey and cheese sandwiches, apples, raisins, celery and peanut butter. The breakfast meals include items such as cereal, fruit, milk and bagels.

The Nelsonville Community Center also offers after-school programs, clubs for children to join, and other activities. The center is a safe and warm place where children of all ages can gather after school and in the summer.

The center also offers programming for adults, a free community lunch on Fridays, free clothing and other items, and furniture sold for very low prices. The center accepts donated furniture, and then sells the furniture items in order to help pay the utility bills for the building. There are no income limits on purchasing the furniture.

“We’d like everyone to come in. We need to sell as much furniture as possible in order to pay the bills,” Rhonda said.

Federal leaders respond to Dateline NBC report by cutting food assistance benefits to the poor

2010-08-09T13:53:00.002-04:00

President Obama and Congress are slashing food assistance benefits for our poorest citizens.

After Dateline NBC aired a special report on poverty in America recently, many people were waiting to see what the response would be from our country’s leaders.

The national news program showed people standing in lines for food, explained how people at the Friends and Neighbors Community Choice Food Center in Lottridge were sending messages on paper plates to The White House asking for help, and told the stories of several families who, just like families all across America, are struggling to meet their basic needs of food and shelter. The response from Congress and The White House was clear and it was shocking, as they chose to cut food benefits for the poor at a time when it is clear that food stamps are not meeting the needs of our country’s families.

“This is shameless,” said Jack Frech, Athens County Job and Family Services director. “This is how our leaders are answering these pleas for help, by taking food away from poor families who already do not have enough food to make it through the month. If the President and Congress feel there is somehow ‘extra’ money in the food stamp program, they need to expand benefits and eligibility rules so that families do not have to depend on food pantries to feed their children.”

The U.S. Senate has already approved a bill to cut food benefits to the poor, and the U.S House of Representatives will soon be voting on this bill as well. Advocates for the poor all across the country are speaking out against this bill, and Athens County Job and Family Services also strongly opposes it. Below are links to additional articles about the proposed legislation.

http://www.cleveland.com/open/index.ssf/2010/08/food_stamps_or_teachers_congre.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/07/opinion/07sat3.html?ref=todayspaper
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0810/40739.html
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/08/05/record-number-americans-receiving-food-stamp-benefits/
http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2010/08/04/food-stamp-cuts-may-aid-medicaid.html?sid=101

Dateline NBC special focuses on poverty in southern Ohio

2010-07-26T11:01:00.004-04:00

Dateline NBC’s Sunday, July 25 program provided a look at the many challenges facing people living in poverty today. The program featured several people from Athens County and southeastern Ohio who have a very difficult time just meeting their basic needs of food and shelter. We appreciate that Dateline NBC chose to come to Athens County in order to show people around the country how the poor have been hurt by the country’s economic downturn.

The stories shown on Dateline NBC are heartbreaking, as the people interviewed face numerous obstacles and are in nearly impossible situations.

What is even more heartbreaking, though, is that there are countless other people in Athens County, in southeastern Ohio and all across the country who are facing similar economic hardships and despair. People all across America are living in poverty and facing numerous challenges that make it nearly impossible to improve their financial situations.

We appreciate how people like Lisa Roberts and Rhonda Bentley are doing so much in Athens County to help those who are living in need. At the same time, people should not have to wait in lines for food. Our country’s cash assistance and food assistance programs need to provide adequate assistance so that people are able go to grocery stores and buy their own food for their own homes.

The Dateline NBC program is posted on the Dateline NBC website, which is located at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032600. The website also features additional footage that did not make it into the program from people around southeastern Ohio.

If you would like to contact the Friends and Neighbors Community Food Center and/or its director, Lisa Roberts, call 877-223-7161 or log onto http://www.friends-n-neighbors.org/.

If you would like to contact Rhonda Bentley and the Nelsonville Community Center, call (740) 753-4100.

If you would like to contact the Second Harvest Foodbank in Logan, call (740) 385-6813 or (800) 385-6813.

Participants in the Subsidized Summer Youth Employment Program are thankful for their jobs

2010-07-14T08:51:00.006-04:00

Amanda Pickering, 24, of Glouster, and Katlyn Jenkins, 14, of Glouster, are both working in the Athens County Subsidized Summer Youth Employment Program and enjoying the experience.

“I love it,” said Jenkins, who is working with the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) at the Hocking-Athens-Perry Community Action Program (HAPCAP). In her job, she takes calls, makes reports, sends faxes and assists with office work. “I’ve learned a lot,” Jenkins said.

Pickering, meanwhile, works for HAPCAP’s Head Start and Early Head Start programs and has been doing jobs like making fliers, copying papers, planning a movie day for children and working on different projects.

“I love kids,” she said, explaining some of the reasons she likes her job. She also enjoys office work, and said she has done this type of work before.

“I’m always doing something. I’m never just sitting around,” Pickering added. “My days go by very quickly.” As a parent, the pay is also very important for her to help care for her family. Pickering said she has worked since she was 15 years old, and she is thankful to have this job now.

Jenkins added that the educational workshops and seminars that are part of the summer employment program have also been important. She has attended discussions on topics such as sexual harassment and taxes, and said they have been very informative. She is also thankful that the program provides funding to pay for the gas it takes to drive to and from work every day, and also provides lunches for the employees. The job coaches have also been a key part of the program, as they provide assistance and guidance with the work the participants are doing.

“They help a lot,” Jenkins said.

Program provides summer jobs for teenagers and young adults

2010-07-08T13:11:00.002-04:00

Nearly 140 local teenagers and young adults are gaining work experience, taking part in educational programs and earning a steady paycheck this summer through The Athens County Subsidized Summer Youth Employment Program. The program, which is being run by Hocking-Athens-Perry Community Action Program (HAPCAP) and Athens County Job and Family Services, is funded through the federal government’s economic stimulus package.

The employment program is providing summer jobs to 138 Athens County residents between the ages of 14-24. All positions have been filled and there is a waiting list for any positions that open up during the summer. The program's 40 work sites all across the county provide jobs in fields such as the arts, animal care, building and grounds maintenance, community and social services, education, library science, and office and administration support.

“HAPCAP is very excited to be a partner in this program. Many participants in the program have demonstrated initiative, motivation and pride to be working in the communities in which they live. For some, this is their first job and it is rewarding to see how they are developing work and life skills that they can take with them for their rest of their lives. Others are building on previous work experiences while helping to support their families,” said Jessica Stroh, employment and economic development director for HAPCAP. The employment program has received excellent support from the participants and their family members, and from the work sites and businesses that are working with the program, Stroh added.

Nickie Bailes, who lives near Coolville, is working as a job coach for the program and said it has been a good experience for her and for the young adults she works with. The young adults have all been working hard at their jobs and they are learning a great deal, she said.

“Having a job and having this responsibility is really helpful for them,” Bailes added. “A lot of them want to continue working.” She has also seen the participants become more motivated with their work throughout the summer.

For Bailes, serving as a job coach has been a good learning experience that will also be another positive item for her resume.

“I like it,” she said about serving as a job coach. “It gives you the opportunity to solve problems from a different angle.”

Additional posts will feature comments from several of the program participants

Program helps area residents buy food items at half of the normal price

2010-06-30T14:14:00.003-04:00

A relatively new food program for Athens County allows area residents to purchase food products for roughly half of the normal price. The food program is the national Angel Food Ministry program, and it is being run locally by Abundant Life Church of Athens. The program accepts Food Assistance Benefits cards, but there are no income limits.

“It’s a great way for people to stretch their food dollars,” said Bob Gall, minister for Abundant Life Church. Anyone can use the food program, and Gall is hoping that more area residents will take advantage of it. Here is how it works:

Area residents order food boxes once a month on-line or at the church on designated days. The program offers several different types of food boxes at different prices. One popular box, for example, provides $60 worth of food, but it only costs participants $30. Angel Food Ministries, which is based in Georgia, buys the food products in bulk and takes orders from churches all across the country. Because they are purchasing in bulk, they are able to order the food for low prices that are then passed on to the consumers.

Area residents choose the boxes they want to order, and they are able to purchase as many as they like. The food items are distributed once each month at the church, usually on the third Friday of the month. Participants are asked to bring boxes, bags or laundry baskets with them to place their food items in, to make it easier to carry them home. The food items can be sold at low prices because both Angel Food Ministries and the Abundant Life Church are not trying to make a profit, they are just trying to distribute food.

“To me, this is just a no-lose situation,” Gall said. Response to the program has been good so far at the Abundant Life Church, but Gall is hoping that many more people will learn about the program and use it. Abundant Life Church is located at 9365 Hooper Road, which is near U.S. Rt. 50/Ohio Rt. 32. For more information on the program, call the church at 593-7500 or log onto the website, located at http://theabundantlifetoday.org.

Athens Farmers Market leads the way

2010-06-16T10:18:00.003-04:00

The Athens Farmers Market leads all farmers markets in Ohio in the number of customers it serves who are receiving Food Assistance Program benefits. And this summer, the Athens Farmers Market is offering extra incentives to customers who use their Food Assistance benefits to buy fresh fruits and vegetables at the market. Click here to read more about how the Athens Farmers Market has made it easy for area residents to use their Food Assistance benefits to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables.

Additional comments from the Athens County ABLE program graduation ceremony

2010-06-14T11:34:00.004-04:00

The Athens County Adult Basic Literacy and Education (ABLE) program at The Work Station held its annual GED graduation ceremony on Friday, June 4 at Chauncey Elementary School. Several of the graduates talked after the ceremony about how the program has helped them and about what their plans are now.

Michelle Strong, 19, of Nelsonville, was not able to graduate from her high school because of a problem with her credit hours, so she enrolled in the GED program to finish. She earned her GED in 2009, the same year that she would have graduated from high school, and enjoyed working with the teachers and other students in the GED program.

“I thought it was really awesome,” Strong said. She plans to continue her education in college and may study early childhood education.

David Riddle, 21, of Grove City, was just a few credits short of graduating from high school when he dropped out so that he could work and earn money for his family. He and his wife and son moved to southern Ohio for a time, and Riddle tried to get by without going back to school and getting his degree.

“I just lacked the motivation,” he said. Being a father has made him more responsible, and he knew that he needed to go back to school and earn his GED so that he would be able to get better jobs and be better able to support his family. “I think it will open a lot of doors for me,” he said.

Cristy James, 53, of Nelsonville, decided to earn her GED in order to improve her job prospects. She plans to now continue her education at the Tri-County Career Center. James was originally nervous about going back to school, but she knew it was important that she earn her GED.

“It was hard,” she said about first going back. The staff at The Work Station helped her a great deal, and she enjoyed the GED program. “I liked it. It really helped me,” James said.

Shandi Kincaid, 21, of Bainbridge also decided to earn her GED in order to improve her job opportunities.

“I need a better job and no one will hire me without an education,” Kincaid said. She hopes to eventually work in human resources management, and is thankful for all of the assistance she received from the ABLE program.

“It was a really good program,” Kincaid said. “They really helped me a lot.” After the ceremony, the graduates and their family members and friends were treated to dinner and a performance by the Back Porch Swing Band. Also, local musician Bob Montalto played the piano before and during the graduation ceremony.

Click here for more photos from the ceremony

Athens County graduates honored at ceremony

2010-06-10T10:52:00.008-04:00

The Adult Basic and Literacy Education (ABLE) GED Graduation Ceremony for Athens County was a relatively small and quiet event, but the June 4 celebration was a monumental occasion that marked a major accomplishment in the lives of the graduates and their families.

Around 70 people earned their GEDs in the Athens County program during the 2009-2010 school year, and 11 of the graduates took part in the commencement ceremony inside the Chauncey Elementary School gymnasium. One of the graduates was Nekisha Singer, who gave one of the two main speeches during the event. Singer, who became emotional several times during her remarks, explained that she dropped out of high school after she became pregnant at the age of 16.

“I knew I had to grow up quickly,” she said. Singer was told several times when she was younger that she had a learning disability, and she explained that school was frustrating for her at times. She decided to go back to school in the last year to earn her GED for her family and for herself.

“To prove to myself that I am no different and that I can do whatever I put my mind to,” Singer said. She thanked ABLE teachers Scott Hatfield and Candy Byron for all of their assistance, and said she hopes they understand how big of an impact they have had on her life. She also thanked her family members and friends for their support.

“Thank you all for believing in me when I didn’t believe in myself,” Singer said. She told the other graduates that they should be proud of their accomplishments and that they should also share their stories of the GED program with other people in the community.

“Inspire them to go back to school and realize their hopes and dreams,” said Singer. She will now continue her education at Columbus State Community College.

“I know that the sky is the limit for me and for all of my fellow graduates,” Singer said.

Graduate Alicia Hale also gave a few remarks, and explained that she decided to go back to school to earn her GED for one main reason.

“I did it for my three little boys,” Hale said. She thanked her family and friends, as well as the staff at The Work Station for their support, and said that she also plans to now go to college.

Employer Awareness Workshop to be held at The Work Station

2010-06-09T10:04:00.002-04:00

All local employers are invited to an Employer Awareness Workshop that will be held at The Work Station on Thursday, June 24 from 1-3 p.m. The workshop will focus on the subject of hiring ex-offenders. Click here to read more about the event.

Ohio families encouraged to apply for Medicaid

2010-06-03T09:19:00.001-04:00

The state of Ohio is encouraging all eligible families to sign up for Medicaid and has made it easier for families to enroll in the health care program more quickly. Click here to read about the changes to the Medicaid program.

Survey on poverty-related issues now posted online

2010-05-28T16:26:00.002-04:00

An Ohio University class surveyed voters across the state earlier this year about their opinions on poverty and found that Ohioans want state leaders do more to help the poor. At the same time, though, Ohio residents differ in their opinions on how best to help the poor, according to the survey results. The survey asked Ohio residents about a wide range of issues related to poverty in Ohio. Click here to read the survey.

New summer employment program for Athens County residents between the ages of 14-24 now taking applications

2010-05-27T11:12:00.003-04:00

The Subsidized Summer Employment Program For Youth is funded through the U.S. government’s stimulus package and will provide job opportunities and learning programs for the participants.

In order to be eligible for the program, participants must be Athens County residents between the ages of 14-24 and live in families who have an income at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level. In addition, the participants must live in families who have children in the household who are under the age of 18 (or 19 if the child is still in high school), be a non-custodial parent who is cooperating with the child support enforcement agency, or be pregnant.

All jobs are anticipated to begin in mid-June and be finished by the end of August. All positions pay $8 per hour, and there may be special educational programming for the participants. The participants will work up to 40 hours per week at locations all across Athens County.

Click here for an application, or pick up an application at any of the Athens County Job and Family Services offices, located at 184 N. Lancaster St. in Athens, 99 Connett Road in The Plains, The Athens County Home building on Ohio Rt. 13 between Athens and Chauncey, and The Work Station at 70 N. Plains Road in The Plains. For more information on this program call 797-2523 or click here.

Survey examines Ohio residents opinions on poverty-related issues

2010-05-26T16:12:00.001-04:00

An Ohio University class surveyed Ohio voters about their opinions on poverty-related issues recently and found some very interesting results.

Representatives from the class, as well as representatives from Athens County Job and Family Services, will discuss the survey results at a Friday, May 28 press conference held at noon in Ohio University's Lasher Hall. Click here to read more about the survey and the press conference.

Life after prison can be very challenging

2010-05-24T14:46:00.002-04:00

Click here to read about Dale, an Athens County resident adjusting to life after prison. It can be very difficult for ex-offenders to transition back into society, as many owe large sums of money in court costs and fines, many do not have their driver's licenses, many are unable to work in certain fields because of their felony convictions, and many face numerous other problems. Dale is facing several significant obstacles, but he is happy and is doing his best to live a normal life.

Director honored at Social Justice Awards ceremony in Athens

2010-05-20T11:19:00.004-04:00

Athens County Job and Family Services Director Jack Frech received the Kuhre Griesinger Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2010 UCM Social Justice Awards ceremony in Athens recently.

Click here to read more about the awards ceremony and the other Athens area individuals and organizations honored during the evening.

College degrees will open new doors for Athens County couple

2010-05-10T09:37:00.007-04:00

Click here to read about Nickie and Jerrod, an Athens County couple with one son. State budget cuts cost Jerrod his job, so now Nickie and Jerrod are both going to college so that they can find secure jobs that they enjoy. They go to school and work, and they also receive some assistance to help them get by. They know that they won't need the help for long, though, and that soon they will be starting new careers.

Transportation is a major barrier for many in southeast Ohio who are looking for work

2010-05-07T09:21:00.004-04:00

Emily Ax works with a jobs program at the Good Works Shelter in Athens, where she helps area residents receive job training and find work. She attended the April 21 Job Fair in Athens and said that it was a good opportunity for area residents to make face-to-face contacts with local employers. She was a little disappointed that a few of the employers who planned to be there could not attend, but overall she was pleased with the event.

In her job at the homeless shelter, she sees several challenges for people trying to find work in southeast Ohio, and she explained that transportation is a major barrier for many people.

“Transportation is always an issue,” she said. Many people have the skills and training needed to work in different jobs, but the jobs in their fields are not available here or they do not have reliable transportation to get to work every day.

“I am grateful that there is a small transit system in Athens,” Ax said, adding that it is a big plus that the bus system travels to The Plains as well. If the public transportation system could ever be expanded in Athens County, it would be very helpful for many people, she said.

People in southeast Ohio will take jobs outside of their main skills or the fields they want to work in, simply because they need the work and the pay, Ax said. If they can find work in their fields, though, it is very uplifting for them.

More comments from area residents at the recent Job Fair in Athens

2010-05-05T08:40:00.003-04:00

Christian Thomas works part-time in Athens County and is looking for full-time work. He has experience in many different fields and hopes that someone will give him a chance to get started on a career.

“To me, a job is different from a career,” Thomas said. A job is something you do for a while to pay the bills, while a career is working for a long time in one field that you enjoy, Thomas said. He talked to representatives from several different companies at the job fair, and is open to working in many different types of jobs. He is a quick learner, and hopes to find steady work and a new career that he enjoys.

“I like helping people,” Thomas said. It is a struggle now to pay all of his expenses, but Thomas said he is not discouraged that that money is tight right now. He expects to have to overcome challenges in life and is hopeful that he will be able to secure a full-time job and a steady income soon.

Justin Shields of Athens earned a degree in information technology in 2009 and has not been able to find work in that field yet. In the meantime, he has been working on his parent’s farm, but he wants to find a job soon working with computers.

“I need to start paying off my student loans,” Shields said. He had not been to a job fair before, and said it was helpful to be able to talk to the representatives from different companies at the Athens event.

He is hoping to find a job where he can use his creativity and computer skills, and said that he knows that he can be an asset to any company that hires him. He would like to also do consulting work for businesses and show them how they can use their computers more efficiently in order to save time and money.

Additional comments from area residents at the April 21 Job Fair held in Athens

2010-05-03T09:18:00.005-04:00

Eric Heck of Athens has worked for several years for a local company, and enjoys the job. His company has been hurt by the country’s economic downturn, though, and has had to reduce its costs in the last few years. Because of the company’s need to cut back, Heck was laid off for a few months beginning in December 2008 and then was laid off again in December 2009.

“It is discouraging,” Heck said. He worked for the U.S. Census Bureau for a few weeks in 2009 and will be working for the U.S. Census Bureau again this summer. After that, he is hoping to get called back to his original job, but he does not know if that will happen or not.

He is trying to find steady, full-time work, and turned in a few resumes and applications to companies represented at the Job Fair, but he has not found anything yet. He is concerned about his job prospects, but is hopeful he will be working full-time again soon.

Meigs County resident Lora Langdon worked in home health care for 10 years, but had to stop working in that field because of an injury. She went back to school and earned a degree to work as a medical office assistant, but has not found job in that field yet.

While she is looking for a full-time job, she is working a service industry job in order to help pay the bills. Langdon needs a full-time position, though, where she can earn more money. If she can’t find work as a medical office assistant, she will consider going back to work in home health care in spite of her injury, simply because she needs the work and because there are jobs available in this field. She said she was happy to be able to talk to a few employers at the job fair, and added that she also picked up a few job applications for one of her relatives.

Job Fair attracts more than 500 people looking for work

2010-04-30T10:57:00.005-04:00

More than 500 people attended the Area 14 One Stop Job, Career and Information Fair in Athens on April 21, and several of the job seekers talked about how the country’s economic problems have hurt their job prospects.

Robert Boggs of Athens explained that he currently works in manufacturing, but the work is only part-time and the hours and pay vary greatly. Business has been slow lately for the company he works for, so his hours and pay have been reduced.

“The economy is down,” Boggs said. He would like to work full-time in a factory, but there aren’t many of those jobs in the region. He applied for a few jobs with factories at the Job Fair, and said he was pleased with the different employers he was able to visit.

Boggs explained that he does not want to work in a service industry job that deals with the public, but he has applied for a few of these jobs recently because he needs the work.

“I’d rather just put my head down and work all day making things,” Boggs said. It has been discouraging to not be able to find a full-time job, and it has been hard on him financially, too.

“It’s pretty rough,” Boggs said. “I’m about ready to move back to the city.” He used to live and work in Chicago, but moved to Athens to help take care of a sick relative. He likes living here, but will have to move soon if he can’t find steady work.

Boggs is just one of many people at the Job Fair who talked about how they lost their jobs because of layoffs, health problems or other reasons, or how they have had trouble finding work after graduating from high school or college. Over the next week, we will post additional comments from several of these people.

Sarah Williams represented one employer at the Job Fair, as she worked in the booth for Bellisio Foods of Jackson. Bellisio Foods is currently hiring for several different positions working in the company’s plant, and Williams said she talked with many different people who were looking for work at the job fair. She was pleased that she was able to talk to so many potential employees, and said the Athens job fair is a very good event.

“It is so organized,” Johnson said.

Laurel Lindamood and Lindsay Mayle represented Diagnostic Hybrids, Inc., of Athens at the Job Fair, and they also said it was a good opportunity to talk to a large number of potential employees. At the 2009 job fair, their company had open positions that they were able to talk to area residents about, but this year they did not have any open positions. Lindamood and Mayle did talk to several people who are interested in working for the company when positions do come open, and they were able to explain more about the work the company does. They also told people to watch their Web site, http://www.dhiusa.com/about_us/careers/ for information on job openings and how to apply.

Earning her GED, planning for college and building a better life for her daughter

2010-04-22T13:36:00.003-04:00

Erica is overcoming some substantial barriers in order to provide for a better life for her daughter, and she has big plans for her future.

Erica, who is 21, lives in Nelsonville with her two-year-old daughter. Her life is not easy and she does not have enough money to pay all of her bills each month, but she’s doing whatever she can to get by and become more independent.

Erica dropped out of school when she was in high school, and that decision has made life tough for her.

“It was a stupid mistake,” she said about leaving school. She was not able to get a good job because she did not have her high school diploma, and she said it is degrading to be labeled as a “high school dropout.”

She ended up enrolling in the Adult Basic Literacy Education (ABLE) program at The Work Station in The Plains, and recently passed her GED test. She is very happy to have her degree, and plans on taking part in the ABLE graduation ceremony in June. The ceremony is for all of the students who have received their GEDs in the last year, and it is always an emotional and inspirational event.

It took a lot of work to prepare for the GED test, but Erica has enjoyed her time in the ABLE program and now wants to study psychology at Hocking College. Her first priority is to get a job, though, and to become more independent. Currently, she and her daughter receive $365 per month in Ohio Works First cash assistance, in addition to receiving Food Assistance Program benefits and medical benefits.

Her rent is $300 per month, and that takes nearly all of the cash assistance each month. Her boyfriend and mother help pay her utility bills and some food expenses, so Erica has $65 each month to pay for diapers and clothing for her daughter, and extra expenses that arise.

“I can’t buy anything,” she said. She is hoping that all of that will change when she gets a job, and she knows that she is on the right path. She took the first step when she enrolled in the ABLE program, and another giant step when she earned her GED.

Erica is smart and has a great attitude, and she is motivated to build a better life for her daughter. In time, she’ll get to where she wants to go in life, she just needs the assistance she is receiving now in order to help her on her way.

Applications now available for the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program

2010-04-09T15:20:00.001-04:00

Athens County senior citizens who meet certain income requirements can now apply for coupons worth up to $50 to be used at the Athens Farmers Market. Click here to read more about the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program and to find out how to apply.

Make sure to fill out your U.S. Census form

2010-03-30T14:24:00.001-04:00

Most Athens County residents should have already received their 2010 U.S. Census forms and many have sent the forms back in already. It is extremely important that all Athens County residents are counted in the Census. Anyone with questions about the Census can visit the U.S. Census Bureau's Question Assistance Center at The Work Station in The Plains or visit the other Question Assistance Centers in Athens County. Click here for more information on the 2010 U.S. Census count in Athens County.

Working to earn her education, and to help build a better life for her family

2010-03-19T09:31:00.001-04:00

Wendy has always enjoyed working, but she lost her most recent job when she was pregnant with her fourth child and had to stop working because of complications with the pregnancy. Her family has gotten by living on just her husband's income, but money has been tight and it has been difficult at times. Wendy is going back to school now and is on track to earn an accounting degree in the spring. She is excited about starting a new career and helping to build a new life for her family.
Click here to read her story.

Free public defense is no longer free in Ohio

2010-03-02T15:36:00.002-05:00

How would you feel if you had to pay $25 to prove that you are poor?
It happens every day in Ohio when indigent defendants are forced to pay an application fee in order to apply for public defenders.
This fee is another tax on poor people put into place in order to allow the state to reduce the amount it pays for public defense. In addition, the application fee has numerous problems associated with it, including the fact that it is enforced differently in each county, it places judges and public defenders in awkward positions and it is levied on people who have not been convicted of anything. An extra $25 can be very difficult for many people in Ohio to afford, even if they desperately need it in order to pay for the public defense that they are supposed to receive for free.
Athens County Job and Family Services has drafted a report on this fee and examined how it is collected in each county in Ohio. The report shows how the state has collected more than $6 million through this fee since 2005, all from people who are being forced to pay $25 just to prove they are poor.
The report is being sent to Ohio Governor Ted Strickland and Ohios legislative leaders to ask them to eliminate this tax on poor people. All Ohio residents are also asked to contact their legislators and encourage them to eliminate this fee.
Click here to read the report.

Census forms to be sent out in March

2010-02-23T14:47:00.003-05:00

All U.S. residents should receive their 2010 U.S. Census forms in March. In Athens County, some residents in the Glouster and Coolville areas will receive their forms in the first week of March, while the rest of the county residents will receive theirs in mid-March. Also in March, the U.S. Census Bureau will be setting up locations in Athens County where people can go to ask questions about the Census and receive additional forms. For more information on these locations or on the importance of the upcoming U.S. Census count, click here. To log onto the U.S. Census Bureau's Web site for information on the 2010 Census Count, click here.

Columnist looks at how the national recession is affecting the poor

2010-02-10T10:23:00.001-05:00

New York Times Columnist Bob Herbert wrote an outstanding column recently that points out that while politicians and the national media focus on how the national recession is affecting the upper and middle classes, the poorest Americans are the ones who have been hit hardest. Click here to read the column.

Columnist looks at how the poor are viewed in America

2010-02-02T13:54:00.002-05:00

Syndicated columnist Leonard Pitts, Jr., wrote an outstanding column recently discussing issues such as why no one speaks out for the poor and how people living in poverty are often powerless and misunderstood. Click here to read the column on the Miami Herald Web site.

Census Road Tour Stops in Athens County

2010-01-22T14:55:00.008-05:00

The 2010 Census Road Tour stopped in Athens County recently to promote the April 1 U.S. Census Count and to provide information for people who are interested in working for the U.S. Census Bureau. The Road Tour is traveling around the country spreading the message about how important it is to be counted and how filling out the Census form helps your local community.

In Athens County, the Road Tour stopped at Ohio University and Hocking College on Tuesday, Jan. 19.

Click here to read an article from The Athens NEWS about the Census Road Tour.

Click here to read the Athens MidDay article and watch one interview about the Census Road Tour. (Click on the link on the right side of the Athens MidDay page, or scroll down to see the article).

Click here to read the news release about the event.

Holidays can be tough for many families

2009-12-11T14:46:00.002-05:00

The holiday season can be a very hard time for families who are struggling to get by, as Christmas presents and special dinners often result in more bills that they can’t afford to pay.

Local organizations such as the Friends and Neighbors Community Choice Food Center in Lottridge are stepping in to help these families, though, and are trying to bring them some holiday cheer.

On Wednesday, Nov. 25, the Lottridge center held a special Thanksgiving free meal along with its food box distribution. More than 150 people enjoyed the Thanksgiving lunch, and more than 50 families were able to pick up food boxes at the pantry that day.

Coolville residents Valerie Magill and Jason Simms were among those at the center for the Thanksgiving meal. Magill also volunteered to work at the food pantry for the day.

“I like helping people,” Magill said. She formerly worked as a nurse, but had to stop working in that field after she sustained a serious back injury.

“I have been off of work for a year,” she said. Her back has gotten better, but her doctor does not want her to go back to the type of work she used to do because it would most likely cause another injury. She also has other health problems relating to her battle with cancer four years ago and other health issues.

Currently, she receives Ohio Works First cash assistance and volunteers at the food pantry for the work hours she has to complete in order to receive the assistance.

Simms, meanwhile, has his own serious health problems stemming from a car accident that he was in when he was 10 years old. He was in a coma for 10 days after the accident, and his brain stem was injured. He has had health problems ever since the accident, and is unable to work.

Magill and Simms have four kids between them, and they survive on the monthly income of $455 she receives in cash assistance and $700 he receives from Social Security.

“We struggle to get by,” Magill said. They pay $510 per month in rent, and have very little money to pay all of their expenses.

“My self-esteem, it’s been down,” Magill added. She would like to work a full-time job again and has been looking for work. Her car needs repaired, though, and the Athens County Job and Family Services Prevention, Retention and Contingency (PRC) program that used to pay for car repairs for people who needed their vehicles for work is no longer operating. That program was eliminated earlier this year due to cuts in state funding.

Magill and Simms are not sure how they will pay for Christmas presents for the children or pay for other holiday and winter expenses. But they are thankful for everything they do have and for the programs such as the one at Lottridge that provide assistance. They are also hopeful that things will improve for them soon.

A few more comments from people at the Thanksgiving lunch at the Lottridge Community Center

2009-12-11T13:36:00.005-05:00

Gordon Bolin often attends the Wednesday lunches at the center, as he enjoys the meal and the chance to visit with neighbors.

His wife works and he receives Social Security, and they are able pay their bills each month. Money is tight, though, as their income is not great and they also help to support family members living overseas. Bolin grows food for his family in his garden every year, and he also shares much of his produce with others at the weekly meals in Lottridge.

Linda Congrove and her husband live in Trimble, but drive over to Lottridge each week to volunteer. She helps prepare and serve the free lunch, while he helps out at the food pantry.

“Some of the people here, it might be the only meal they get all week, other than opening a can of beans,” Congrove said. Some people at the meals are just lonely and need someone to talk to, she added. Congrove likes to volunteer at the center because everyone is always friendly, and she knows that a lot of people are facing hard times and need a little help.

Lisa Roberts, director of the Friends and Neighbors Community Choice Food Center, said that the food pantry sees more and more people who need help every week. She also runs food pantries in Torch and Racine, and said those sites are also seeing an increase in numbers.

At Racine, for example, the average number of people served over the last few months has climbed to about 100 families each week. The holidays and the cold weather will cause that number to continue to increase, Roberts said. The week before Thanksgiving, for example, the Racine center served 165 families.

In order to keep up with the increase in demand, the Friends and Neighbors Community Choice Food Center is looking for donations to help these families in need. The center is also looking for donations of Christmas presents that will be handed out to low-income families to give to their children this year.

For more information on the Friends and Neighbors Community Choice Food Center or to donate gifts to the center, call 740-667-0684.

Why is "Welfare" a dirty word?

2009-12-08T14:03:00.002-05:00

Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary defines the word “welfare” as a noun as the state of doing well, especially in respect to good fortune, happiness, well-being, or prosperity.

“Welfare” is defined as an adjective as: (1) of, relating to, or concerned with welfare and especially with improvement of the welfare of disadvantaged social groups, and (2) receiving public welfare benefits.

Being concerned about improving someone’s welfare, especially a child’s or that of someone who is disabled or elderly would seem to be a good public policy. So why then do our elected officials avoid characterizing any attempt to improve someone’s “good fortune, happiness, well-being, or prosperity” as “welfare”? Why is it that “welfare” is so despised in the context of improving the welfare of disadvantaged social groups?

Is it fear? Fear seems to be behind many attempts to stereotype groups of people. Aren't we stereotyping poor people when we demonize all of them as cheats or undeserving? Do we stereotype poor people so that we can dehumanize and ignore them? Are we afraid of the 6.3 million children living in extreme poverty in the United States?

Is it selfishness? The federal government uses tax dollars to provide a subsidy of $250 billion per year to those employed people still lucky enough to receive employer-subsidized health insurance. The federal government also uses an additional $80 billion tax dollars per year to provide subsidies to homeowners who deduct mortgage interest. According to Webster’s, these benefits are “welfare.” These welfare benefits alone, and there are many others, amount to 20 times the welfare subsidy provided to the poorest families among us.

Are we afraid that we might have to share? At some point, it was decided that it was good public policy to provide more than $320 billion per year in welfare benefits to employed people with subsidized health insurance who own homes with mortgages up to $1 million dollars, in order to improve their “good fortune, happiness, well-being, or prosperity.” Wouldn't it also be good public policy to improve the welfare of those less fortunate?

We must acknowledge that “welfare” is not a dirty word, and that it is provided in many forms to many different recipients. We need to refocus our assistance toward the poorest of the poor first.

By Gregg Oakley
Athens County Job and Family Services Deputy Director

Job Fair for Veterans held in Athens

2009-12-02T15:32:00.003-05:00

A large crowd of veterans and their spouses turned out for a recent Job, Career and Information Fair in Athens. Veterans at the event talked about how the country's economic problems have hurt their jobs and led to layoffs, and discussed how hard it can be to find work today. Click here to read more about the Job Fair and a few of the veterans who attended.

Columbus Dispatch series examines how state budget cuts have hurt Ohio families

2009-11-24T15:48:00.002-05:00

The Columbus Dispatch recently published an outstanding series of articles on how state budget cuts have hurt Ohio families living in poverty.
Click here for a link to the page on the Columbus Dispatch Web site for information on the series of articles, as well as links to the articles and a video report on one story. We have also saved each of the articles as PDF files, and you can click on the following links for these articles:

Click here for the short article that introduces the series. It has information on all of the subjects examined in the series.
Click here for an article on how budget cuts are affecting the most vulnerable Ohio residents. This article looks in particular at an Athens County family hit hard by the country's economic problems.
Click here for an article on how families in Ohio are digging the graves for their deceased family members and friends in order to save money on funeral expenses. This article also looks in particular at an Athens County family.
Click here for an article on how budget cuts are hurting programs that help the homeless.
Click here for an article examining how budget cuts have reduced the number of after-school programs for children, and how this is hurting children in Ohio.
Click here for an article on how budget cuts are reducing and in some cases wiping out programs to help and protect the elderly.
Click here for an article on how budget cuts are hurting programs designed to help the mentally ill.

Digging their own graves

2009-11-16T11:02:00.002-05:00

“We can’t afford to live, and now we can’t even afford to die.”
That’s what one Athens County resident told me when I asked about funeral expenses for families living in poverty. Believe it or not, some families in Athens County are now digging the graves of their loved ones in order to save money on funeral expenses.

It does not happen every day, and many cemeteries in the county won’t allow just anyone to dig a grave. Also, one local funeral home director told me that some people offer to dig the graves of their deceased family members and friends as a gesture for their families, and see it as part of the grieving process. To be sure, though, many families in Athens County and around the country are digging the graves simply because they cannot afford the funeral costs and have to find ways to save money.

I talked recently with several people who have been involved in helping families get crews together to dig graves. Sometimes the crews have equipment, other times the family members and friends are digging with shovels. This work would be difficult at any time, but it is made worse by the fact that these individuals are going through the grieving process for their deceased family member or friend at the same time.

Along the same lines, some families cannot afford any type of funeral for a loved one. The state of Ohio used to pay up to $750 for burial costs for an indigent individual, but the funding for that program was wiped out in 2001.
Cities and townships have to pay up to $750 out of their own general funds for the burial of an unclaimed body, but there is no set law in the state for burying the body of an individual whose family or friends can’t pay for the funeral.

Many cities or townships will pay up to $750 for indigent funeral costs, and sometimes the local government groups will pay more than $1,000 for the funeral costs. Sometimes the local government will only pay the costs if the body is cremated. And sadly, sometimes the local governments will not pay anything and do not have any policy in place for burying indigent bodies.

In addition, many funeral homes will not accept payment plans for funeral expenses anymore. Their costs have gone up over the years, and they say that while they do their best to work with low-income families, the payment plans are no longer feasible for them.

All of this leaves families digging graves to save money, holding fundraisers to pay burial expenses, donating bodies to science because they can’t afford a funeral, taking out high-interest loans to pay funeral expenses or just leaving the bodies unclaimed so there will be no funeral and so that the local government will be forced to pay for burial.

Our society has a hard enough time treating people with respect while they are alive, and now we are turning our backs on people living in poverty when they die. The federal, state or local governments need to do something about this problem and help out these families in need. This is a growing problem in Athens County and around the country, and it’s a sad commentary on our society.

We can’t just stand by and do nothing while our neighbors dig their own graves.

State leaders need to support House Bill 308

2009-11-10T10:17:00.002-05:00

House Bill 308 is a responsible way for Ohio leaders to raise the revenue needed to properly fund the programs that are in place to help families in need. Athens County Job and Family Services Director Jack Frech recently wrote an editorial column explaining why House Bill 308 is so important and why it makes sense for Ohio. Click here to read the editorial.

Annual Report details how demand for assistance has increased in the last year

2009-11-03T13:56:00.002-05:00

"Our annual report tells a story of rising demands and shrinking resources. Caseloads for financial and medical assistance are growing to reflect the general economic downturn. Cuts in services reflect the consequences of state budget reductions...Unfortunately, the bottom line is that life for our poorest citizens has gotten worse," Jack Frech, Athens County Job and Family Services director. Frech's letter to the citizens of Athens County is included in the newly published 2008-2009 Annual Report, which also features brief reports on all of our programs, overall budget information for the agency, comparisons that show how caseloads have dramatically increased in some areas and state funding has significantly decreased in others, and statistics on Athens County. Click here to read the report.

More and more people visit local food pantries each week

2009-10-28T10:29:00.002-04:00

Like a lot of people, Norma Cooper is worried about how her family is going to make it through the winter.
She and her husband live in Athens County on a fixed income, and they have a large family to support. Not all of the children still live at home, but some do and now there are grandchildren to help take care of, too.
Norma and her husband live on a little over $1,100 a month, and have a difficult time paying their bills. They heat their home with propane, and Norma knows it is going to be hard to pay for propane this winter, in addition to paying the other costs.
She is one of the hundreds of Athens County residents who benefit from the Lottridge Community Choice Food Center in Lottridge. Norma, along with two of her children and one grandchild, were at the center recently to enjoy the weekly free lunch and pick up some supplies.
The center provides a free meal at noon every Wednesday, in addition to providing food boxes, clothing, health care information and a wide range of services for area residents in need.
Lisa Roberts, director of the center, said that as more and more people fall into hard times in southeast Ohio, the number of new visitors to the facility increases every week. She often sees more than 100 families at food pantry and free lunch events, and said the lines include people who have never had to visit food pantries before.
Norma and her husband, for example, have always worked hard and provided for their family. Today, though, his health problems and the fact that they are getting older has them on a tight, fixed income where they are forced to rely on assistance programs and facilities such as the Lottridge Community Choice Food Center.
“It’s really great. It helps us out a lot,” Cooper said.
Jenny Lance volunteers at the center, and also brings her children along to work.
“I love to help,” Jenny said. “It’s not like a job. It’s just helping people.” One of her older children lives on his own and is getting by, but has no insurance and no money to pay for the medical care he needs, Jenny explained. Her son, like many people with no insurance, does not take care of different health problems as he should, simply because he can’t afford it, she said.
She sees people at the center every week who have no health insurance and do not have enough money to pay their bills. Jenny added that too many people today are forced to make choices people should never have to make, such as choosing between buying and medicine or buying food, or deciding between buying food for their pets or paying their utility bills.
And while Jenny and her family face their own struggles in paying all of the bills, she enjoys helping out at the Lottridge Community Choice Food Center.
Southeast Ohio residents and people and all across the country are facing desperate times today, but when area residents stop in at the Lottridge facility, they are able to relax, visit with each other and get a few things that they need in order to help them make it through another month.

New report, "TANF: Failing America's Poorest Children," released

2009-10-21T08:53:00.003-04:00

At a time when the federal government is giving banks $700 billion in bailout funds, our country has 6.3 million children living in extreme poverty and we are doing little to help them.
The updated report, “TANF: Failing America’s Poorest Children,” details how cash assistance and food programs are underfunded and do not get families up to even half of the federal poverty level. Shockingly, over the last 11 years, only three states have increased their cash assistance funding to keep up with cost of living increases, and 23 states have not increased their cash assistance funding levels at all.
In Ohio, more than 160,000 children currently rely on the Ohio Works First cash assistance program. At the same time, Ohio has nearly 245,000 children who are living in extreme poverty, which means their family income is at or below 50 percent of the federal poverty level.
Welfare reform placed strict requirements on families receiving public assistance. But this newly-released report shows how people on public assistance fall further behind every year while our government actually reduces cash assistance funding in some states and turns its back on poor people all across America. Government leaders often argue that they do not have the money to increase TANF funding or other programs to help poor people. They say they have to make “tough choices,” but the choices almost always leave poor children out in the cold. Meanwhile, the government chooses to spend money in other areas:
· Financial institutions are allowed to hand out billions of dollars of the federal bailout money to pay for bonuses and special compensation for employees.
· The federal government chose to use more than $17 billion to bailout the auto industry. That $17 billion is more than the entire annual federal appropriation for the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) program.
· States such as Ohio have chosen in recent years to roll back income taxes at a time when state budgets are losing money and welfare programs that poor families rely on are being cut.
· The federal government just chose to spend $79 million to see if there is water on the moon, while families all across the country don’t have water in their own homes.
The assistance programs that are supposed to help our neighbors are failing miserably simply because our government won’t adequately fund these programs. Too many families are going hungry. Too many children are living in extreme poverty. We need to greatly increase the funding for programs to help poor people. We need to choose to do the right thing.

RCC crew members discuss the program

2009-09-18T09:24:00.004-04:00

Brandan Cox and Eric Platt both worked very hard this summer, but they enjoyed the work they did for the Recovery Conservation Corps (RCC) in Athens County.
Nearly 40 young men and women worked for the RCC in Athens County over the summer, fixing up state parks, building a canoe access ramp into the Hocking River and making other improvements to public property. The crew members came from different backgrounds, but worked together effectively in the program, which was funded by the federal government’s economic stimulus package. Athens County Job and Family Services, Hocking College and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources coordinated the program in the county.
The RCC members at Strouds Run State Park included members who were experienced in working outdoors as well as those who were learning on the job. Some were studying natural resources, while others were majoring in other fields, such as accounting and education. For at least one of the members, it was a first job. The crew members all agreed that they were thankful to have jobs that they enjoyed and that paid well.
“We’ve all worked hard and we’ve all gotten along pretty well,” said Brandan Cox, crew leader at Strouds Run State Park. Cox said it was a good experience for him to be the leader. He added that the crew members worked hard and fast, and got their projects finished much more quickly than anyone anticipated.
Eric Platt, RCC crew leader at Hocking College, said that the program is a great opportunity for him, especially at a time when summer jobs can be scarce.
“Also, the pay is great and it really goes a long with what I want to do after I graduate. It’s like a resume builder to me, and it’s giving me leadership experience,” Platt said. He added that he loves working outside.
“I also get to take pride in our work because we are fixing up the area and I am fixing up my school,” Platt said. His favorite projects so far have included building a roost for a Red Tailed Hawk at the Nature Center and making improvements to the trails and boardwalks across campus.
“We’re also getting 10 college credits, and that’s helping me out a lot,” Platt said, adding that the extra hours will help him graduate on time. One of the most important benefits of the program for him is to receive the leadership experience.
“This experience has given me some challenges to help me advance as a leader,” he said. Platt plans to use the leadership skills and other skills he learned when he graduates and enters the job market.
“What I really want to do is to start out taking kids or adjudicated youth out onto backpacking trips, and then work my way up to taking adults on more adventurous trips. I want to spend my time in the wilderness,” Platt said. His time in the RCC has helped prepare him for that work, and he is thankful that he had this opportunity.
“I hope they keep doing this because I think it’s a great program,” Platt said.
Jim Batey, RCC coordinator for Hocking College, said he has heard positive comments from the RCC participants at all of the work sites, and added that he is very pleased with the success of the program in Athens County.
“I think it’s been a fantastic experience,” Batey said. “It’s putting people to work doing the public good, and it’s also giving them some incentive and experience.”

Shown in the top photo (from left to right) are RCC crew members Brandan Cox and Doug Hays watching a tree fall at Strouds Run State Park. Shown in the bottom photo, also at Strouds Run State Park, are RCC crew members (from left to right) Brittany Burdette, Ashley Dennison, Brandan Cox and Patrick Dailey.

Detailing several of the projects the RCC crew members worked on this summer

2009-09-17T13:30:00.003-04:00

The Recovery Conservation Corps (RCC) program made a positive difference in Athens County this summer, fixing up public properties and allowing young men and women to receive training and paid work experience.
The federal government’s economic stimulus package provided the funding through the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) program for the RCC in Athens County and all across Ohio. Locally, Athens County Job and Family Services coordinated the program with Hocking College and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR).
Jim Batey, RCC coordinator for Hocking College, explained that the work crews completed numerous improvement projects around the county.
“We’ve been doing a lot of invasive species control at Gifford State Forest,” Batey said. The RCC crews also worked on projects such as clearing trails and improving the timber stand in the forest by cutting dead branches off the trees.
At the Waterloo Wildlife Area, the crew members cleared trails to make them easier for the public to use, and picked up hundreds of tires that had been dumped throughout the property. The RCC is using grant funding to properly dispose of the tires.
“Some of the trails, you couldn’t tell were they were before,” Batey said, adding that the RCC members did excellent work on the trails.
At Strouds Run State Park, the crew members cleared the spillway area for the dam. The crew members took down at least 20 trees, and then ran them through the chipper as part of the work in clearing the spillway. The crew members also did work in other parts of the park, including renovating the restrooms and the bathhouse.
At Lake Snowden, the RCC member put up signs on the new horse trail system and made improvements to the trail, renovated the shelter houses, made improvements at the Sauber House facility, worked on the grounds at the fish hatchery and did general park maintenance.
At Hocking College, the crew members improved nature trails, replaced bridges on the trails, worked on the property around the reflection pond, and did general maintenance work such as weed eating and painting.
Along the Athens County Bikepath, the RCC members put in a new access point for canoes to get into the Hocking River. The access point is near Lemaster Road and Hamley Run Road near The Plains.
Hocking College’s heavy equipment program did the site work, Rocky Boots donated materials for the project and the RCC members did much of the work, Batey explained.
“We formed and poured the concrete for the canoe access,” Batey said. “It was real labor intensive…they did a great job.”
At all of the work sites, the RCC members showed a lot of pride and worked very hard, Batey said.
“I think the main thing they learn is working together in a team situation,” he said. The RCC members had the opportunity to work closely with people from different backgrounds and with different personalities, and that experience will help them throughout their lives.

Shown in the above photo is the new canoe access point for the Hocking River near Hamley Run Road and Lemaster Road near The Plains. Shown in the lower photo is RCC crew member Craig Hays clearing brush in the spillway area for the dam at Strouds Run State Park.