Local hotel donates televisions to Athens County residents

The Hampton Inn of Athens recently donated between 50 and 60 televisions to local charitable organizations to give to area residents in need. Athens County Job and Family Services received six of the televisions and gave them to senior citizens in the county who needed new sets but could not afford them. Click here to read about the donation, which made a positive difference in the lives of numerous Athens County residents.

Program gave out more than 2,700 computers in Athens County

The Computer Connections program allowed thousands of Athens County families to receive free computers, training and Internet service over the last eight years. The program, which was the result of a successful partnership between Athens County Job and Family Services and Hocking College, had to be eliminated earlier this year because of state budget cuts. Click here to read more about the program.

Athens County Come To Your Census

Community leaders met earlier this week to begin planning for the 2010 Census in Athens County. The Census results will be very important for Athens County, and all residents need to be counted. For more information on the meeting and the different ways the Census figures will impact the county, click here.

Director testifies before Ohio Senate Subcommittee on issues of cash assistance, budget cuts and school fees

Athens County Job and Family Services Director Jack Frech testified before an Ohio Senate Subcommittee on Wednesday, May 20 on the issues of increasing cash assistance for state residents living in poverty, how the state budget cuts are making it more difficult to serve our clients and why school fees need to be eliminated.
To read Frech's testimony, or to read over the materials he presented at the budget hearing, click here.

TJ's amazing story

TJ is a 26-year-old Athens County resident who has overcome a very rare and dangerous medical condition. His family receives Medicaid, and they are thankful for all of the ways that the program helps them. At the same time, they see several other ways that it could provide assistance to TJ. For example, TJ's family cannot afford to add a bathroom onto the house that would allow TJ to take a full bath or shower. The Medicaid payments also do not pay for many of the supplies he needs, such as a simple straps and a new air mattress. To read about TJ and his family, click here.

To read stories about other clients and the struggles they are facing and overcoming, or to watch videos about a few of our clients, click here.

TJ is shown in the photo with his neice, Paris. Photo by Rachel Mummey.