(March 2, 2010) Information on expiring unemployment benefits The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services issued a press release today explaining that unemployment benefits are expiring for claimants who exhausted their maximum 26 weeks of benefits during the last week of February. Click here to read the press release. We will post any additional information if the situation with unemployment benefits changes.

(Feb. 24, 2010) Free public defense is no longer free in Ohio. All Ohio residents now have to pay $25 when they apply for a public defender. This tax on poor people is enforced unevenly around the state, puts judges and public defenders in awkward positions, and places a fee on a service that is supposed to be provided for free to the indigent. The fee has numerous other problems with it and needs to be eliminated. Click here to read a report from Athens County Job and Family Services on this new fee.

(Feb 23, 2010) 2010 U.S. Census forms to be mailed out in March All Athens County residents should receive their 2010 U.S. Census forms in early March or mid-March. It is extremely important that all local residents are counted in the Census count, which is completely confidential. For more information on when you will receive your forms and where you can go in Athens County to have questions about the Census answered or to receve extra forms, click here.

(Feb. 4, 2010) Tax Assistance Center unable to take any more new appointments The Athens County Fast and Free Tax Assistance Center is unable to take any more new appointments this year due to state budget cuts and a lack of volunteers. All appointments that have already been scheduled will still be kept. To read more about why the center is closing and where else area residents can turn to in order to receive tax assistance, click here.

(Nov. 24, 2009) Columbus Dispatch reports on how state budget cuts are impacting families living in poverty The Columbus Dispatch recently published a series of articles looking at how state budget cuts are affecting Ohio famiiles living in poverty. Click here for the links to several of the articles.

(Nov. 3, 2009) Annual Report shows increase in demand for services "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," Director Jack Frech. Click here to read the 2008-2009 Annual Report.

(Oct. 21, 2009) Report shows how America is failing to take care of poor children and families. The newly 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. Click here to read the report.

(Sept. 15,2009) Recovery Conservation Corps makes numerous improvements to parks, public property in Athens County. The Recovery Conservation Corps program has had a positive impact on Athens County, as well as on the nearly 40 young men and women who took part in the program this summer. Click here to read more about the program.

(July 2, 2009) Stories of our clients and the challenges they face. Click here to read about some of the obstacles are clients are facing and learn about how they are overcoming these challenges. Margaret's family does not have health insurance and cannot buy the insurance because of a pre-existing condition, Reta and Jerald are raising their grandchildren and one great-grandchild while dealing with health problems, and Jill is a single mother who is unable to work because of her own serious health problems. Several other stories and videos of our clients are also posted here.

(May 22, 2009) Director testifies on the need for more funding for people living in poverty, proposal to eliminate school fees Athens County Job and Family Services Director Jack Frech testified before an Ohio Senate subcommittee on Wednesday, May 20 about the need to increase Ohio Works First funding by $100 per family. He also testified about the need to restore the human services funding that has been cut in the state budget proposals, and discussed the need to eliminate school fees. Click here to read the testimony.

(April 3, 2009) New hours for Job and Family Services offices Athens County Job and Family Services is now open from 8-5 pm. Monday through Friday. The only exception is The Work Station, which is staying open until 6 p.m. on Wednesdays. For more information, click here.

(April 2, 2009) How the Economic Recovery Payments and the Making Work Pay Tax Credits can help you For information on the Making Work Pay Tax Credit, which provides tax refunds of up to $400 for working individuals and $800 for married couples, click here. This page also has information about other tax credits approved in the new American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. For information on the Economic Recovery Payment checks that will be sent to those who receive Social Security, SSI, disabled veterans benefits or railroad retiree benefits, click here. For additional information on these new programs, click here for the IRS Web site.

(07/25/08)  ALERT:  Do NOT pay to file for extended unemployment benefits

Unemployment compensation customers should NOT pay to file for extended unemployment benefits.  Any contact with an entity charging a fee is not affiliated with the State of Ohio. 

It has been discovered that some claimants have mistakenly accessed alternate web sites and/or toll-free numbers to file for extended unemployment benefits.  

Do not give out credit card information to file for unemployment benefits.

(07/23/08)  Focus on the Basics

We must focus on the basics with a greater priority on financial resources for the poorest of the poor. The failure f government to ensure all families and individuals have sufficient income to meet their basic needs has caused holes in the safety net to steadily worsen.  We must provide sufficient benefits through our safety net programs to meet all basic needs for these families. This is already a crisis for the people affected by these issues.

We call upon our state and federal elected representatives to not turn away from these serious problems.  We must take immediate action!  

Get the position paper with recommendations (PDF document) 

Officially endorsed by 25 agencies in seven counties of SE Ohio!

Go to the "Don't Turn Away, Ohio" blog