e-Link - Fall 2021

Hello Friends,

This is the time of year that brings mixed emotions for many of us. We reluctantly say goodbye to Summer while welcoming the Fall and all the wonderful things it has to offer. Warm days and crisp nights, leaves changing colors, football season, and pumpkin flavored everything are just a few of the things we can enjoy. The Fairfield County Fair grand opening day was a success! Thanks to all of those who attended.

At Job and Family Services, we are also closing the book on some recent activities while looking ahead to new ones in the coming months. In this edition of our quarterly newsletter, you will find a recap of our Child Support Awareness Month, a description of our Benefit Bridge initiative, details on our annual Job Fair, and information for our Holiday Donation Drive. We so appreciate our many partners and stakeholders who join us in these and many other programs to serve our community.

I hope you enjoy our Fall E-Link and as always, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me with any questions or feedback.

Sincerely,

Corey Clark

Fairfield County Job and Family Services Director

BACK TO SCHOOL ASSISTANCE

FCJFS is pleased to announce we were able to assist 770 children purchase back to school clothes and supplies. This program is supported by a limited amount of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) dollars that had been allocated for back to school needs. Income- eligible families receiving Ohio Works First Cash Assistance and families receiving Kinship (children cared for by relatives) Cash Assistance were eligible for this program. All back to school vouchers were issued to Wal-Mart Lancaster. Special thanks to Wal-Mart for partnering with us for this wonderful opportunity.

CHILD SUPPORT AWARENESS MONTH

The Fairfield County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA) celebrated Child Support Awareness Month in August with several special programs and initiatives. Two of these endeavors focused on Driver’s License Suspension Amnesty. The CSEA contacted all child support payors impacted by a child support-related driver’s license suspension and provided those individuals an opportunity to visit the CSEA during the month of August and have their suspensions lifted. In return for the suspension removal, the child support customers were required to make a nominal payment, provide updated contact information, register for the Ohio Child Support Web Portal, and visit Ohio Means Jobs - Fairfield County.

The CSEA also participated in the Fairfield County Driver’s License Suspension Amnesty Clinic, presented by Southeastern Ohio Legal Services on August 18^th at the County Records Center. The BMV was on-site at the event, enabling the CSEA contingent to assist numerous clients in fully reinstating their driving privileges.

The CSEA School Supply Donation Drive served as another Child Support Awareness Month initiative. Thanks to generous JFS employee donations, the CSEA was able to collect and package numerous packages of school supplies, each complete with the requisite items as established by Lancaster City Schools. The school supply packages were ultimately donated to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Fairfield County and to area families that communicated a need.

Additional Child Support Awareness Month initiatives included the mailing of customer appreciation letters containing Rooster’s coupons, courtesy of a donation from Rooster’s. In addition to the contribution from Rooster’s, Wendy’s donated coupons for the CSEA to provide customers as a “thank you’ for making child support payments at the Payment Drive-Thru on Chestnut Street.

FAIRFIELD COUNTY JOB FAIR - SAVE THE DATE!

Please plan to join us at the Ohio University-Lancaster Campus for our annual job fair, hosted by Ohio Means Jobs of Fairfield County. As one of the largest job fairs in the county, you can expect up to 90 employers with a variety of opportunities. For more info, please visit our website.

November is National Adoption Month

What is National Adoption Month? A month set aside to raise awareness about the urgent need for adoptive families for children and youth in foster care.

The history of National Adoption Month dates back to 1976 when Massachusetts Governor Mike Dukakis announced the first Adoption Week. Governor Dukakis' idea grew in popularity and quickly spread nationwide. In 1984, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed the first National Adoption Week, and in 1995, under President Bill Clinton, the week was expanded to the entire month of November.

In recent years, Fairfield County Protective Services has celebrated Adoption month in collaboration with Fairfield County Juvenile/Probate Court. Adoptive families and kids schedule to have adoptions finalized on National Adoption Day, and court personnel pull out all the stops to make sure this is a day to remember. Adoptees and their families are provided the opportunity to celebrate together, along with court and Protective Services staff, photos and more.

This year, National Adoption Day is scheduled for Nov. 20. While it is unknown at this time how many adoptions may take place, Fairfield County currently has over 45 children in the agency’s permanent custody seeking forever families.

If you are interested in adopting a child from Fairfield Cunty Protective Services, contact 740-652-7887 and ask to speak to any member of the Permanency Team for more information.

MAKE A WISH COME TRUE IN 2021

Children, families, and elderly adults linked with Protective Services this holiday season need our help. The support in previous years from our Fairfield County community has been unbelievable, and we hope to be able to continue that support this year. Protective Services staff will soon begin gathering wish list from children, families, and elderly adults and we are searching for donors to sponsor them.

Have you thought about providing a donation or sponsoring a child, family, or elderly adult for Christmas? If so, please contact Heather Funk at 740-652-7689 or email at heather.funk@jfs.ohio.gov.

Exciting Updates – We have implemented a DONATE button on our website, FCJFS.org. This feature allows donors to help a child, family, or elder adult this holiday season with just a click of a button!

BENEFIT BRIDGE HELPS FAMILIES

Fairfield County JFS is participating in Benefit Bridge, a state-wide pilot program aimed at helping families who experience a reduction or loss of benefits due to wage increases continue their path to self-sufficiency. This 18-month program is intended to provide participants with life and career skills and financial literacy to ensure participants have the support and stability needed to maintain employment, gain skills needed to move into higher paying positions, and to become self-sufficient.

Since the beginning of this program, several Community Services staff members have been trained on trauma informed care. A Success Coach works with participants who have been identified as a match for the program through an internal referral process. She meets with these participants and helps them navigate through the loss of benefits. Participants set short- and long-term goals for themselves as well as work on personal budgets and managing their finances. A Peer Mentor is also available to participants for extra one-on-one support and guidance. Support services may be provided to help participants retain employment and eliminate barriers to self-sufficiency throughout the program. Currently there are six families participating in the program and referrals are being accepted.

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