MARIETTA — A submit on the Fb web page of the Washington County Division of Job and Household Providers has precipitated some concern amongst native households.
“I’ve ordered that the Washington County Clothes Voucher Program be suspended till our funding stabilizes and probably the most primary wants of our fellow residents are met,” affirms the director of JFS, Flite Freimann, within the publication.
Some residents have taken to social media to query how different packages can proceed to be funded whereas this one is on maintain this yr.
Freimann mentioned this was only a Washington County program, so others statewide aren’t affected. Short-term Help for Needy Households funds are used for clothes vouchers, however with inflation, it isn’t potential to have this system this yr.
“On common, we now have about 2,000 youngsters every year at $200 (in vouchers) per little one,” He defined. “That is $400,000.”
He mentioned that since he turned director, it has been more and more tough to assist households by means of vouchers.
“We get $795,000 in TANF funds, in order that’s nearly half, or greater than half, of what we get from the state,” he mentioned.
Final yr, he spent $2.2 million in TANF , which included all of Washington County and a number of the surrounding counties that pitched in to assist native households, he mentioned.
They funded issues like after faculty packages and summer time camps.
“With inflation and everybody being affected, we could not get this cash (from different counties),” Freimann mentioned, noting that the work the county does with Ely Chapman, Constructing Bridges 2 Careers, Betsey Mills Membership and the Boys and Ladies Membership of Washington County is essential. “We’ve to concentrate on the funds that we now have to have the best influence in a baby’s life, so I used to be compelled to make a tough determination.”
The Fb submit famous “Our precedence have to be that these households going through critical financial difficulties have meals and shelter.”
Michele Newbanks could be reached at mnewbanks@mariettatimes.com.
