DJFS finds way to resurrect School Clothes for Kids program

ST. CLAIRSVILLE - As soon as the Belmont County Department of Job and Family Services announced it would not be able to offer its annual School Clothes for Kids Program this year, the organization began working behind the scenes to try and ensure children school clothing.

On Wednesday morning, the Belmont County Board of Commissioners passed two motions in order to help provide the children in need.

Commissioner Jerry Echemann made a motion to approve and sign the purchase of performance of services between DJFS and the United Way of the Upper Ohio Valley for $150,000 to facilitate the 2026 School Clothes for Kids Program.

Echemann added that the contract will be funded with $100,000 through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program and $50,000 from Belmont County Community Action Committee.

"It was announced a month ago or so that we would not be able to do the school program the way we always have, and this was unhappy news for all of us. But this happy news today, because we found a way to kind of resurrect this whole thing," Echemann said.

“As soon as we heard that there was not going to be funding for the clothing program this year, we thought about what we could do to help. So when Belmont County Jobs and Family Services reached out to us, we were more than happy to help," United Way of the Upper Ohio Valley Executive Director Staci Stephen said. "I can’t imagine kids having to go back to school without what they need. They grow very quickly and grow out of the clothes they had the year before. So hopefully, this will help a little."

She added that the organization paired with its annual Lace Up For Kids Program in hopes to help the children return to school. The annual program provides school age children from low-income families who apply through its website in Hancock, Brooke, Ohio, Marshall, Wetzel, Tyler, and Belmont Counties with brand new pairs of sneakers for the school year.

Community Action Committee Executive Director Alaire Grompers said that, for the past eight years, the CAC provided DJFS with funds for the School Clothes for Kids Program.

"I was so sad to hear that it wasn’t going to work out this year, but we found a way with the help of United Way with CAC and Job and Family Services to make sure that kids are going back to school with fitting clothing," Grompers said. "It helps their confidence, gets them ready for school, and so many families rely on this. We’re really happy to be able to help."

Commissioner Vince Gianangeli added that CAC annually provides money for children whose families would not qualify for the program through TANF dollars but are still in need.

"Obviously this was a very difficult decision, but given the changes in the federal government, the changes in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program administration and the focus on decreasing error rates,” DJFS Director Jack Felton said. “If Ohio would owe a share of the SNAP benefit at 5%, it’s $160 million, and my guess is they want to put some of that burden or share directly on the counties

"So all of our focus and time has been on processing applications, making sure that they’re accurate. But then [DJFS Fiscal Advisor] Jack [Regis Jr.] and I were talking. It’s like, wait a minute, we do a TANF contract for the backpack program. Can we find a partner and do it that way?” he continued. “So it’s not really our program, even though we use TANF funds to fund it. But if somebody else can take the applications, send those applications to us. We could just verify eligibility because when we do the application, we have to ask for income for the last 30 days and so forth. And when we look at that case, that could affect if they’re on Medicaid. It could affect their eligibility for Medicaid. It could affect their SNAP eligibility allotment."

He added that, on average, it takes a half-hour to process each application versus five minutes to go in the system and confirm the applicant is on SNAP.

Felton said he then reached out to the United Way and asked if it would be interested in partnering.

He added that CAC usually gives DJFS $25,000 for the program but decided to give it $50,000 in light of DJFS recently announcing it wouldn't be able to provide the clothing vouchers this year.

"It’s not going to be as much as it was last year or historically. We’re anticipating $200 per child and 850 children we'll be able to serve, a decrease from the 1,100 that we served in years past, but it’s a big step forward to help the community and help the kids get back ready for school," Felton said. "Hopefully with the Lace Up for Kids Program, they won’t have to purchase shoes, so that will be one less expensive clothing."

He added that applications are currently open and will end Aug. 19 and can be applied for by contacting DJFS office at 740-695-1075.

Felton said that he has been speaking with the Ohio Valley Mall and has tentative dates for the shopping days.

"We want to make sure the dates are solid before we announce those. But we’ll let the families know when their shopping days are," Felton said.

Gianangeli added that with funds being tight he wanted to note that there is an organization that started when DJFS originally announced a pause on the program.

Amanda Lancione founded Heart of Belmont County which is a Facebook page that posts Amazon wish lists created by area parents to help prepare their children for the upcoming school year.

"It’s getting a heck of a response, there were over 200,000 views last time that I looked," Gianangeli said.

He added that if residents want to donate to the children on the Heart of Belmont County's list they can go to the organization’s Facebook page.