Hamilton County Job and Family Services now has a way to help foster children make college visits, provide toiletries or toys to abused children and aid low-income families with needs beyond job assistance, food and medical care.
Hamilton County’s Board of County Commissioners recently approved the FAMILY (Friends and Advocates Making Investments in Local Youth) Fund to help the agency cover expenses that are either not permitted under state and federal programs financed by taxpayer contributions or for which there are limited funds.
For example, the agency might not have funds to cover a foster child’s expenses to participate in an after-school sport, wear a cap and gown to graduation or take a trip to visit a college. If that child graduates and finds a good job, that agency cannot help pay for a car or car insurance to see that he or she makes it to that job.
Now, the FAMILY Fund gives local residents a way to make tax-free donations to assist in paying for these types of expenses.