Hamilton County Job and Family Services is trying something new this holiday season – an online wish list of gifts for kids in foster care and for older teens who are in independent living. Visitors can easily scroll through our Amazon account “wish list” of everything from toys and clothes
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Shared by Hamilton County Job & Family Services December 3, 2020
Dear JFS Family, As our county struggles with the effects of COVID-19, JFS is doing everything it can to help. This is exactly why our agency exists. Throughout our nearly 75-year history, we have time and time again come through for Hamilton County residents during hard times. You can count
Read More Shared by Hamilton County Job & Family Services March 16, 2020
From even the worst of circumstances, a resilient child can rise. But it usually takes help. The chaos of poverty, substance abuse, foster care and other social ills can swallow up many young people. Most are overwhelmed by their circumstances and mere survival is success. There are others who rise to the challenge, not only surviving, but overcoming, achieving
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Shared by Moira Weir February 10, 2020
Hamilton County Job and Family Services helped facilitate a record number of adoptions last year – 259. That’s 259 kids now living with loving, permanent families. And it’s 25 percent increase over the 207 adoptions we counted in 2018. The McQueens In these numbers are some wonderful stories: Terrez
Read More Shared by Moira Weir January 15, 2020
More than 400 kinship families were helped this year by a new kinship stipend program. JFS launched the program in June to help Hamilton County grandparents, aunts, uncles and other relatives who care for children in JFS custody. The kinship stipend program pays kinship caregivers $350 per month, per child for
Read More Shared by Moira Weir December 27, 2019
The world needs more Mike McQueens. This man adopted the grandchildren of his former wife in one of the most heartwarming hearings on our National Adoption Day. Please check out this great story and wonderful photos. Thank you to Terry DeMio, Meg Vogel and The Enquirer for taking the time to
Read More Shared by Moira Weir December 9, 2019
Ohio now has a new Children Services Transformation Advisory Council aimed at reviewing the state of Ohio’s foster care system and developing recommendations for improving the experience of children and families. The advisory council was created to build on the historic investments included in the State Operating Budget providing more opportunities
Read More Shared by Moira Weir November 7, 2019
Our agency recently launched a campaign to recognize those we lean on while helping nearly half a million Hamilton County residents every year. Our 800+ employees work every day so many in this community can have better tomorrows. Among the work: Protecting children and the elderly Ensuring families have access
Read More Shared by Moira Weir November 1, 2019
Annabella will be one of 14 kids adopted on Friday as part of our commemoration of National Adoption Month. But she has even a loftier goal in mind – she plans to become a princess. Annabella is 5 and she’ll be adopted by her aunt and uncle, Jennifer and Jeremy
Read More Shared by Moira Weir October 31, 2019
Fourteen children will be adopted into eight families Friday, Nov. 1, as part of Hamilton County Job and Family Services’ 13th annual mass adoption ceremony to celebrate National Adoption Month. The ceremony will be held at 9 a.m. in Judge Ralph Winkler’s Hamilton County Probate Court. While adoption finalizations are
Read More Shared by Moira Weir October 30, 2019
Lighthouse Youth & Family Services will celebrate 50 years of service with a reunion from 1 to 4 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 9, at its offices at 401 East. McMillan Street. Past and present clients, employees, board members, volunteers and honorees are welcome. There will be food, music and a petting
Read More Shared by Moira Weir October 9, 2019
The Hamilton County Board of Commissioners has proclaimed September as National Kinship Care Month. The proclamation reads: WHEREAS, the abuse and neglect of children in our nation and our community is an ongoing problem, with nearly 20,000 abused and neglected children receiving services from Hamilton County Job and Family Services
Read More Shared by Moira Weir September 26, 2019
When we say a child is in kinship care , it means that when the child was no longer able to safely live with parents, a relative or a non-relative adult who has a bond with the child (maybe a teacher, minister, long-time family friend) stepped up to take the
Read More Shared by Moira Weir September 10, 2019