Every Thursday from 11am – 1pm during the summer months of June and July, Athens County Children Services distributes peanut butter, jelly, bread, and fresh produce at seven locations throughout Athens County. 

The Peanut Butter & Jelly Project is a supplemental food assistance program put on by the School Outreach team at Athens County Children Services to address the summer food gap brought about by the loss of school breakfasts and lunches during the school year.

The PB&J Project is funded through ACCS funds along with community donations and peanut butter and jelly drives held by local businesses, organizations, and individuals. If you would like to support the project by donating or holding a drive, please:

Call: 740-592-3061

E-mail: matthew.starkey@jfs.ohio.gov

Write a check to:

Athens County Children Services
P.O. Box 1046
Athens, OH 45701
Memo Line: PB&J Project

Athens County Children Services started the Kicks for Kids program in 2022 to provide children in Athens County with a pair of new tennis shoes as they head back to school. Every child deserves to enter the school year without the stigma attached to wearing dirty and worn shoes. What can seem like a minor thing in the face of hunger and homelessness, a new, durable pair of shoes can go miles in the way of enhancing a child’s physical and emotional health.

The Kicks for Kids Program is funded through ACCS funds along with community donations and shoe drives held by local businesses, organizations, and individuals. If you would like to support the project by donating or holding a drive, please:

Call: 740-592-3061

E-mail: matthew.starkey@jfs.ohio.gov

Write a check to:

Athens County Children Services
P.O. Box 1046
Athens, OH 45701
Memo Line: Kicks for Kids

The Athens County Adoptive Families Support Group is for parents who have gone through the adoption process or who are about to.

This group’s main goal is to connect families created by all kinds of adoption who live in Athens County.

Contact Laura.Schaeffer@jfs.ohio.gov or 740-592-3061 Ext. 145 for more information.

The Adoptive Families Support Group holds bi-monthly meetings with a guest facilitator and on off-months, they hold informal gatherings for adoptive families to meet and talk with each other.

Ways to help:

1. Monetary donations are also encouraged and are used to meet many of the last minute and special requests that we receive.

Checks can be mailed to PO Box 1046, Athens, OH 45701. Checks should be made out to FRIENDS OF CHILDREN SERVICES, with “Santa Tree Project” included in the memo line.

Donate directly through PayPal by scanning the QR Code below: (NOTE: Sheila Shafer is the treasurer so it is her name reflected on PayPal. All donations will be for the Santa Tree Project.)

2. Select an item from our Amazon Wish List! Our Amazon Wish List has some of our most requested items. If you purchase from that list, the items will be shipped directly to us!

Click here to see our Amazon Wish List!

3. We would love to work with your organization to provide gifts for 5, 25, or more children! We will mail, deliver, or email the “ornaments” for however many children you would like to shop for. Every “ornament” will have the name, age, and holiday wishes for a child we are working with. We will also be happy to pick those gifts up when they are ready – let us know if you are interested in our curbside pick-up option!

If you have any questions, please give us a call at 740.592.3061, or email athenscountysantaproject@gmail.com.

Santa Tree Frequently Asked Questions
1. How can I shop for a child?
• Go to The Market on State and select an “ornament” from the Santa Tree. Every “ornament” will have the name, age, and holiday wishes for a child we are working with.
• Call us at 740-592-3061 ext. 448 and leave a message with your contact info and how many children you would like to shop for.
• Sent us an email to athenscountysantaproject@gmail.com

2. I want to help, but don’t have time to go shopping, are there other ways to donate?
• You can donate ONLINE using the Paypal link above.
• Checks can be mailed to Friends of Children Services – PO Box 1046, Athens, OH 45701
• You can also visit our Amazon Wish List! Items on our Amazon Wish List are some of our most requested items and when purchased from our Wish List, get shipped directly to our agency.

3. When are the gifts due back?
• Monday, December 9th
• Gifts can be dropped off at The Market on State. There is a gift return bin in the middle of the mall next to our Santa tree. The bin and the tree will go up at the Market on State on November 7th. The bin is checked several times a day, every day, and has been used safely for over 20 years. The Market on State’s facilities staff assist the agency with checking the bin and keeping an eye on the gifts until they can be picked up.
• Gifts can also be dropped off at ACCS building 10, M-F 8:30 am – 4:30 pm.

4. Do the gifts need to be wrapped?
• Please do not wrap gifts. While supplies and funding permits, we will provide families with wrapping paper.

5. If my caseworker signed me up, when and where can I pick up my gifts?
• Check with your caseworker.

6. Where can people drop off their gifts?
• Gifts can be dropped off at The Market on State. There is a gift return bin in the middle of the mall. The bin is checked several times a day, every day, and has been used safely for over 20 years. The Market on State’s facilities staff assist the agency with checking the bin and keeping an eye on the gifts until they can be picked up.
• Gifts can also be dropped off at ACCS building 10, M-F 8:30 am – 4:30 pm.

7. How many children does this project help?
• This year, we expect to provide holiday gifts to 400 Athens County Families, or approximately 1200 children.

8. Are all the children in ACCS Foster care?
• About 1/3 of the children served in through the Santa Tree Project are in traditional foster care. Others are in kinship placements or are otherwise working with our workers. 100% of the children are signed up by our staff, who know the families and will be delivering or contact the families to pick up their gifts.

9. Will there be an opportunity for families NOT working with ACCS to sign up?
• At this time, we do not have plans to offer a public sign-up. We currently lack essential physical resources to be able to extend the Santa Tree Public to the public.

The Santa Tree Project has taken place for over 35 years in Athens County as Athens County Children Services’ annual gift-giving holiday program. While it is proudly organized by Athens County Children Services and our affiliate Friends of Children Services, it is fully funded through the generosity of individuals, families, and businesses in Athens County. 

Each year, we continue the tradition of collecting wish lists for each individual child we are serving, and sharing those lists with the community. For every child, we craft a holiday ornament that lists their first name, age, and a few holiday wishes. We make those available so the community can shop directly for the children and then we take those gifts from the community and ensure that they get to each and every child we serve.