West Virginia clothing voucher program ends early due to funding gap

West Virginia’s School Clothing Allowance, a voucher program for children’s back‑to‑school clothing funded through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, opened for applications on July 20 after a delayed start. The Department of Human Services announced on July 27 that the program had run out of money and closed the registration window, leaving thousands of families without assistance.

Governor Patrick Morrisey, who was promoting the state’s back‑to‑school sales‑tax holiday, said the shutdown was unexpected. State delegates, including Rep. Hollis Lewis and Rep. Kayla Young, questioned the administration’s handling of the program, noting that about 52,000 West Virginians rely on the vouchers. Treasurer Larry Pack highlighted a discrepancy between the $110 million allocated by the legislature and the claim that funding was exhausted after one week. Critics pointed to a reduced budget—approximately $11 million this year versus $17 million previously—and called for greater transparency.

The early closure has sparked calls for a review of the TANF funding structure and for measures to prevent similar disruptions to essential assistance programs.