West Virginia clothing vouchers come from the state’s School Clothing Allowance, which gives $200 per eligible child to help families buy school clothes each year. The program is run by the West Virginia Department of Human Services through the Bureau for Family Assistance, and applications are accepted in July. Adults who need clothing for work or interviews use different channels, covered further down.
Who Qualifies
The voucher is for school-aged children who live in West Virginia and are enrolled in a West Virginia school. Household income must fall at or below 130 percent of the federal poverty level.1Bureau for Family Assistance. West Virginia Department of Human Services Accepting School Clothing Allowance Applications
Children in foster care qualify regardless of the foster family’s income, and in those cases the allowance is issued as a check rather than a voucher.1Bureau for Family Assistance. West Virginia Department of Human Services Accepting School Clothing Allowance Applications
If your family received the allowance last year and is currently on SNAP or Medicaid, an application usually arrives in the mail automatically. You still have to complete and return it.2West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources. West Virginia Income Maintenance Manual – Appendix C – West Virginia School Clothing Allowance
2026 Income Limits
Eligibility uses gross monthly income before taxes and deductions. Every source counts: wages, child support, alimony, Social Security, workers’ compensation. Based on the 2026 federal poverty guidelines, the monthly limits by household size are:
- 1 person: $1,729
- 2 people: $2,344
- 3 people: $2,960
- 4 people: $3,575
- 5 people: $4,190
- 6 people: $4,806
- 7 people: $5,421
- 8 people: $6,036
For each additional person beyond eight, add roughly $615 per month.3U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 2026 Poverty Guidelines
How to Apply
Applications are accepted from July 1 through July 31, or on dates the Department of Human Services designates for that year. In 2025, the window opened on July 7.4West Virginia Department of Human Services. West Virginia Department of Human Services Accepting School Clothing Allowance Applications Exact dates are announced in late spring or early summer.
Apply online through the WV PATH portal at wvpath.wv.gov.1Bureau for Family Assistance. West Virginia Department of Human Services Accepting School Clothing Allowance Applications Paper applications are available at any county Department of Human Services office and can be mailed or dropped off there.
What You’ll Need
The application asks for Social Security numbers for everyone in the household, each child’s school grade, and proof of income for the month of July. Pay stubs, employer statements, benefit award letters, or tax returns all work.5West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources. Application for West Virginia School Clothing Allowance Report gross income before any deductions. If your pay swings month to month, pull your actual July stubs rather than estimating from another month; income mistakes are one of the most common reasons applications get denied.
What Happens Next
The state aims to process applications within 30 days.2West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources. West Virginia Income Maintenance Manual – Appendix C – West Virginia School Clothing Allowance Once approved, $200 per child is loaded onto a voucher you can use at participating retailers.
What the Voucher Covers
The $200 voucher can be spent on school-appropriate clothing: pants, shirts, skirts, dresses, shoes, coats, and underwear. Families who sew can use it for fabric and piece goods instead of finished clothing. Purchases are sales-tax exempt, and some participating stores offer additional discounts to voucher customers.6Bureau for Family Assistance. School Clothing Assistance
Where to Use It and by When
Vouchers expire October 31 of the year they’re issued. Anything unspent after that date is gone.2West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources. West Virginia Income Maintenance Manual – Appendix C – West Virginia School Clothing Allowance That leaves roughly three months to shop once vouchers go out in July or August.
The state maintains a list of participating retailers. It includes major chains such as Walmart, JCPenney, Old Navy, Kohl’s, Burlington, TJ Maxx, and Marshalls, shoe stores like Shoe Carnival and Shoe Show, and sporting goods stores such as Dick’s Sporting Goods. Local consignment shops, thrift stores, and Goodwill locations across the state also participate. The list updates each year, so check with your county Department of Human Services office or the Bureau for Family Assistance website before you shop.
If You’re an Adult Needing Clothing
The School Clothing Allowance is only for school-aged children. Adults have separate options.
West Virginia’s workforce development system, operating under the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, includes supportive services that can cover interview clothing, uniforms, and other work attire for eligible participants. You have to be enrolled in a WIOA program, and approval depends on funding and whether similar help is available elsewhere.7WorkForce West Virginia. WIOA Guidance Notice No. 10-16 – Support Services and Needs Related Payments Your local WorkForce WV office can tell you if you qualify.
Dress for Success operates a River Cities affiliate serving parts of West Virginia. It provides professional interview outfits to women who are actively job searching. You need a referral from a partnering social service agency to schedule an appointment.
Emergency Clothing Help
Families who lose clothing in a fire, flood, or other disaster can sometimes get emergency help through community action agencies. These local nonprofits typically require a referral from the Department of Human Services along with proof of the disaster, and amounts are modest, often around $100 per person with a household cap. Programs vary by county, so contact your local community action agency or county DoHS office to see what’s available. Faith-based organizations and local churches also provide emergency clothing in many communities, usually without a formal application, though what’s on hand depends on donations.