When state assistance falls through
By Jarod Wells
Wednesday, November 04, 2009 at 6:31 p.m.
Read more: Local, State
(Adams Co., Ill.) It's time for low-income residents in Illinois to apply for help with their heating bills.The state has almost $175 million in federal money for that assistance.
That should help 300,000 households.
But there are plenty of families who do not qualify for that assistance.
KHQA's Jarod Wells discovered there is plenty of help available locally for this KHQA FactFinder report.
"There's always folks that are needing that extra assistance. We have seen an increase from this time last year in the majority of services that we offer," said Family Services Director for the Quincy Salvation Army Dawn Gutierrez.
The Quincy Salvation Army helps people in Adams and Pike County, Illinois pay their utility bills. Residents must meet certain income levels and have been denied assistance from the state. But there are limits only $500 a year per family, and only one month of utilities.
What other options do people have after that one month?
"Well, we try to send people to agencies such as Two Rivers, General Assistance. There's always the Unmet Needs Committee, that's always an option," said Gutierrez
Dawn Gutierrez is referring to the Quincy Area Partnership for Unmet Needs.
"We like to think of ourselves as a community safety net for people that basically have exhausted all possible assistance. They may have already received assistance from agencies and cannot go back for a year. Their need may be greater than any one agency can take care of," Co-Chairman of Quincy Area Partnership of Unmet Needs Committee Claire Robinson.
That committee is made up of human service agencies and church organizations. That's where most of its funding comes from.
"Yes, we're definitely seeing need for utility assistance," said Robinson.
The committee is averaging five cases every other week.
"Many of those homes have children in them. Imagine having no power, no heat, no way to heat water and having young children in the home," said Robinson.
"Well, that's some of the basic needs we all have. To have food and heat and a roof over our head. So I think it's extremely important to help folks meet those needs and get that taken care of for them," Gutierrez.
Just to clarify, the Salvation Army can offer a family $500 throughout the year.
And the Salvation Army can help with only one month of utilities.
If after that one month the family has not reached the $500 limit, it can use the funds for something else, such as rent or prescription assistance.
Quincy Salvation Army : 217-222-2087
Quincy Area Partnership for Unmet Needs : 217-224-1223
