Page 4A THE BEACON February 2018

Continued from page 1A 8 Housing ; Family Development , and the Toys for Tots program . The specific counties served by any given program vary , but Kimberly Elliott , Family Development Specialist with SIEOC , shares some of the challenges many Hoosiers face throughout the area : “ We see families that , as far as location , are not stable ; meaning that they move from place to place a lot . Now , that could be because there isn ’ t a lot of affordable housing in our area . You may have subsidized apartments or the Housing Choice voucher program , but once those slots are full , it turns into a wait list .

“ The biggest issue though that we deal with , is there aren ’ t really a lot of transportation options around here . We have Catch A Ride … and we ’ re glad to have that , but it is not something that benefits someone who is trying to find a job or needs transportation to and from a job . Now for someone who ’ s trying to get to a doctor ’ s appointment or get groceries - it ’ s wonderful … but for someone who ’ s trying to accommodate a work

Weatherization clients Jason and Leola Abbott came to SIEOC to tell their story and thank them for the work they did on their home .

IDA Client Success Story - Bryan McDaniel , participant , and Kimberly Elliott , Family Development Specialist . schedule or even find a job , it just doesn ’ t really fit .”

Mrs . Elliot continues , “ The third thing that I would say we always run into , is a lot of people report food insecurities . I think that by the time a family looks at all of their household bills , and then the income that they have coming in … one of the first things they are going to do is pay the rent or mortgage and then it ’ s like , what ’ s the next emergency ? Maybe it ’ s paying our electric , so the electric doesn ’ t get shut off , or … they have to make sure the car insurance is paid . It ’ s always something - but typically , by the time they get paid again , there are other fires that need to be put out , and so again they ’ re relying on their food stamp benefits or a food pantry .... They just don ’ t have the income , or they ’ re not budgeting as they should , to be able to get their food needs met .

“ A lot of times , these people are working ; they have money coming in , but when it comes to their bills , that money is spent before they even get it . Once they pay their bills , there ’ s not enough left over - number one to establish savings , or if they do start a savings account … car trouble will come up , and that money is gone . The income they make may not be at the level it should be for a household … We have some people who have Associate ’ s degrees and Bachelor ’ s degrees , but they ’ re underpaid because they ’ re working at a job that they may be too qualified for , but it ’ s a stable income , and they know they can get to that job every day . We see a wide range of different household makeups .”

SIEOC Staff members Susan Schnebelt , Tamara Cunningham , Kayla Scholle , Maria Coudret , Dawn Ross , Rebecca Westerfield , Kimberly Elliott .

A Combat Wounded sign for a designated parking place was installed at SIEOC . Shown are PG Gentrup and Tammy Cunningham with the sign .

Rebecca Westerfield ringing the bell for the Salvation Army . SIEOC is the local Salvation Army Service Representative for Dearborn and Ohio counties .

In keeping with SIEOC ’ s mission to improve people ’ s lives , the Energy Assistance Program helps Hoosier families get through expensive winter months . Mrs . Cunningham says , “ The energy assistance program just started November 1st … folks who are eligible for that can get between three to four-hundred dollars credit on their heating source . It ’ s a one-time assistance that helps the elderly and people with young children … hopefully , it alleviates some of their burdens at least for that month . The Energy Assistance Program runs from November 1st and usually cuts off in the middle of May , so there ’ s plenty of time for people to come in and sign up .”

Mrs . Cunningham explains that anyone who signs up for the winter energy assistance program is automatically eligible for the cooling program , if funds are available .

Continued on page 5

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