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Chautauqua County assistance programs

Home repair assistance, foreclosure prevention, and credit repair
Chautauqua county and the Chautauqua Opportunities community action agency have received economic stimulus money to offer residents a variety of aid. The funds provided will help the agency repair older houses in the county and Jamestown in an effort to save energy and reduce heating bills as well as increase neighborhood home values.

Several million dollars is being provided from the federal government. Chautauqua Opportunities' stimulus funding provided includes: $1.4 million in weatherization; $800,000 for Head Start and Early Head Start for child care assistance, $600,000 for small business development, $361,000 for transitional independent living for youth and more. Additional funds will also be applied to provide families with credit counseling, foreclosure prevention and the establishment of groups to work with Dunkirk and Jamestown to provide rent help and address homeless prevention due to eviction or foreclosure of a home in the county.

The Salvation Army of Jamestown
A grant for almost $100,000 has been provided to the Salvation Army, and the funds will be used for a variety of assistance programs. The money will be used to improve and enhance support services for four primary Salvation Army programs: the Children and Family Outreach Program, the Comprehensive Financial Assistance Program, the Non-Residential Domestic Violence and Rape Crisis Services, and also the Residential Domestic Violence Shelter will receive money.

The background and details of some of these programs includes :

The Comprehensive Financial Assistance Program provides local residents of the greater Jamestown area  assistance with clothing, utility bills, furniture, medical drugs and prescriptions, certain travel needs, an on site food pantry, assistance with personal hygiene items, baby formula and food, and special dietary needs. In addition, the program also provides funds for and sponsors the Bundle Them Up Program, which provides kids with free winter coats; case management services; the Christmas Assistance Program for both families and individuals; and they will also freely provide information and referral to other community agencies and aid groups.

In addition, the Salvation Army provides the following  case management services and counseling:

• 24-hour crisis intervention
• advocacy and accompaniment for criminal and family court, medical, legal, housing, and financial services
• referrals and information to community resources
• supportive counseling services, including budgeting
• support groups and other aid

Jamestown and Chautauqua County foreclosure prevention
The Chautauqua Home Rehabilitation and Improvement Corporation is receiving a grant of almost $30,000 that will be used to support the agency’s foreclosure prevention counseling efforts. The grant, courtesy of a federal government program, will enable CHRIC to continue providing foreclosure counseling countywide for homeowners in danger of foreclosure. The counseling involves working with both the homeowner and lender to come up with a plan that will stop a foreclosure filing.