Community Action of Southern Indiana emergency programs.
Everything from case management, basic needs, and referrals are offered from the community action agency of the region, which is CASI of Southern Indiana. While the goal is on helping individuals reach stability and long term self-sufficiency, they may also have access to limited financial assistance or government benefits such as for paying energy bills, free food, housing, and more. They provide resources across the region, including in Clark, Floyd, and Harrison.
Home improvements from CASI
Weatherization services will deliver free energy efficiency services to low-income households, with a focus on seniors and the disabled. Community Action of Southern Indiana delivers these services to income-qualified residents in the region, including Floyd County.
The main goal is to reduce heating and overall energy bill to low-income persons by improving the energy efficiency of their homes. Not only that, but the updates can also address any health and safety issues of the home by installing carbon dioxide alarms or other updates. Professionally trained weatherization crews perform on-site audits using state-of-the-art equipment to inspect the furnace for efficiency or identify outside drafts.
Based on the result of that audit, crews from CASI will install insulation, seal off air leaks, tune up ventilations systems, and make modifications to (or replace) existing heating systems. Once installed in the home, the measures will help to reduce heating and cooling costs for years to come.
The program assists qualified low income families. The national resource works by addressing energy costs and it will make an individual’s homes more energy efficient and comfortable. Weatherization works by using free conservation measures such as insulating, adding extra air sealing and repairing or replacing energy appliances that do not work efficiently.
While the results will always very, at current prices, homes in Harrison or Floyd average over $400 in savings every year, year after year, after being weatherized and it may reduce energy bills by up to 25% for gas-heated homes.
CASI runs a program that can also help with home repairs, and is often combined with weatherization. It is for the low income that have a disabled member, seniors, or a young child at home, including single moms. A grant or maybe a no interest rate loan is provided to pay for plumbing, roofing, electricity, mechanical systems, carpentry and any handicap accessible construction and alterations.
Emergency services, including financial aid
Emergency services from the agency can come in many ways. Some examples of the aid may include the following. Most of this will be available as part of referrals to other non-profits in Indiana.
- Utility programs includes onetime grants, mostly as part of LIHEAP, for paying utility or heating bills. The focus is on keeping power or heat on.
- Rent delinquency programs – There may be qualified financial assistance through a combination of cash grant or loan funds. Lawyers and staff will also encourage mediation with landlords as well as money/debt management.
- Foreclosure intervention – CASI will arrange for mediation assistance, workshops on negotiating skills, refinancing assistance, and loan loss mitigation options for all types of mortgages including sub-prime, FHA, VA, and 30 year Conventional.
- Food – The non-profit can help very low income and the poor apply for SNAP food stamps. There is also information on local pantries and soup kitchens across the region.
- Government benefits – Case managers can assist with applying for job training, SSDI disability, and more. There is information on both state, federal, and even more local county aid programs.
LIHEAP - Home Energy Bill Assistance was designed to help eligible low-income families in Indiana meet the high costs of paying for home heating and cooling bills. To those households that qualify for aid from CASI, LIHEAP pays a one-time payment for most regulated utility customers reflecting their usage for the current season. In some cases, vouchers or credits may be issues for paying utility bills and helping to prevent disconnections.
While funding levels will vary, households with elderly or disabled members may qualify for a larger amount of assistance, paid for with a combination of federal and state of Indiana funds. Another option is the Winter Crisis Program (WCP), which is administered by Community Action Agencies (CAA’s) throughout the state, including Clark County. It provides financial assistance once per heating season to eligible households that are disconnected, have less than a ten-day supply of bulk fuel, or threatened with disconnection.
The HUD section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program from Community Action of Southern Indiana will help families, including the very low income and formerly homeless, have access to safe and affordable housing. Government funds can be used to pay a portion of the tenants rent.
Homebound can benefit from the Home Delivered Meals Program. This is funded through the Home and Community Care Block Grant, local donations, and area on aging centers in Clark, Floyd, and Harrison. The Program provides a low cost (or sometimes even free) nutritious meal to persons who live in the counties supported.
In general, recipients need to be age 60 or over, physically or mentally unable to obtain food or prepare meals, no one else can perform this service for them, and they also need to be unable to participate in the Congregate Nutrition Program in Indiana. The meals and boxes of food are delivered by volunteers and the routes are limited in the area.
Case management and financial literacy from Community Action of Southern Indiana programs
Budgeting counseling and financial advice can provide clients with education, training, credit counseling, and referrals to other agencies or resources in Clark and Harrison County. The classes can raise people’s knowledge and awareness about general money management.
Workshops will touch upon debt reduction, improving credit scores, and cash flow for the purpose of creating self-sufficiency by eliminating financial stress. All sessions provided by the agency will involve the client taking action steps to move themselves toward greater stability and growth.
Work with a counselor on reviewing budgets and identify areas for saving money or implementing change. Training sessions will ideally provide an individual with a basic understanding of money.
Financial literacy from community action includes IDA, or the Individual and Educational Development Accounts. If the client saves money, then the Indiana Department of Housing and Community Development Authority will match those funds too.
Case management, including Project Phoenix from Community Action of Southern Indiana (CASI) is usually required at the same time as an emergency financial aid or loans. It addresses needs such as employment and job training, medical care, transportation, and housing. The goal is to move the client out of poverty into some version of long term stability.
Community Action of Southern Indiana administers the federally funded Head Start Program. It is serving Floyd County to promote school readiness. It works by enhancing the social, educational and cognitive development of low-income children, infants and their families. Hundreds of three and four-year old children are enrolled in part-day and/or full day classes at the local schools and classrooms.
Particular attention is paid to the health needs of each child, and this will also include dental vision, and hearing. This is done so that any potential health issues do not interfere with learning and development. As part of this, the health care will provide review of medical health status, parent education on good dental practices, screenings for hearing and vision tests. Education and classes offered as part of Head Start will also stress the importance of dental exams and proper treatment.
The goal of the Head Start education component is to ensure children receive a comprehensive, developmentally appropriate curriculum. The sessions from teachers and volunteers address all areas of their developmental needs. The program includes social/emotional developmental disabilities, the creation of individualized leaning plans and referral for cognitive tests if needed.
The main center is at 1613 E. 8th Street, Jeffersonville, IN 47130. For more information on their services, dial (812) 288-6451.
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