Ironton-Lawrence County Community Action Organization.
Find details on the Lawrence County Community Action Organization and the programs they administer. The non-profit can help qualified low income and working poor families apply for financial aid, including government benefits. However the focus of Ironton-Lawrence CAO is on self-sufficiency and offering clients a hand up, and not a hand out.
Home Weatherization (HWAP) is a form of conservation. This a federal government funded program for low-income and elderly residents. It will help reduce the total energy usage of qualifying households throughout the state. Grants and other funding is provided by the US Department of Energy and the State of Ohio.
Staff and contractors from CAO are able to assist low-income residents and help them make their homes more energy-efficient, which ensures that less of their income is spent on paying their heating bills. The main purpose is to aid households and help them save money. The average weatherized home in Ohio will save about 20 to 45% on its fuel usage. This will free up their income for other expenses, such as rent, food, and medications.
Each home that is enrolled undergoes an initial inspection to determine what services will be needed to make it more energy-efficient. A key activity done, which is a furnace inspection and tune-up, must be performed as well. If the furnace or heating unit is not safe, or needs to be repaired, then this can be replaced or fixed too.
HWAP improvements for Lawrence County families includes heating system repairs or replacement, conservation techniques as insulation of attic, wall, and basement; blower door guided air leakage reduction; various health inspections and testing; and safety adjustments. This service is free to eligible participants whether they own their own home or rent one.
Grants for paying heating bills are part of the Emergency Home Energy Assistance Program. CAO administers E-HEAP applications, which is a winter heating program that is offered from November 1 to March 31. This program helps eligible households with one-time payments for paying gas, utility, or other energy bills.
Federal government and state of Ohio funds are used as part of the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG). It is a key resource for helping people in the community. This program can provide the basis of the Lawrence County community action efforts.
As resources and grants allow, it can assist low-income individuals and families by providing information, making referrals to other services, and more. Staff hold workshops on self-sufficiency activities to undertake. The agency works with residents in an effort to assist them and help them make use of all resources available throughout the community. What may be offered from CSBG includes some or all of the following.
- Food Pantry Referrals can be obtained for those that need free groceries or meals. Food vouchers or boxes of goods are provided once every month per household. Referrals can be made in cases of emergency.
- Emergency financial aid is offered by CSBG grants. This service offers direct aid or forgivable loans to residents in the event of a hardship. Funds can be used for bills such as rent or utilities. It is an option when no other resources are there to help the Lawrence County resident.
- ORB - Organizational Representative offers individual case management for senior or disabled persons who receive SSI or Social Security Benefits. If they are unable to manage their benefits on their own, then staff from community action offer budget counseling, credit repair, personal allowances, and debit payment.
Low income housing is offered by CAO. There are dozens of apartments located in the area, including at Storms Creek, 10th Street, and Park Avenue Apartments. The sites are administered under the Low Income Housing Tax Credit Program which issues guidelines of rent restrictions and income limits that are mandated by the IRS and HUD.
The Ironton-Lawrence County Community Action Organization Early Childhood Academy is a regional program that offer high-quality preschool education and child care. It is for children under the age of 6. There are sites located in Dawson-Bryant, Fairland, Chesapeake, Ironton, South Point, and Symmes Valley School Districts. Components of it include Head Start (for ages 3-5 yrs. old), Help Me Grow, Kindergarten Readiness, and Center-Based Child Care.
Other family-centered services that focus self-sufficiency and unity are offered together. Early Childhood Academy will also offer free nutritious meals at all sites to participating children. All staff and teachers are professionally trained and certified, and they will be nurturing to the children in their care. The Ohio Department of Education has approved this, as well as the Health and Developmental Screenings that take place on site.
Clinics and Family Medical Centers bring high-quality medical and dental health care to Southeast Ohio. There are a few different centers in Lawrence County and the towns of Chesapeake, Coal Grove, Ironton, and South Point Ohio. Services are for the low income and uninsured as well. They are operated through the Rural Health Initiative which has been funded by the Bureau of Primary Health Care.
These medical clinics employ a staff of over 50, including nurse practitioners, full-time physicians, doctors, part-time physicians, and even some psychiatrists. they work together to provide support, even including mental health services. Some patients may be charged for some of the services and need to pay a portion of their medical bills.
Additional funding for the Ironton-Lawrence County Community Action clinics is from a grant issued by the Bureau of Primary Health Care. The centers use a sliding-fee payment scale that allows individuals to get treatment no matter what their finances are.
The CAO community action offers a number of resources are a part of the Senior Services program. The goal of these programs is being to meet the emotional and physical needs of elderly area residents. Home delivered meals, applications for Medicare, and much more is available. For many senior citizens in the county and across Ohio, the program staff are like family because they have no one else to care for their well-being.
Transportation includes a demand response service. This Transit Center is for those residents of Lawrence County Ohio that qualify. Those residents that have a need for transportation to get to fixed bus routes. All buses and vehicles are handicap accessible and provide para transit service for those residents that need it.
Food and formula is offered as part of WIC - Women, Infants & Children. It is known as the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program. The federal government assists income eligible pregnant women, infants, and children who are at risk due to inadequate nutrition.
This program improves pregnancies by referring or providing to support service. WIC and Ironton-Lawrence County Community Action (CAO) provides nutrition education, free formula and support. Vouchers pay for fruits/vegetables, eggs, milk, whole grain foods, cereal, and iron-fortified infant formula. Case managers from WIC also provides referrals to prenatal and pediatric health care services and other human service programs. Examples of these include Medicaid, Head Start and SNAP.
For more information, Ironton-Lawrence County Community Action Organization is located at 305 N 5th St, Ironton, Ohio 45638. Call 740-532-3534.
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