Lane County assistance programs

Get help with bills, and resources and organizations that provide assistance.

There are several different places that families can turn to for aid in Eugene and Lane County. There are organizations and resources that provide help with rent, energy bills, weatherization and energy conservation programs, and other everyday expenses.

Energy bill Credits From Eugene Water & Electric Board

The utility company created an assistance program that provides the unemployed with credits on their utility bills. There are still funds available to distribute to unemployed customers who struggling to pay their utility bills in this difficult economy, even if they’ve already received help from EWEB earlier this year. Eugene Water and Electric Board works closely with local organizations, including the Lane County Human Services Commission, which contracts with St. Vincent de Paul of Lane County, the Campbell Senior Center, and the Catholic Community Services to get people signed up for the assistance program.

The amount of assistance being provided has increased this year. As part of the company’s customer care program, EWEB has greatly increased the amount of the credit it gives unemployed customers to $300 from $200. The energy bill credit from EWEB’s will apply to any unemployed customer, regardless of their current or past income. However customers need to have proof of receiving state unemployment benefits within 14 days of the date of their application for the assistance.

To learn more or apply, contact St. Vincent de Paul, call the utility help line 461-8794 or stop by the Lane County Human Services Commission social service office at 456 Highway 99 North.

Other Land County Resources and Programs

The Lane County Human Services Commission has several other options for local families and administers numerous other programs. They include those listed below. Contact them at (541) 682-3798 to apply or learn more.

Medical Clinic
Will provide free and / or sliding-scale primary health care care and services for uninsured as well as low to moderate income households in Lane County. Services offered by the clinic will include exams, basic lab work, medications, and free prescription drugs. Find additional free health care programs.

Dental Clinic
Provide free or reduced cost ongoing and preventative dentistry to low-income adults and children. The populations targeted by the dental clinic program includes those people who are unemployed, disabled, uninsured, and or homeless.

Oregon Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
The program provides grants and other forms of financial assistance to low-income households for paying utility and heating bills. The program is seasonal and winter services are available as early as funding allows, which is typically in November of each year. There are some people it focuses on, including households with lower income residents, a person age 60 or over and households with a permanently disabled member are priority groups. Grants and funds from this federally funded program are dispersed on a first-come, first-served basis, so apply early. Home bound applicants can be assisted with completing their applications at home. Services for LIHEAP available in Oakridge, Florence, Eugene, Cottage Grove and Springfield Oregon.

Homeless Prevention and Rapid Rehousing
The purpose is to prevent evictions. Financial assistance, cash grants, counseling, and stabilization services are offered to help prevent individuals and families from being evicted, becoming homeless or to help those who are experiencing homelessness to be quickly rehoused and stabilized in new short term and long term housing. Find more rent assistance.

Weatherization Services
The Lane County Human Services Commission works closely with organizations including the Housing and Community Services Agency of Lane County (HACSA) to provide energy conserving as well as home weatherization services throughout Lane County. The Weatherization program will assess homes for weatherization needs and it will install, for free, insulation and windows, seals heating ducts, caulking, furnace repairs and tune ups.

Food Aid From Hunger Relief/Food Bank
Many families are facing hunger, and the food aid will solicit, collect, warehouse, prepare, transport, record, manage, purchase, and allocate food to support the needs of Eugene and Lane County Residents

City of Eugene Homeless Prevention Project
Prevent evictions and homelessness by providing direct client assistance through a consortium of providers and referrals to government programs and local agencies.