Monroe County assistance programs.

The top local agency to turn to in times of need is the Action for a Better Community, Inc. (ABC) They are the local community action agency, and not only do they administer their own programs (which you will find information on below) but they can also refer you to other federal or New York State programs. Receive access to numerous services, including utility and heating bill help, emergency funds to pay rent, job training, debt counseling, and more. Also find information below on other Rochester and Monroe County New York non-profit agencies and charities.

Energy Conservation and Repair Program

If you are considered lower income, or maybe have recently lost a job, and if you reside in a house that may have substandard insulation, an old heating unit or furnace, the question of how to pay for your heating and electric bills become a concern. Sometimes a homeowner may be placed into a dangerous situation, if their service is about to be cut off, or if they resort to an unsafe heating method.

This program includes furnace repair or replacement, weather stripping, extra floor and wall insulation, and emergency bill assistance and grants. The Energy Conservation and Repair Program works directly with families individuals and families to ensure that all measures are being taken to properly weatherize homes, reduce the amount of monthly bills, and to ensure peak efficiency of heating units for income eligible families. There are many benefits to this program. Not only does it provide safer environments for individuals and families, but it also helps them to maintain and improve housing stock and home values throughout the City of Rochester and the larger Monroe County area. The program also provides consumers with free tips and advice for how to conserve energy.

Training, Economic Literacy, and Debt Assistance Program

This wide ranging assistance program provides counseling, advice for how to get out of credit card debt, economic literacy, job training, pre home purchase advice and training, information on ways to get moderate repairs and rehabilitation done to your home, and post-purchase mentoring. In addition, Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) is also available during the income tax year for walk-ins. Economic Literacy assessment and individual classes and free counseling are available.

Child Care Assistance

With many people struggling to provide for child care, as well as land a job to help them get back on their feet, high quality child care and providing for it is a concern that affects all families in the area, whether they are rich or poor. When a family is seeking to become self-sufficient, whether through job training, a new job, vocational training providing for care is of special concern.

ABC's Child Development Center works with individuals and families by providing them with support and child care assistance. They offer an early educational and recreational opportunity, so that as a family they may continue their journey toward self-sufficiency. It is important to note that ABC's North Street CDC is accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. This accreditation ensures that children, who may range from age six weeks to five years, have access to the best educational, nutritional, health, child care, and family programs that are available in the local community. School-age child care is available both after school and during vacations.

Housing Assistance Programs

The community action agency may also be able to refer you to federal government programs that can help pay rent. Click here to learn more.

New York also offers several foreclosure and mortgage assistance programs. The organization may also be able to walk people through this process, and how to go about getting assistance. Learn more.

While Call Action for a Better Community, Inc. is headquartered in Rochester NY, they have offices that cover all of Monroe County. Call them at (585) 295-1825.

Home Repairs

The HomeWorks program, which is offered by the Catholic Service Center, provides very low cost scheduled and emergency home repairs, maintenance, cleaning, and other similar housing services to seniors (60+) and disabled people throughout Monroe County. (585) 262-0335

Access to free legal counsel

The Legal Aid Society of Rochester New York strongly believes everyone deserves the right to legal counsel. So they provide free advice, whether someone can pay or not. They can provide legal assistance for civil cases, which includes foreclosure prevention, landlord tenant rights, child support, evictions, and other types of cases. Call the Rochester non-profit law firm at 585.232.4090.

Monroe County Legal Assistance Center (585)325-2520 is yet another firm that people can contact for legal aid.

Free foreclosure prevention services

A resource offered by the Urban League, known as the Home Store, helps low and moderate income families stay in their homes. The resource includes the Foreclosure Intervention and Default Counseling program. This foreclosure assistance program provides professional, free, and very comprehensive foreclosure prevention counseling to homeowners who are seeking assistance to prevent foreclosure or who may be already in the home foreclosure process. Home and mortgage counselors will work closely with each individual who joins the program on a one-on-one basis, and together the counselor and the homeowners will develop the best strategy and plan for each person's personal financial situation. 585.325.HOME (4663)

Car Loans

If you either need to buy a car or repair a car for work related reasons, then receive access to very low interest rate auto loans from Catholic Service Center. The number is above. There are several conditions to the program, including must be employed, have a limited income, and have a family, but the intent of the auto loan program is to ensure people can get the transportation they need to get to work.

Emergency financial aid

The Rochester based Community Services offers a resource called Family Services. The program is all encompassing and wide ranging.  The organization will help meet the basic needs of local residents, by providing them with free food, access to clothing, shelter, and health care. Specifically, a variety of services are provided to those in need including advocacy, counseling and referrals to government programs and other local agencies, case management, home management skill-building, financial workshops and job training. Specific financial assistance includes: food, rent and mortgage assistance, day bus pass, prescription fulfillment, personal items, and household products. (585)327-7200

The Rochester Salvation Army offers dozens of programs to the hardest hit residents. Get help from all of these services. Prescription assistance, Food vouchers and nutritious bags of food, Rent and Mortgage Payment assistance, Assistance with preventing RG&E shut-offs, Bus passes, Gasoline Vouchers, and much more. Dial (585) 987-9540.

Get help finding a job

Yet another service provided by Catholic Service Center ((585) 262-033), the organization provides Employment Services for low income individuals as well as refugee and welfare-to-work clients. Counselors will provide training resources, and other job finding assistance.

The Urban League of Rochester, NY also has a variety of job finding and training programs. They run the Employment Services program and have an on site Career Training Center, which specializes in helping low and moderate income individuals achieve economic self-sufficiency by finding a job and growing their skills. The Center is a structured career center and has an almost 30 station computer lab offering career assessments and career development workshops. Counselors also work with clients of the program and center. 585.753.5729