Tioga County assistance programs.

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The local community action agency, Tioga Opportunities, Inc., is a non profit private human services organization that provides the residents of Tioga County, New York with resources and programs to help them through difficult periods.

Home Rehabilitation Services: They offer housing repair, modernization, and rehabilitation assistance to eligible Tioga County residents. They can help provide necessary updates and home repairs so that homeowners can feel safe and comfortable in their home environment.

Rental Assistance Programs: Tioga Opportunities offers rental assistance and grants to families and individuals who live in apartments outside of our management. Funds will also help prevent evictions and possibly help with security deposits as well.

WIC (Women, Infants, Children) Program: The WIC Program serves as both a supplemental and nutrition education program for eligible infants, women, and children. The federal government funded WIC Program offers low to moderate income people monthly food checks so that they can buy healthy food for themselves and their children. The WIC program also provides free education and counseling to participants.

Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP): This a a resource that will provide energy and heating bill assistance to eligible low and middle income residents to help them offset their energy costs during the cold winter months. Tioga Opportunities, Inc. contracts with the Tioga County Department of Social Services to certify HEAP applicants. There is also a crisis component of this program. In addition to the certification of regular HEAP program benefits, Tioga Opportunities, Inc. also certifies households for the Emergency Heap assistance program. These emergency grants and supplementary benefits are awarded to households that are expected to have their service disconnected, run out of fuel within a few days, who may be facing an imminent shutoff of their utility service.

Empower NY: The primary goal of EmPower New York is on cost-effective home electric reduction measures that will help people save money. The program does in particular focus on lighting and refrigeration replacements, as well as other cost-effective strategies such as adding additional insulation and draft reduction measures. Best of all this is a free service to those that meet the program's income eligibility requirements.

In addition to Empower NY, free home weatherization services are also available for income eligible homeowners and renters. Some of the benefits include a reduction of monthly energy bill costs, weatherization will identify and addresses safety and health issues, it will improves indoor air quality, increases comfort levels of homeowners, weatherization will lowers maintenance costs, and another benefit is it will saves on the nations natural resources.

Some of what is included in the weatherization program include testing, repairing, cleaning, and replacing heating systems as well as domestic hot water tanks, it includes free sealing up of the house or apartment to reduce drafts, it provides for additional insulation of walls, attics, floors, and crawl-spaces, pays for the repair or weather stripping of doors and windows, testing, repairing, and replacing refrigerators, and more.

Contact Tioga Opportunities at Countryside Community Center, 9 Sheldon Guile Blvd., Owego, NY 13827, (607) 687-4222.