The Community Action Program of Belknap-Merrimack helps families who are facing a hardship. They provide case management and support. The non-profit will do its best to help the individual in crisis, whether it is lack of food or assistance needed for utilities, and help them overcome their long term challenge.
If the agency is unable to help, they will often provide referrals to other agencies that may be able to help. The case managers from the non-profit can help clients to find other options, such as government resources or charities in the region. This means that they can help you to find out if you qualify for food stamps, and tell you how to apply.
Find help for seniors
There are many organizations in Belknap and Merrimack County that offer assistance to seniors. They all have the same goal, which is to promote independence and well-being of the elderly through a healthy lifestyle. This also includes opportunities to volunteer, increased social interaction, human services, community integration projects, educational seminars, and rural transportation services.
The CAP provides many resources for older adults in the community, such as programs and services. Some of the services offered to elderly people in New Hampshire include free Meals on Wheels, The Fixit Program for home repairs, Elderly Housing, and job placement in New Hampshire from Community Service Employment. There is more that can be offered as well.
This organization provides housing assistance to low-income individuals and families within Belknap and Merrimack Counties. This assistance is particularly beneficial to senior citizens within the community. Housing that is affordable and independent living for the elderly is available in the development. Tenants are required to pay a monthly rental amount that is equal to 30% of their adjusted income. This allows them to lease a unit at a reduced rate. There are apartments in many different towns, such as Riverside, Franklin, Alton, Warner, Epsom, and Belmont.
The Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) helps place seniors in jobs. This program provides older unemployed residents of New Hampshire with training at local nonprofit organizations, charities, or public training sites. The training is subsidized by the community service-based program. People who participate in this program work for minimum wage at different host sites that are either non-profit or public facilities. The goal of this program is to help clients get training and experience that will lead to jobs that don’t need government assistance.
Funds for rent and bills from Community Action of Belknap-Merrimack
The Community Action Program of Belknap-Merrimack provides resources to prevent homelessness and eviction. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act. The non-profit CAP will occasionally receive money from the government through the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act. The McKinney initiative is a program that provides opportunities for people to improve their lives and communities. All money donated will go towards helping people with their rent so they don’t get evicted. There may also be grants used for utility disconnection, security deposits and other events that could cause someone to become homeless.
The Homeless Outreach Intervention Program case managers also go to different local towns and communities. They do this to connect with people who are difficult to reach. This helps the non-profit to get them into appropriate shelter, and also apply for a loan for their security deposit or first month’s rent. It also provides other services that they might need.
The New Start Program offered by community action agencies provides a variety of human services over a two-year period. The plan will include providing service plans, prevention, and intervention for homeless or at-risk persons in Concord, as well as access to low-income apartments and support services.
The New Hampshire Electric Assistance Program provides utility bill assistance in the form of government grants or credits. This is for customers who have a low income and who are eligible for government assistance.
The assistance is a discount on the monthly electric bills, ranging from 5% to 70%. The size of the discount is based on the total income of the household. This program is offered by CAP working with local utility companies. This includes New Hampshire Electric Cooperative, Public Service of New Hampshire, and others.
The Neighbor Helping Neighbor Program is a program in which non-profits and community action agencies work together to help those in need. This program provides cash grants of up to $300 to help with utility or energy bills for households that might not qualify for CAP’s other assistance programs. This option is for people who have experienced a difficult situation or problem that has caused their utilities to be shut off.
The money from the grant can only be used to pay for utility bills and not for anything else. Older households are not required to show a shut-off notice. Applications for this program are available at local CAP offices.
Employment and educational support
The unemployed or underemployed can benefit from the Workforce Investment Act. This program will help community members get and keep jobs, and earn more money. It will also improve the quality of the workforce in terms of skills and abilities.
This objective is accomplished by providing employment and job training services to unemployed workers and other adults who are aged 18 and older. WIA provides individuals with job search, skills assessment and placement assistance based on their needs and goals. Workshops are held to teach people job skills, group career counseling helps people figure out what they want to do with their lives, and case management helps people keep track of their job search.
Child development from Head Start is a resource that helps low income families. The goal is to provide families with young children (three to five years old) with the comprehensive services they need to successfully prepare them for kindergarten and beyond.
The program offers an educational curriculum tailored to the individual’s age in four to five-day weekly sessions. It also provides a range of support services in a center-based setting, as well as free medical and dental health screenings and follow-up care. The community action agency will also offer healthy meals and snacks, with nutritional information to help make informed choices.
The parents’ involvement in every part of the program and the child’s growth is highly recommended. Each Head Start center has a family service worker who provides support and assistance to each enrollee. The Laconia and Concord centers offer free, year-round child care for eligible families.
The federal Early Head Start program is similar to the Head Start program. This is only for children four years old and younger. The program will offer parents involvement and education, full-day child care at a center, medical and dental screenings, nutrition education, and more. Parents play an important role in helping their children learn to manage their emotions.
Food programs
The Emergency Food Assistance Program distributes an array of nutritious USDA commodities. If you meet the requirements, you can usually get the items for free. There may be food assistance available for families and individuals in need of groceries and meals.
The agency is responsible for distributing food to local churches, food pantries, soup kitchens, homeless shelters, and other charities in Belknap and nearby counties.
WIC provides supplemental foods, health care referrals, and nutrition education for low-income pregnant, breastfeeding, and non-breastfeeding postpartum women, and to infants and children up to age five who are found to be at nutritional risk. This is the main federal resource that provides assistance to low-income postpartum, pregnant and nutritionally at-risk infants and children.
With federal money and grants, WIC gives out free, healthy food, baby formula, and health screenings. They also refer people to health care providers or social services. Some of the other assistance that Community Action Program of Belknap-Merrimack provides for participants includes teaching them about nutrition and what types of food are appropriate to eat during pregnancy. This means that women with lower incomes will get the help they need during this time period.
The CSFP provides free healthy food to low-income seniors to improve their overall health. The monthly supplemental food package will contain a variety of foods, such as nonfat dry and evaporated milk; soups, juice; rice; pasta; peanut butter; cereal, canned fruits and vegetables; yogurt, canned meat, or tuna; and cheese.
Case managers also teach people about nutrition and how to prepare meals that are healthy. The Concord Warehouse distributes food and educational materials to communities throughout Coos, Merrimack, Belknap, and Grafton Counties.
The Community Action Program of Belknap-Merrimack Counties is in Concord, New Hampshire 03302-1016. Call the center at 603-225-3295 to talk to someone.