The Chesterfield-Marlboro Economic Opportunity Council provides emergency assistance along with education and job placement. The community action agency and its case managers are focused on helping families in Chesterfield and Marlboro Counties. The agency provides a variety of services for seniors, the unemployed, and others in the region.
The General Emergency Assistance Program provides cash grants and other forms of aid to low-income households that qualify during a crisis. The money can be used to help with things like rent, food, clothes, medical bills, or housing if someone is in a tough spot. Other forms of aid offered by the non-profit organization include assistance with child care expenses and transportation emergencies. GEAP repairs home-heating units.
The CFNP from the Chesterfield-Marlboro Economic Opportunity Council is a program designed to help low-income and elderly residents with their medical and dietary needs. This resource is for residents in Chesterfield and Marlboro Counties. Local churches, medical and social services providers work together to provide services to clients.
The Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP) provides benefits to residents of the region who are 60 years old and over. In some states, you may be eligible for the Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP) if your income is below a certain level. Also, participation or enrollment in other programs that give benefits based on need (such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance or Commodity Supplemental Food Programs) may make you eligible for SFMNP in some states.
The goal of the SFMNP is to help low to moderate income senior citizens in Chesterfield and Marlboro Counties get fresh, nutritious, vegetables, fruits and even herbs from local farmers’ markets. The food may come from roadside stands or programs that support local farmers.
Some of the things that a senior can buy using a voucher includes unprocessed fruits, cheese, vegetables, honey, and fresh-cut herbs. This service provides many benefits for the elderly in the area. It gives them access to healthy sources for food, which is very important for their health and wellbeing. Additionally, it helps to reduce loneliness and isolation, as well as providing a sense of community. It also helps out existing vendors and local markets by increasing their customer base, and providing chances for the creation of new businesses that are locally owned and operated.
CMEOC has programs to help with the high costs of heating and cooling a home. The state of South Carolina offers a credit to residents who incur air conditioning expenses during the summer months.
The US Department of Energy created the Weatherization Assistance Program to provide homeowners with free energy-efficient additions and alterations to the homes. The purpose of the program is to help reduce high energy costs in South Carolina, including in Chesterfield County.
The program is called the Weatherization Assistance Program, or WAP. It provides free home improvement services to low-income households who qualify. These services can help make homes more energy-efficient, which can save families money on their energy bills. Tasks that contractors may undertake include repairing or replacing doors and/or windows; weather stripping; caulking; and insulating floors, attics, and walls.
The Heating and Air Replacement Program provides grants to replace or repair heating and air conditioning units that are broken or obsolete. The amount of the grant depends on the availability of funding. The updates typically provided by the community action agency are limited to $6,000, which allows for numerous updates to be done per home.
The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is a federally funded program that helps low-income households with their home energy bills. This program provides financial assistance to help people pay for heating costs both regularly and during an emergency. The program helps people with home heating costs and provides grants for people in crisis situations.
The Chesterfield-Marlboro Economic Opportunity Council helps people who are vulnerable and at risk of not being able to live independently. This program provides energy-related emergency services to people in need. The amount of money available for this program will depend on how much money is allocated to it, but it has the potential to help a large number of impoverished households who are either elderly or have disabled members.
Education and job training from CMEOC
The agency offers educational programs at the Robert Smalls Family Center for people who want to further their education. The center offers workshops and courses on a variety of topics, including Renters 101, Math and Basic Computer Technology, Pre-G.E.D. and G.E.D. Training and Testing, English as a Second Language or E.S.L., Parenting Workshop, Worldwide Interactive Network (W.I.N.), and Work Keys.
Work Keys is a program that is available to participants who are in the federally funded Workshop Investment Act. This program is also run by the Chesterfield-Marlboro Economic Opportunity Council. The program helps people get ready for an exam that can help them get jobs in their chosen field.
The Head Start program is a federally funded program that provides free early childhood education, health, nutrition, and parent involvement services to low-income children and their families. The program was designed to help low-income families with child development and education. The main goal of Head Start is to help children reach their full potential in the long run. Services offered include medical care, food, and educational and developmental guidance.
The VITA – Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Programs helps people with their taxes. This program is for residents of Chesterfield and Marlboro Counties who are considered low to moderate income. This software is designed for people who are not able to file their own taxes. They will be given free access to services that will help them prepare and file their taxes electronically, provided by certified volunteers who are sponsored by various community organizations.
The VITA sites in South Carolina are most often found in convenient locations such as community and neighborhood centers, shopping malls, libraries, schools, and post offices. The Tax Counseling for the Elderly Program is a free service targeting residents aged 60 and older. The advice and filing service is typically offered by retired individuals who work with non-profit organizations that are funded by the Internal Revenue Service.
The Chesterfield-Marlboro Economic Opportunity Council is located at 318-322 Front St., Cheraw, South Carolina 29525. Call the non-profit organization at 843-320-9760.