Community action agencies in Pennsylvania assistance programs

Assistance from community action agencies in Pennsylvania

Find help from a Pennsylvania community action agency, including grants for paying utility bills, money for rent or a mortgage or assistance finding employment. There is emergency financial help, transportation including cars for low-income families, housing programs, job training and more.

Grants and financial help from community action agencies

Assistance from community action agencies in Pennsylvania.

Find assistance from a community action agency near you in PA.

The non-profit organizations near you offer a number of services to low income families and those faced with poverty. The specific programs and resources offered by each agency listed below will vary and depend on funding and other conditions.

In general, families can receive short term financial assistance at the same time as longer term stability. This can include career counseling, job training, educations, and financial counseling.

Housing programs from community action, including rent relief and mortgage assistance

Grants and financial help from community action agencies: A number of

community action outreach programs are administered. Many locations in PA provide emergency assistance, cash grants, service planning, crisis intervention and case management to low income and economically disadvantaged families and individuals.

Depending on resources, assistance can include assistance with food pantry referrals. Emergency rent, housing and energy bill payments may be offered. Agencies can also team up with the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare to offer additional rent help.

Community action agencies generally work closely with area food pantries to insure people and children have access to food during times of crisis. Many centers also serve as distribution sites for the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture's Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) that provides boxes of food to eligible senior citizens.

Or find a list of free food pantries in Pennsylvania

Child care and Head Start in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania community action agencies offer utility

help. There are applications to government benefits as well as other services. Social workers also work with utility and gas companies like PPL and UGI to insure that their customers have options and financial assistance available to them when it comes to pay their utility and heating bills.

For example, community action agencies can provide information about the following. PPL's OnTrack Program is an option that offers a special reduced monthly payment on your energy bills. It can also waive a portion of any debt you owe your utility company. Operation HELP is another program that provides emergency grants and financial aid to pay heating bills for low income customers and seniors with financial hardships.

The Customer Assistance and Referral Services/CARES is offered to people who are faced with a temporary hardship that will cause them to be late on their bills. Another option is CAP, or Customer Assistance Program (CAP). This will set a monthly payment based on a percentage of your household income and size.

The Pennsylvania Low Income Usage Reduction (LIURP) is utility-sponsored savings program. It will help low-income residential customers conserve energy and reduce their utility bills.

Many agencies work with the non-profit Dollar Energy Fund . This organization offers grants for paying heating and utility bills to Pennsylvania customers. It can pay for gas, water, or other electric bills. Neighbor for Neighbor is another energy program that focuses on heating bills, and is mostly offered in Northwestern Pennsylvania.

Receive water bill assistance from the H2O Help to Others and Dollar Energy Fund. Grants can help qualified customers pay bills and/or offer them a 20 percent discount on Pennsylvania American's monthly service charge.

Or receive free water-conserving devices such as low-flow shower heads.

Community action agency job training programs

is available across Pennsylvania, and apply at a community action agency. Get help with maintaining your electric service from lower payments. Specialists will provide energy education and conservation tips, and weatherization will lower a customer's actual electric usage and bills. Food is offered from the: SNAP Outreach Program .

This is also commonly known as Food stamps, and it helps low income families and the unemployed stretch precious dollars at the grocery store. Use vouchers to buy a variety of healthy foods, such as grains (especially whole grains), vegetables and fruits. Case managers can help people with little or no income apply for SNAP assistance.

Many community action agencies can help people apply for public aid such as the: Women Infants and Children (WIC) Nutrition program . This is focused on improving the health of eligible lower income pregnant women, new mothers, and children. It offers healthy foods, nutrition education, formula, breastfeeding support, and referrals to health and social programs in Pennsylvania.

It also encourages the development of good eating habits through advice and education. The:

Medical Assistance Transportation Program

Pennsylvania self-sufficiency and counseling services

is coordinated by non-profits (such as your local community action agency), the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare and senior centers. The program provides free or low cost transportation to medical services for Medical Assistance (MA) consumers who do not have other transportation available to them.

The community action agency will also give information on

free car programs near you Senior Centers

in Pennsylvania provide a free breakfast and a hot lunch daily to the elderly. They also hold recreational and social activities. Other services provided by a center can include health screenings, information/referral services, transportation services and medical assistance from services such as Medicare.

Or learn how to create wills, legal documents, living wills, and get help on your taxes. Find other free legal services for seniors

Locations of Pennsylvania community action agencies near you

Housing programs from community action, including rent relief and mortgage assistance Prepared Renter Education Program (PREP) is offered in partnership of the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA) and a local non-profit agency.

It will help people become successful tenants and advise them on their rights. The: Financial Education Counseling program will help prospective homeowners learn the benefits of saving toward a goal of home purchase.

Included is First-time Homebuyers Education. HUD approved counselors provide guidance and advice to help families and individuals improve their housing conditions. Housing Counseling services include First-time Homebuyer Workshop, Credit Repair & Budget Counseling, one-on-one Pre-Purchase Counseling, and also the USDA 502 and 504 Loan and Grant programs.

Some programs are offered in partnership with non-profits like NeighborWorks America. Services are wide ranging and mostly free. Receive educational and outreach services. This includes home buyer education, free foreclosure prevention, Credit basics, and information on Pennsylvania fair Housing laws.

Homeless Prevention, Rapid Re-Housing Program

is paid for by federal government grants. Another housing program is known as Rental Assistance Program. Both offer financial assistance to prevent individuals and families from becoming homeless.

Money can pay rent, heating, or energy bills. This also includes for a mobile home lot rent in PA. The program can also help those who are experiencing homelessness to be quickly re-housed and stabilized.

Apply for housing relocation, emergency short-term or medium-term rental assistance and other stabilization services. Assistance can also include activities as landlord/tenant mediation, credit counseling, case management, security or utility deposits, utility bill payments, and moving cost assistance.

Rental counseling and assistance is offered. This includes assistance in locating, securing, and maintaining an apartment or rental property. Get help in filling out section 8 application, understanding lease, and budget counseling.

Child care and Head Start in Pennsylvania The: Child and Adult Care Food Program

is paid for by the United States Department of Agriculture but is administered by community action agencies and the state of Pennsylvania, Department of Education. It will improve the nutrition and health of adults and children. Head Start is for children from low income families. Services can, among other things, help develop the early math and reading math skills of young children so they can be successful in school.

It can also help special education students. The program will increase the cognitive and social development of children. It works by providing health, educational, nutritional, social and other services to enrolled families and children. Head Start also engages parents in their child's development and learning.

Parents too can receive help in making progress toward their employment, educational, and literacy goals. Head Start offers age appropriate activities to children, and this is done in a well-structured environment that helps each student become school ready.

As indicated, children with special needs are also included in all classroom or home-based activities. The agencies in Pennsylvania also have partnerships with behavioral health providers and doctors in order to facilitate the referral process for children with extra special needs. Free nutrition

is also offered, and this includes healthy meals and snacks. Health care is addressed, as all children receive free dental and health screenings from health centers in Pennsylvania. Children can also receive immunizations and immediate care.

Parents are key participants as well. They need to be involved in all aspects of the program. Case managers from a community action agency