Find support from Across the Street.
On a case by case basis, Across the Street Ministries may be able to help. The case management process can help families apply for grants, offer holiday assistance or food, and try to prevent homelessness in the greater Lubbock County community. The funds available from the charity are targeted at very specific needs, and the applicant will never be given cash. Rather any funds are given directly to the creditor that is owed the money.
One of the Across the Street top priorities is maintaining the dignity of the people who need help. When applicants to the non-profit feel that many aspects of their lives are out of control, the charity hopes to empower them by letting them choose the basic needs and items that can help them.
There may be help for families that are in need of clothing. In these cases, the person will be given a voucher to pick out what they need from the ministries thrift shops. The same goes for school supplies, emergency food, bedding, furniture, household appliances, personal care products, diapers and more.
At every step along this process, the charity aims to prepare clients for a return to long term self-sufficiency. This is a main goal of the Village Market Place thrift store. Until then, Across the Street employees and supporters hope that the agencies services will bring Help for Today and Hope for a Better Tomorrow.
A food pantry and personal hygiene center from Across the Street is operated by a combination of volunteers as well as full time staff members. The center was set up to be similar to a grocery store in providing the family a choice to pick only what they need. Everything provided will be based on family income, need, and the number of people living in the home.
Across the Street Ministries receives donations from stores across Lubbock Texas as well as restaurants. The volunteers also try to collect items from the public, and partners such as churches even hold found raisers and food drives. All of this is done in an effort to keep the cupboards full. The community does a great job in contributing so that dozens of people can be assisted per month.
When applying, a staff member will give the person a voucher to use to “shop” at the pantry. What exactly is available will change by the week, but there may be toiletries, diaper, free personal hygiene items, canned fruits, dairy, milk, and even, on occasion, baby formula.
Across the Street helps students and children as well. A number of services are offered to high school students via the after-school program or serves such as summer snacks. These resources include tutoring and assistance with homework. Support is also for non-English speakers or immigrant children.
There are also free courses in computer literacy, conflict resolution, and character and spiritual development. These programs are for both the child and their parent. There are also recreational activities, and snacks and meals are provided to participants.
Difficult financial situations can result from an unexpected event, such as the death of a family member, loss of a job, medical emergency, or unexpected car repair among other reasons. Across the Street may be able to offer financial help or those in difficult financial situations. There may be cash grants or even loans to pay for basic needs to stabilize families in a crisis. The goal is to prevent utility disconnections, homelessness as well as hunger across Lubbock County and job loss.
In some cases, there may be assistance for mortgages, back rent or utilities. The funds, if issued, are usually available once in a lifetime and they help people remain in their current homes. There is also an on-site food pantry available to families in need to prevent hunger. For clients of Across the Street Ministry with issues such as a needed car repair, there may be free public transportation tickets so that they can get to their job to maintain employment. This will allow them to keep up with paying their bills in the future.
Across the Street can also help immigrants. There are programs that focus primarily on supporting the many low-income Latino and non-English speaking families in the community to make sure both adults and children are safe and supported in a stable environment. Clients may qualify for assistance with housing, employment, translation, and other forms of generalized support is given to these struggling families. This is in addition to the resources mentioned above that are targeted at students.
When possible, the ministry will provide support from their Lubbock Texas center. The primary phone number is (806) 762-4010.
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