Financial support from faith based Christian Helping Hands.
Christian Helping Hands is focused on both preventing homeless and well as ensuring families have food. These are two major concerns in the county of Brazoria, and many families struggle with their housing costs and providing affordable food for their families.
While resources are limited, case managers can often direct individual to resources that can help them when they are facing a hardship. Some of the funds for rent or utility bills will be issued from government grant programs, such as ESG or LIHEAP. On the other hand, hunger prevention can be addressed from food pantries and resources such as SNAP food stamps.
An outreach team will work with tenants facing eviction as well as the homeless. They operate across the city of Angelton, and the service is manned by volunteers as well as full time staff from Christian Helping Hands. The goal is to direct low income families towards a number of housing assistance programs that may be available for their needs.
There is a focus on households with children as well as at risk groups. This may also include senior citizens in Brazoria County as well as single moms or the disabled. All of these groups can be linked with appropriate financial aid for their rent or other bills.
There are also transitional housing or recovery programs. These can be for the chronically homeless, or maybe individuals that are battling some type of substance abuse. There will case management offered to them, which will help them gain the life skills they need for independent living.
Anyone struggling with their rent or that have housing problems will be able to get advice and support. Staff work together to assess the person's problems. Based on the results, they will identify resources that can help them address their problems.
If the struggle is caused by psychological problems, unemployment, lack of job training, substance abuse, or whatever, a solution will be found. The case management process from Christian Helping Hands will also give people multiple options to assist. This approach from the agency not only provides short-term, emergency answers but also develops permanent housing solutions.
When it comes to financial aid, most of the money comes from the Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) or low income energy bill assistance, or LIHEAP. It depends on what the tenant is struggling with, whether it is their rent or maybe a heating or utility bill.
These resources offer financial assistance and services to assist those who are struggling or maybe even experiencing homelessness in Pearland Texas. The goal of these government programs is to help quickly re-house clients and get them stabilized.
Potential assistance from Christian Helping Hands includes loans for short-term rental assistance. There can also be advice when it comes to housing relocation, and this is always combined with stabilization services such as case management. This will touch upon budgeting classes, utility payment assistance, as well as assistance in job searches. ESG clients or those applying for any funds must always meet the income requirement of the program in question.
People that were recently homeless, but are now stabilized and have a source of income, can look into Rapid Re-Housing. This is available for individuals who meet HUD’s definition. Examples of individuals from Brazoria County that benefit can be those that were recently sleeping in an emergency shelter; staying in a hospital or other institution, or living in a place not meant for human habitation, such as on the streets, cars, parks, abandoned buildings, or even sidewalks.
Sometimes evictions can be caused by unpaid utility bills. In these instances there may be funds available. There are grants issued directly from Christian Helping Hands, as well as government support from LIHEAP. The agency can help low-income households in Brazoria County with paying their heating bills or electric bills.
The Regular Assistance a one time payment from the government. If a disconnection is imminent, then the Crisis Assistance LIHEAP payment is a one time disbursement and can be issued in less time. The goal is is to keep the power on for people in poverty, with a focus on seniors as well as disabled.
Another focus of Christian Helping Hands is on providing food. To make this happen, there is a pantry that distributes an assortment of grocery products to clients and those facing hunger. These food pantries as well as local senior centers care for the infant, elderly, disabled, unemployed and needy neighbors. Many grocery products are processed by the food bank, and donations are needed. People can contribute canned goods, money or even just volunteer.
For more information on the faith based group, Christian Helping Hands is based at 3402 Swensen, Pearland, Texas 77581. The phone number is 281-485-9776.
|
