Freeborn County assistance programs.

Organizations that provide help with bills

Families who need help with paying their rent, utility bills, and other expenses can still access help from some local nonprofit organizations. Semcac, the local community action agency, and the Salvation Army both offers numerous resources and services to those in need.

Crisis assistance

This is assistance that is available at some county contact centers run by Semcac. This assistance is only available as funding allows. The funds may help people through difficult times by providing motel vouchers, food emergencies, cash grants for energy bills, transportation, or other emergency needs that help sustain or create improved self-reliance of an individual or family. In addition, counseling and other long term support will be provided.

Dollars and Sense Money Management

Another service offered by Semcac. The free, three-hour money management class is based on the Four Cornerstones of Financial Literacy curriculum and covers budgets, credit card help, savings and spending,  credit reports, debt settlement and debt reduction, identity theft, and credit repair.

Rent Assistance and  Homeless Prevention & Rapid Re-housing Program (HPRP)

The Semcac community action agency has received funding from the Obama Stimulus plan, formally known as the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act. The money will be used to administer the Homeless Prevention & Rapid Re-housing Program (HPRP). The new HPRP funds will be used to prevent evictions, pay for energy bills, offer credit counseling to ensure people get back on their feet, it will provide homeless households or households at risk of losing rental housing with both monthly rental assistance and case management. It is not a charity program, and the program will be targeted towards those who individuals and families who have been impacted by the weak economy and who may be struggling to obtain or maintain housing due to unemployment or underemployment. So it helps people with short term hardships.

The Energy Assistance Program

This is a federally funded assistance program that administered by Semcac and the Minnesota Department of Commerce. The energy bill assistance program provides financial assistance and cash grants to help pay for a household’s winter heating bills. Both homeowners and renters may apply for aid.

The Weatherization Assistance Program

Another a federally funded program that is offered by Semcac. It provides free energy conservation home improvements to reduce energy consumption costs and bills.

Semac can be reached at (507) 864-7741.

Albert Lea Salvation Army

The local branch offers several programs. They offer a myriad of assistance programs to local community members, including a food pantry, after-school and summer day-care programs for low-income families, free prescriptions, temporary shelter, rental and fuel assistance, and even debt and budget counseling to help families achieve economic independence over the long term.

The Albert Lea Salvation Army can be reached at 373-5710.