Ingham County assistance programs.

Find ways to get a wide variety of help

The Salvation Army in Ingham County Michigan provided a wide variety of assistance to residents. The charity has been able to bring aid, comfort and assistance to the poor and struggling of Eaton, Ingham, and Clinton counties in Michigan. They can be reached at (517) 484-4424.

Just in 2008, over 6,000 individuals and more than 7,000 families received assistance from the various Salvation Army programs for everything from groceries/food vouchers, utility bill assistance, help with rent, housing and other general financial assistance. They also offers ways to get free clothing and other personal needs products. Medical and health care programs offered include free and discounted prescriptions as well as information on health care programs, co-pay assistance, social services and transportation aid. Find additional ways to get help with health care.

The organization needs your help as well though. Due to unprecedented requests for help from residents, the Salvation Army may actually need to reduce some programs. Services that may need to be scaled back include electric assistance, the emergency food pantry, and more. Many of these are real lifesavers for struggling families in the area.

Heating Bill Assistance

One focused program the Lansing and Ingham County Salvation Army offers is a program to help people with paying heating bills. The organization will provide monetary assistance and grants for people who received shut off notices from their gas or utility company. The Salvation Army can provide up to $750 per utility or heating bill for those who qualify for the assistance program. They anticipate being able to help about 40 families per week.

Many Michigan utility and gas companies also will not turn off your service during the winter. For example, The Board of Water and Light said it will not turn off a customers electricity service if they are a senior citizen or other high risk individual. But the aid offered by these companies does not stop there. A number of agencies and groups, including the Board of Water and Light, have several other programs and resources in place that they use to ensure no one goes without heat this winter. All you have to do is call them or, tell them you are struggling, and ask for aid.

 

 

 

In regards to the Lansing TSA Utility Assistance by Salvation Army, the criteria to be eligible include:

• -Their service needs to be in shutoff status
   
• -The heating bill must be in applicant's name or the name of his or her spouse
   
• -The applicant must have a current decision notice from the Department of Human Services
   
• -The Lansing Salvation Army can assist with up to $750 per utility bill, but a maximum of once per year

If you are interested in applying or learning more, call the Lansing Salvation Army at (517) 484-4424.

Help with bills, rent, and mortgage payments

Capital Area Community Services offers numerous financial assistance programs. The agency is located in Mason Michigan and it can be reached at (517) 676-1065. The non profit provides direct financial assistance with paying heating and utility bills, mortgage and rent payments. The financial assistance is available at most once in a 12 month period and normally cannot exceed $1500 in total cash aid during that 12 month period. The agency also provides debt help, budgeting skills, and energy education workshops, which focus on techniques to reduce energy consumption and utility bills. Money management workshops focus on priorities for household spending and ways to get the most out of the money available to them.

In addition, the agency also runs a food pantry, and provides Christmas and holiday meals and gifts. Last but not least they run the weatherization energy saving program.

The Ingham County Society of St. Vincent DePaul is another charity organization to contact. The agency provides emergency assistance with paying utility bills, including water, gas, and electric. The applicant must receive a decision notice from the Department of Human Services (DHS) and contact Capital Area Community Services office for assistance before contacting St. Vincent's for the cash funds. They also run a thrift store on site. (517) 484-4228

 

 

Foreclosure counseling and debt reduction

Thousands of Michigan families are facing foreclosure and struggling with debts. The following agencies may be able to help.

Lansing Affordable Homes ((517) 694-6284)- Assists homeowners in Ingham County in negotiating a repayment plan with their bank or mortgage lender. Provides a loss mitigation packet as well.

Franklin Street Community Housing Corporation - Offers homeowners Mortgage Delinquency and Default Resolution Counseling. Phone (517) 482-8708. Find additional Michigan mortgage programs.

Greenpath Debt Solutions (phone (517) 321-5836) offers homeowners housing delinquency/foreclosure counseling, reverse mortgage counseling, pre-purchase home buyer education and counseling, post-purchase counseling, rental counseling, homeless counseling. All types of housing counseling include the development of a budget and action plan, and referral to appropriate resources and government programs.

This agency also offers debt reduction and management plans. Enter into a program to reduce the amount you owe on your credit card or medical debts, and waive fees. More on debt settlement.

Food assistance in Ingham County Michigan

Some of the local churches, food pantries, and food banks to contact include Faith Fellowship Baptist Church ((517) 853-9897), Haven House ((517) 337-2731), and the City of Lansing Mobile Food Pantry (phone (517) 483-4477). Find more food banks in Ingham County and Lansing.

Health care for low income and uninsured

Care Free Medical and Dental Clinics is involved in providing ongoing primary dental and medical care to persons without health insurance and/or access to quality health care. Low income individuals may also qualify. Phone (517) 244-0120.

His Healing Hands Health Center is located in Lansing, but serves Ingham County and Mason families. The facility is a walk-in clinic that is open to the uninsured and underinsured in the community. (517) 882-0056

Cristo Rey Community Center is a Family Health Clinic that is staffed by a full time medical team, including doctors and nurses. The site is open daily from 8-5. The staff is bilingual in Spanish. Services offered by the clinic include, preventative care, treatment for acute and chronic illness, counseling, first aid, flu shots, diagnostic services and education and information. Fees are based on a sliding scale. Dial (517) 372-4700.