North Central West Virginia Community Action Association assistance programs.
The North Central West Virginia Community Action Association provides assistance and case management in several West Virginia counties. Resources are available in Barbour, Greenbrier, Monongalia, Marion, Pocahontas, Preston, Randolph, Tucker, and Taylor. While resources are limited, the agency can help address hunger, prevent evictions, and provide services such as Head Start.
Financial support and knowledge is from the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program. It coordinates free state and federal income tax preparation services to eligible low-income applicants. It is also for seniors and the disabled. Additionally, it helps eligible individuals in securing the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC).
For background, the EITC is a special federal tax credit for qualified working poor families. Eligible applicants receive money back from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) even if they don't owe taxes for that year. A second option, the Child Tax Credit (CTC), is also available to eligible working families in West Virginia.
Income and other requirements must be met in order to qualify for the VITA program. The number of dependent children in the household is also taken into account when applying for it.
The services of the Free Tax preparation are available to eligible residents of all counties that North Central WV Community Action serves, including those of Monongalia and Preston. In partnership with other organizations on a local and state level, North Central West Virginia Community Action Association ensures that asset development, free tax assistance and overall financial literacy are offered to all working families.
Funded by the state of West Virginia as well as the federal government, Head Start and Early Head Start national programs are administered in Monongalia, Marion, and other counties under the Department of Health and Human Services. The majority of Head Start/Early Head Start funding comes from the government and the remaining must be provided by state and community sources. This service needs to reflect the local community’s aspects such as it strengths, needs, concerns, and cultures.
As part of this, there is the Center and Home Based services to eligible applicants of Marion, Preston, Randolph, and Tucker Counties.
Eligible clients for this resource are prenatal families and lower income families with children ages birth to three. Early Head Start tends to help families and their children by providing healthy environment that is crucial in the early years of children. Comprehensive activities for the student’s growth and development are integral part of the Early Head Start Program.
The goal is on preparing preschool children three to five years of age for school. Children and their parents living in the following counties can apply for the program: Marion, Monongalia, Barbour, Pocahontas, Preston, Webster, Randolph, Taylor, and Tucker.
In addition to all that is above, the Head Start/Early Head Start Program has emerged as a leader in collaboration with County Boards of Education in the implementation of another service known as Universal Pre-K education. One of the major goals of Universal Pre-K is enabling preschool children to receive education in schools in their home attendance areas.
Among other services, the child and their parents can use free health, food, public aid, and social services. Parent involvement in their children’s learning is of a great importance. For this reason, the program supports parents in achieving their educational, literacy, and long term employment goals.
Homeless Recovery is part of the menu of services from the North Central WV Community Action. The non-profit provides the Homeless Services and Prevention to those in need by offering guests access to local services shelters. They are Randolph County Homeless Shelter in Elkins as well as Scott Place Homeless Shelter in Fairmont.
The locations are providing a safe, sanitary, and cost-effective shelter. This is the primary goal of both facilities. Eligible clients are individuals and families who have little or no means of support and are considered to be working poor.
The emergency sheltering of homeless individuals and families is considered as a critical component in the process of achieving self-sufficiency. So this form of offering lodging as well as helping people find and pay for permanent housing is the goal for the struggling families in the region.
Another services are part of Homeless Recovery. This after all is a program designed to provide assistance to individuals or families who were previously evicted or foreclosed on. The goal is to help them:
- find wages through employment
- develop a support system
- find and maintain permanent housing or an apartment
One-on-one case management services and a needs assessment are available at both shelters. In order to help applicants to overcome their current homelessness, social service requirements and related obstacles to housing are processed. The next step is creating a case plan with a social worker that includes several job training, education, employment and money management strategies.
The non-profit North Central West Virginia Community Action Association is continuously working on new programs in order to provide appropriate care to homeless individuals, single parents and families. There may be grants for certain expenses or counseling. Some of those are rental assistance, prevention, transitional housing, permanent supportive homes, low-income rental housing and case management. Veterans and the disabled are also encouraged to apply for help.
The main goal of the energy conservation resource, known as Weatherization Program, is to help eligible families and individuals reduce the heating and cooling cost. This objective can be achieved by improving the energy efficiency of their homes and ensuring health and safety. The priority for any grants is given to the elderly, disabled and families with children.
Weatherization has been shown to be effective at reducing utility costs through energy-efficient measures such as insulating attics, water tanks, sidewalls, water lines, ductwork, and performing air sealing measures. The program also provides client education and tips on saving money as part of this federally funded resource. The aim is to provide the best comfort and energy savings in the home. Refrigerator or maybe freezer replacement is also a part of the Weatherization services.
SCE, or Skills Enhancement Center, is dedicated to help individuals gain a job and additional employment skills. Another component will help them manage their finances more effectively by utilizing computers and attending classes at the center.
Enrolled applicants can use the internet, apply for jobs on-line, and create and print cover letters and resumes. Free workshops are regularly offered in counties such as Barbour, Marion, Preston, and Taylor on employment attainment topics such as:
- finding and applying for jobs using the internet
- writing effective cover letters and resumes
- interviewing skills
Job skills classes are taught by professions. They have sessions that include using the internet, computer skills and training on the latest computer software programs (such as Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint applications). Financial Management classes offer education on several topics like budgeting, banking, and credit/loan management. A variety of creative workshops are also offered to new members as well.
Skills Enhancement Center addresses the needs and requirements of each qualified client. All interested individuals can call and make an appointment or visit the office at 20 E. Main St., Grafton, WV, 26354.
Rent help may be offered from SSVF - Supportive Services for Veteran Families. The organization provides assistance to low-income veteran families. It combines financial support with case management. All of this is done through the federal government sponsored Supportive Services for Veteran Families program.
The goal is to help these families make successful transition from homelessness to permanent housing and prevent at-risk families from becoming homeless. Comprehensive case management services, with maintaining permanent housing, is another focus of SSVF. Additionally, eligible families are provided with outreach, temporary financial assistance for housing costs, and assistance obtaining VA benefits.
North Central West Virginia Community Action Association Locations:
- Barbour County Office - Address: P.O. Box 279 (Rt. 2, Belington Road), Philippi, West Virginia 26416, phone (304) 457-3420
- Greenbrier County Office is at 200 E. Main St., White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia 24986, dial (304) 536-1050
- Marion County - Address is 1304 Goose Run Rd., Fairmont, WV 26554. Dial (304) 366-4367.
- Monongalia County - Address: 1304 Goose Run Rd., Suite 3, Fairmont, WV 26554, main phone (304) 363-4367.
- Pocahontas County - 819 Third St., Marlinton, WV 24954, dial (304) 799-4082.
- Preston County community action agency - 104 East Main Street Suite 2, Kingwood, WV 26537, phone (304) 329-1028.
- Randolph County Homeless Shelter - 938 S. Davis Avenue, Elkins, West Virginia 26241, dial (304) 636-5008.
- Taylor County Office - 20 E. Main Street, Grafton, WV 26354, dial (304) 265-3200.
- Tucker County - P.O. Box 361, (513 Central Avenue), Parsons, WV 26287, dial (304) 478-3536.
|
