Sandusky County assistance programs

Food and housing assistance
Tens of thousands of dollars in government aid was provided to Sandusky County, Ohio to help people in need with paying for rent and food. The grants being provided will help provide emergency food and shelter programs to residents to help them through difficult times.

Residents can apply for and receive assistance from the following organizations: First Step, Liberty Center, Bellevue Fish and Loaves, WSOS, and the Sandusky County Food Pantry. There are criteria to receiving assistance, but you can always apply.

 

 

 

Locate help for all expenses and bills
WSOS Community Action Agency offers residents several programs and ways to get grants and help for paying their bills. Some of the programs include.

• Utility Bill Assistance - Offers emergency assistance that can be used to pay for heating and utility bills. Aid is targeted at those households that may soon lose their service, if they are already disconnected, or if they are low on heating fuel.
   
• Foreclosure and mortgage assistance - Will aid homeowners who are facing a foreclosure filing. They will provide counseling, advice, and refer people to other programs if WSOS can’t help.
   
• Weatherization - Will provide homeowners with free updates and improvements to their homes, which will have the effect of lower their heating and utility bills, potentially by hundreds of dollars per year.
   
• Housing and rent assistance - If an individual or family is facing an eviction, or already homeless, they have grants and programs that will provide short term rent assistance and also help people get back into a home.
   
• Employment and job training - They will help people find jobs, and also provide training to help them acquire skills to be more marketable.

They also offer additional resources and programs. Contact the WSOS Community action agency at 419-334-8911 to apply or learn more.

 

Mortgage and foreclosure assistance
The Sandusky County Save Our Homes Task Force is one local organization that is trying to help homeowners save their homes. WSOS Community Action Agency works closely with the home task force to bring resources to people that will be helpful to them.

One item they try to address is the fact that if people aren't paying their mortgages, they are also more than likely not paying their real estate taxes. In most cases government officials are willing to work with homeowners who have delinquent property taxes, and homeowners are advised to make an effort to pay their taxes, even if it's as little as $5 or $10 at a time. Find ways to get help with property taxes.

Also not that mortgage assistance funds are available through WSOS. For information, call 419-334-8911.

Another organization that may be able to help is the Consumer Credit Counseling Service in Sandusky Services this company provides includes debt management, money management, housing counseling, financial education and bankruptcy counseling.

The court system can also assist. The Sandusky County Common Pleas Court will spend time to sit down with bank representatives and homeowners  to come up with solutions that work for both parties. The court  deals with up to five foreclosure mediations in a day. And maybe best of all, there is no cost for mediation. It is a private meeting that is held at the courthouse, and you don't need a lawyer. Mediation is an option when the summons of foreclosure is filed, and foreclosure mediation is becoming more common and successful.

 

 

Emergency Assistance

The Emergency Food and Shelter National Board, which is chaired by the Federal Government Emergency Management Agency has provided Sandusky County with funds to help individuals and families who are facing a crisis. The organizations that have received these government funds in the past, and who administer the grants to people in need, include First Step, Liberty Center, Bellevue Fish and Loaves and WSOS. Last year these organizations and charities were responsible for providing assistance to hundreds of people, including offering 564 nights of lodging, providing 122 households with utility bill assistance, offering 31 households with rental assistance and also providing over 1,800 meals to the hungry. Contact these agencies to see if they can help.