Sedgwick County assistance programs

Wichita has started a new Laid-Off Workers Center, and to date hundreds of people have made appointments  to receive assistance. The United Way of the Plains is the organization that is taking appointments. The center offers limited emergency financial assistance for individuals and families who have lost their jobs.

The Laid-Off Workers Center will offer counseling, provide assistance, and offer services that include emergency assistance for food, housing assistance including rent help and shelter; debt management and budget counseling; arrangements and aid for paying utility bills; help applying for both federal and state government assistance programs, job search assistance and job training; and also continuing education information and work training. Find additional debt help and rent aid.

In order to be qualified for help, applicants will need to prove that they have emergency financial needs and in addition they need to show that they have insufficient personal resources to adequately provide shelter, food, and/or clothing. In addition, applicants to this program need to show that they have been laid off from a job in Butler, Sedgwick, or Sumner counties or that they lived in those counties at the time of the layoff occuring which needed to be between Oct. 1, 2008, and now. Dial (316) 267-1321

Help and services the center provides includes:

• Emergency financial assistance for paying mortgage, utility bills, or rent. Checks that are provided for aid will be written directly to the landlord, lender, or utility company.

• Debt management and budget counseling.

• Help applying for federal and state government programs.

• Arrangements and payments for utility bill payment plans.

• Job training as well as job search assistance.

 

 

 

Help with rent

The Breakthrough Club of Sedgwick County (316) 269-2534) has received a $100,000 grant to provide housing assistance. Some of the assistance offered will include rental subsidies, funds to pay for utility deposits and security deposits, and other aid for income-eligible individuals and families.

In addition, a new federal government program, The Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program, will pay rent, security deposits, and the utility and heating bills for up to 18 months for those who qualify for aid. The program, which is also being funded through the city of Wichita, is part of the federal government stimulus bill.

Contact the United Way of the Plains at Phone: (316) 267-1321 to learn more or apply for rent help.

Funds for utility and heating bills, rent, and other limited financial aid

Center of Hope, which is based in Wichita Kansas and can be reached at 316-267-0222, may be able to assists needy families and individuals in the area by paying them with help for rent and utility bills, thus enabling them to remain in their own homes or apartments.

Wichita Children's Home may be able to provide help in a crisis. Dial (316) 684-6581. A program known as Children's Alliance may be able to give cash funds to those families who are experiencing a situational financial emergency. The funds are intended for a one time use only. The objective is to provide emergency financial assistance to keep children from entering the SRS system. Typical bills and expenses paid: Heating, Utilities and Rent.

Catholic Charities Help Center - This center can provide free food and/or case management to low income and those who need help. They also offer limited financial assistance for bills and rent and medications. the agency also provides services specific to the needs of Hispanics including advocacy and referrals to resources, including Kansas and federal government programs. (316) 262-8898

Sedgwick County Salvation Army - The internal based organization may be able to provide qualified people with basic needs assistance to low income, unemployed and poverty level families and individuals on an emergency basis. Basic needs that may be met and provided for include food (food pantry and voucher) clothing/work related items, utilities and heating expenses, prescriptions/medical needs, transportation (city bus and Greyhound), baby items (free diapers and baby formula), and possibly any other need that the family or individual has that cannot be met by other area non-profit agencies or government programs. Phone (316) 263-2769.

 

 

Housing counseling and foreclosure prevention assistance

Urban League of Kansas, which in partnership with the United Way, runs a service known as Help-In Housing. This is a fully staffed, comprehensive housing counseling service that provides a full range of housing and foreclosure counseling. As a HUD-approved counseling agency, its primary goal is to offer pre-purchase, post-purchase, pre-rental, mortgage default, first time homebuyer, foreclosure prevention, financial literacy, reverse mortgage, landlord/tenant mediation, rent advice, and fair housing counseling for customers in need. Click here for additional mortgage assistance programs, such as Hope for Homeowners, or dial (316) 262-2463.

Legal assistance programs

Kansas Legal Services - Wichita offers pro-bono, free legal representation and advice to persons with limited financial resources and low income who reside in Kansas and Wichita. All areas of law reviewed for help, including foreclosure, consumer debt, government programs, and more. At a minimum, low cost legal advice is usually available after an application is completed. Also, in Topeka, Garden City, and Manhattan areas we have job training programs. Dial (316) 265-9681, or find more on Kansas free legal advice.

Low cost/free health care for low income and working poor

Brookside Satellite of Hunter Health Clinic is a private non-profit Community Health Center and Urban Indian Health Program that is involved in providing medical, dental, mental health to low income and poor. (316) 652-0152.

Good Samaritan Clinic - Low income Sedgwick County families can turn to this community clinic. (316) 688-5020

Mother Mary Anne Clinic - Provides health care. Patients are charged medical and hospital bills on a sliding fee scale. The center is an immediate health care clinic. Call (316) 689-5121, or click here for more free health care information.

Free food in Sedgwick and Wichita

Bethany United Methodist Church runs an emergency food pantry for low income and other qualified residents. Call (316) 264-4240

Community Food Ministry - Provides emergency food needs for singles or families, and people can take advantage of the services up to 12 times per year. Dial (316) 267-4201

Wichita Dream Center - Dial (316) 684-4006. The non-profit can offer a box of food, groceries and choice of clothing articles. Once a month representatives from the agency may take food boxes to a specific local neighborhood. Distribute to the Planeview, Hilltop, Oaklawn, and South City neighborhoods on a rotating basis.