Resources from South Lake County Community Services.
Presently, South Lake County Community Services takes a multi-prong approach to helping the less fortunate. They arrange diverse, supportive resource for low-income residents in the community. The charity aims to resolve root causes leading to poverty in a holistic way for Lake County Indiana working poor families.
For schoolteachers in the Lake County school system, the Teacher’s Closet from Community Services offers them free school supplies to give to low-income students who live in households that cannot afford items on their own. At the approval of staff from South Lake County Community Services, teachers may request specific goods for special projects and/or for general classroom use. This program also ensures that educators in the area do not have to spend their own money on school supplies for their students.
There are a few major programs available at Christmas. They include meals as well as Adopt-a-Family. Between the two they offer toys, clothing or a free Christmas Dinner food voucher. The meals are for the entire family, while toys are for children, and generally those under the age of 14.
Registration is required. This will normally take place in the late summer. Also, this South Lake County Community Services program relies on either individuals or companies donating to it. The goal is to help families, in particular the children, that are facing a short term hardship.
South Lake County Community Services can refer clients to Domestic and Child Abuse Prevention. There is legal aid, placement into shelter, food, and counseling given, among other services. Trained and certified advocates are available to respond to scenes of domestic violence reported.
Advocates offer victims immediate comfort and support, and, if necessary, help them get medical attention and apply for financial support, including immediate shelter. Long-term care includes monetary assistance for food and rent expenses, medical attention, guidance in navigating the criminal justice system, clothing, individual and group counseling for children and adults, and access to services from legal aid in Lake County Indiana.
The Emergency Assistance Program in Lake County helps individuals who lack the resources to constructively deal with hardship and economic turmoil. There is support for people that did not cause their own crisis, so there may be financial help for people impacted by loss of work and income and/or everyday difficulties with making ends meet and maintaining an acceptable standard of living.
-While not common, there may be partial rent assistance for families who are at risk for eviction, along with other homeless prevention services.
-Other available services from South Lake County Community Services include help for mortgage payments, utility bills, gas vouchers for work, prescription costs, as well as budget counseling and referrals.
-During the Indiana winter, additional support may be available to help a household keep their heat on.
The Food Pantry provides a needy family living in Lake County with a few days worth of shelf-stable food, fresh produce or vegetables, and frozen beef or turkey. There are items (such as baby formula) for new parents and goods for seniors (including Ensure). Volunteers at the pantry will provide what the client needs, based on what is available.
Providing healthier grocery items such as low sodium canned items, low fat milk, whole wheat pasta and low sugar cereals is the main focus for the program. Another goal is to offer vouchers for holiday meals, such as Thanksgiving Turkeys. The Food Pantry is able to run through food and monetary donations.
Information and referrals to child-oriented services are available. Clients of South Lake County Community Services, including single parents from Crown Point, can learn about child-development educational programs. There is also parenting-related consultation; or, for more complex or at-risk situations, linkages with early-intervention and follow-up services. The program known as ChildLink also helps families and providers gain access to mental health consultation services offered on-site at child care programs.
Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA) has prepared hundreds of tax returns for free over the years. The team at Community services of Lake County has generated a large dollar amount of refunds, credits, and income tax preparation fee savings as well. They also direct the client to everything from credit counseling to employment, which is critical to exiting poverty.
Like the other VITA Programs in operation throughout the state of Indiana as well as as US, the non-profit provides free, volunteer-prepared returns for seniors, low to moderate-income individuals and families, people with disabilities, immigrants such as those whose English skills are limited, and others. Clients of VITA will always need to be in need of federal or state tax assistance.
Apply for Lake County South Lake County Community Services and help
For more information on how this non-profit can help, South Lake County Community Services is located at 1450 E Joliet Street, Crown Point, Indiana 46307. The referral number is (219) 663-0627.
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