Chippewa Luce Mackinac Community Action Human Resource Authority.
Residents of the Eastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan can turn to the Chippewa Luce Mackinac Community Action Human Resource Authority during their times of need. The non-profit coordinates resources for the low income. Assistance may be for emergency financial needs, job training, self-sufficiency and other expenses. The agency will also advocate on behalf of clients and deal with regional housing issues. They also offer direct services of the poor whenever possible.
Community Action Human Resource Authority offers Weatherization services. This program provides free energy efficient improvements to houses occupied by owners. Tenants can also get help if their landlord approves it. The program addresses homes in Chippewa, Luce, or Mackinac Counties in Michigan.
Many of the families for this weatherization program are senior citizens, single parents with children or disabled persons. The federally funded weatherization helps in reducing the energy consumption and bills of the low income. A free energy audit is conducted and every qualifying household will be provided with one or more of the following. Free caulking and weather stripping, sealing of basement foundations and openings, extra insulation for walls or roof, Modifications or replacement to the central heating systems.
Home repairs from the Home Rehabilitation Program can address home improvements which become necessary. Owners are granted zero-interest loans from CLMCAA which are secured by non-diminishing lien on their property. These homeowners are motivated to provide leverage funds to take care of the rehabilitation activities or other needs. The source of these funds are from financial institutions and banks. Examples include Sault Tribe, Veterans’ Organizations, Michigan DHS, CAA and Rural Development
As many know, it becomes difficult sometimes for low to moderate income homeowners to arrange for the extra funds to replace major systems and safety improvements for their home. The agency, using Community Development Block Grant Funds, has been talked with helping Eastern Upper Peninsula homeowners with unexpected repairs and to make their residences more energy efficient.
The lien is a zero-interest loan that has to be repaid when the homeowner does not live in that particular unit any more. He or she does not have to repay as long as that home is occupied by him or her. Note that these home improvement liens can then be assumed by heirs who are income-eligible and who are occupying the concerned residence. This program is approved by the Grantee and the Michigan State Housing Development Authority.
Another option is the Home Buyer Purchase Program. It has been created to help low to moderate income families so that they can become homeowners in the not so distant future. It will fund the families and local residents with amounts up to five thousand dollars per family in down payments, closing costs and interest buy downs. Or CLMCAA may have government funds to pay for limited funds for repairs that are established by an HQS inspection. This program from Chippewa Luce Mackinac Community Action Human Resource Authority is available exclusively for Sault Sainte Marie neighborhoods.
Food Assistance - Meals on Wheels offers nutritious, hot, free meals which are delivered daily for all those senior citizens who require contact and support as they are usually homebound or ailing. Another component is Congregate Meals Program. It is a nutritious meal program which is designed for the senior citizen population. People are made to assemble at congregation centers to have lunch and socialize in a group setting. Hundreds of people, including the disabled, get help per month from these Eastern Upper Peninsula locations.
-Luce County, Newberry Center; Tel.: (906) 293-5621
-Mackinac County, Clark Center (906) 484-9501 or stop by Garfield Center (906) 477-6481. Another site is Curtis Center (906) 586-9411.
-Chippewa County has a few locations. They are Detour Center (call (906) 297-5471), Drummond Island Center (phone (906) 493-5059), Rudyard Center (dial (906) 478-5041) as well as Pickford Center (906) 647-2204.
-Other nearby centers are in Raber, Sewell Avery, and Kinross Michigan.
TEFAP, or the Targeted Emergency Food Assistance Program, is funded on both the state of Michigan and the federal levels. The emergency food assistance is provided on a quarterly basis to income-eligible people in the area, including Mackinac.
Assistance from outreach will refer clients to various non-profit agency programs or to other agencies that can help with their specific problems. Outreach workers assess the needs of clients.
Utility bill assistance is financial help to prevent loss of service for electrical heating and primary heating fuel. The concerned household from counties such as Chippewa Michigan should have been served a notice of disconnection in order to apply. The applicant must also have the ability to sustain the service in the future.
Any type of financial help or cash grant is given to low-income households who qualify for the eligibility requirements when their heating or electric services have been shut off. Payments available include amounts that may be required to restore the utility or heat services for at least a month. The services may also include payments of amounts to purchase a thirty-day supply of deliverable heating fuel. Call St. Ignace: 906-643-8598; Sault Ste. Marie 906-632-3363; or Newberry 906-293-5621.
VITA (Free Tax Preparation Assistance Program) is for individuals and families who are eligible for any service that is provided by CAA. They may be able to qualify for free tax preparation advice and help. This can be done by appointment only. All staff that offer this service are high trained.
The Early Head Start Program is for home and center based services. It is for eligible families in the region. The non-profit Chippewa Luce Mackinac Community Action Resource Authority (CLMCAA) operates a full day center in Sault Sainte Marie offering all these options throughout the year. The Head Start services provided are home visits, classes for parents and workshops, free meals, immunization information and access to community services and resources.
All funding from these and other resources is from local, state and federal government and private sources. The counties being served by Community Action Resource Authority are Chippewa, Luce and Mackinac. The Community Centers are as follows.
Main locations of community action
- Chippewa County - Avery Center; 524 Ashmun Street, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan 49783, call 906-632-3363.
- Luce County – Newberry Service Center, 207 Newberry Avenue, Newberry, Michigan 49868, 906-293-5621.
- Mackinac County is based at Fenlon Center, 368 Reagan Street, St. Ignace, Michigan 49781 call 906-643-8595.
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