Getting help from Crosswalk Community Action Agency in southern Illinois
Crosswalk Community Action Agency helps income qualified low-income households in Franklin, Jackson, Jefferson, and Williamson counties with some of the most common financial emergencies in southern Illinois. This guide explains what each Crosswalk program may offer, who tends to qualify, and which programs cover which counties, since the service area is not the same for every program.
The organization may help with needs including past-due rent, heating bills, diapers, and urgent home repairs. The agency is based in West Frankfort, and most applications now start by phone at 618-937-3581 or through appointments scheduled on its website.
One boundary detail is useful to know: the city of Marion sits in Williamson County and belongs to Crosswalk's territory, while Marion County, a separate county farther north, is served by BCMW Community Services.
Help when rent or a mortgage payment is past due
The agency's Emergency Service Rental/Mortgage Assistance program may pay past-due rent or mortgage amounts for families in all four counties who are facing homelessness after a recent financial crisis. Qualifying situations include a job loss or a substantial cut in work hours, a medical emergency or disability, an unexpected car repair or household expense, or a comparable hardship. Applicants generally need a past-due statement or eviction notice from their landlord, or a past-due notice from their mortgage company.
Crosswalk also reviews whether a household can keep up with housing costs after the one-time payment, so applicants need to show they can afford the following month's rent. A few situations are excluded: the program is not available to people renting a single room, renting from a family member, or living in the same home as their landlord. Checking those rules before applying saves time.
Applications require photo ID, Social Security numbers for everyone in the household, proof of all income from the past 30 days, a written statement about the situation, and a signed statement from the landlord listing the monthly rent and the months owed. The full document list is posted on Crosswalk's rental and mortgage assistance page, and appointments are booked through the scheduling link on the agency's site. Additional options across the state are covered in our guide to rent assistance programs in Illinois.
Heating and energy bill help through LIHEAP
Crosswalk administers the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, or LIHEAP, in Franklin, Jefferson, and Williamson counties only. Jackson County residents apply for energy assistance through a different agency, Western Egyptian Economic Opportunity Council, and Crosswalk's energy assistance page lists that agency's current phone numbers. This is a common point of confusion locally, since Crosswalk covers Jackson County for most of its other services.
LIHEAP may pay part of a household's winter energy costs, with the amount based on household size, income, heating fuel type, and location. An overdue bill or disconnection notice is not required to apply. Emergency help from LIHEAP may also be available when a household has been disconnected, or when a delivered-fuel tank is at 25 percent or less and the supplier will not make a delivery.
Each program year typically opens in the fall, with the first weeks reserved for priority applications from people age 60 and older, people with disabilities, households with children age five and under, and households that are disconnected or nearly out of delivered fuel. Applications are completed remotely over the phone after an appointment is scheduled through the Crosswalk website, and approved benefits are paid directly to the utility or fuel supplier. Our Illinois LIHEAP guide explains the statewide program in more detail.
Free weatherization in ten southern Illinois counties
The Illinois Home Weatherization Assistance Program through Crosswalk covers a larger territory than the agency's other services: Franklin, Jefferson, and Williamson counties plus Edwards, Gallatin, Hamilton, Saline, Wabash, Wayne, and White counties. Jackson County is again the exception, with weatherization there handled by Western Egyptian Economic Opportunity Council. Weatherization is free to households that qualify, and homes that received the service within the past 15 years are not eligible again.
Households may qualify if they are eligible for LIHEAP, or if someone in the home receives SSI, TANF, or Aid to the Aged, Blind and Disabled within the program's income limits. Once an application is approved, agency staff complete an energy audit of the home, schedule the work, and inspect it when finished. The work may include sealing air leaks, insulating attics and walls, repairing windows and doors, and inspecting the furnace, with cleaning, repair, or replacement of the unit in some cases.
Diapers, senior food support, and one-time emergency help
Crosswalk runs two named local programs that most directories in the region do not list. The Covered Bottoms Diaper Program may provide free diapers to low-income families with babies and toddlers, which matters because diapers cannot be purchased with SNAP benefits and are not covered by WIC. The Vintage Vine Senior Gift Card Program supports seniors in all four counties who are dealing with hunger.
The agency's broader Emergency Services program, funded through the Community Services Block Grant and other sources, may provide one-time help with immediate life necessities such as food and water for households in a genuine crisis. Staff may also refer people to partner organizations when Crosswalk does not offer a service directly - as an example see the Illinois utility assistance guide. Appointments for emergency services, including rent, mortgage, and diaper help, are scheduled online through the agency's website at https://crosswalkcaa.com/emergency-services/.
Home repairs for health, safety, and accessibility
Crosswalk staff write and administer housing rehabilitation grants on behalf of local governments in the region, using Community Development Block Grant funding known in Illinois as the Community Development Assistance Program. When one of these grants is active, eligible homeowners in the designated area may receive grants or deferred loans to correct serious health and safety problems in their homes. Typical projects include wheelchair ramps, bathroom retrofits, and other repairs tied to mobility and access needs.
Availability depends on which local grants are currently funded, so homeowners need to contact the agency to learn whether their town or county has an open program. Separate from these grants, the agency's emergency services fund may cover small home repairs on a one-time basis.
Scholarships for college and job training
Crosswalk Scholarships, funded through the Community Services Block Grant, may help low-income and disadvantaged residents pay for formal education or occupational training at an accredited school. The program gives particular consideration to applicants with strong academic records or potential and to fields of study in high-technology and other growing occupations. An application form is posted on the agency's website each year and submitted by email, with requests handled in the order they are received.
How the agency operates and where to apply
Crosswalk Community Action Agency was formed in 2000 through the consolidation of Big Muddy Community Action Agency and Volunteer Services Incorporated, two organizations that had served the region with similar missions. It operates as a private nonprofit and is the state-designated community action agency for its four counties, listed in the Illinois DCEO directory of community action agencies at https://dceo.illinois.gov/communityservices/homeweatherization/communityactionagencies/crosswalk.html.
The office is located at 410 West Main Street, West Frankfort, IL 62896, and the main phone number is 618-937-3581 with the website at https://crosswalkcaa.com/. Questions can also be sent to [email protected]. The current program list, the appointment scheduler, and application updates are posted on the agency's programs and services page.
Eligibility for most programs is based on household income, with limits that differ by program and change each year, so staff confirm the current figures during intake. Residents of the Mt. Vernon area can also review other assistance programs in Jefferson County for help beyond what this agency provides. This page is meant to explain what Crosswalk offers and how to start an application, since the agency's programs follow different county boundaries and application steps.
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