Getting help from Greater Opportunities in Chenango County.
The community action agency serving Chenango County — legally named Opportunities for Chenango, Inc. and operating as Greater Opportunities for Broome and Chenango, Inc. — has been the county's primary anti-poverty organization since 1965. Greater Opportunities runs more programs than most people realize, which we document below. The range goes well beyond emergency food and rent help. It also includes affordable housing it owns and manages, a federal housing voucher program, Head Start for young children, housing counseling, disability accessibility modifications, and a program that replaces aging mobile homes with new energy-efficient structures.
For residents of a rural county with limited alternatives, knowing what this organization offers can be the difference between finding help and not finding it at all. Its website is https://www.greaterops.org/, and its Chenango County office is at 44 West Main Street, Norwich, NY 13815. The main phone number for Chenango County residents is 607-334-7114.
WIC: food and nutrition for families with young children
The Women, Infants, and Children program (WIC) is one of the most widely used Greater Opportunities services in Chenango County. WIC provides monthly benefits loaded onto an EBT-style card for use at participating grocery stores to purchase specific nutritious foods: milk, eggs, cheese, bread, peanut butter, beans, juice, cereal, and infant formula, among others. Breastfeeding mothers receive additional food items. WIC also provides nutrition counseling, shopping type classes such as shopping for groceries using pricing and referrals to health care and other community services.
Eligibility is based on income. The program is for pregnant women, postpartum women, breastfeeding women, and children up to age five.
WIC services are available at six locations across Chenango County — the main site is in Norwich, with additional sites in smaller communities around the county. Call 607-334-7114 to find the location nearest to you or to start an application.
A local note worth knowing: Greater Opportunities WIC participates in the New York State Farmers' Market Nutrition Program each summer, providing eligible WIC participants with vouchers redeemable at local farmers' markets for fresh fruits and vegetables grown in New York. For families in a rural county with good access to local farms, this is a meaningful additional benefit.
Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8): help with rent
The Housing Choice Voucher Program, commonly known as Section 8, helps income-eligible individuals and families afford private rental housing in Chenango County. Greater Opportunities administers the program locally for Chenango County. The voucher pays a portion of the rent directly to the landlord each month; the tenant pays the balance. Landlords must agree to HUD housing quality standards.
To apply, contact the Chenango office at 607-334-7114 or download an application request form at greaterops.org. Voucher availability depends on funding and waitlist status, which can change — calling ahead to confirm the current waitlist situation before applying is recommended.
Home repair and rehabilitation: three distinct programs
Greater Opportunities has one of the most robust home repair and rehabilitation programs of any community action agency in the Southern Tier, operating three distinct programs depending on the nature of the repair need.
The Home Rehabilitation Program, funded through New York State Community Development Block Grants, provides grants to low-to-moderate income owner-occupied households facing serious health and safety threats to the home. Depending on the scope of repairs needed and funding availability, a homeowner may receive a grant covering up to 100% of the project cost. If your home has serious structural, plumbing, electrical, or safety issues and you own it, getting on this list early is important.
The Manufactured Housing Replacement Program addresses a housing challenge that is more common in Chenango County than in most places: aging mobile homes, particularly those built before 1976 when HUD safety standards took effect. These structures often have severe structural and systematic deficiencies that make them unsafe and energy-inefficient. Greater Opportunities can replace a dilapidated pre-1976 mobile home — or a post-1976 manufactured home with serious deficiencies — with a new Energy Star-rated manufactured home, funding both the site work and the purchase of the new home. To qualify, you must own the land (with a recorded deed), carry homeowners insurance, be current on taxes and any mortgage, and meet income limits. This program is for people in genuine hardship and is not widely advertised — it's worth a call to ask about it directly.
The Access to Home Program funds home modifications specifically for people with disabilities, enabling them to remain in their own homes rather than enter institutional care. Eligible modifications include ramps, lifts, bathroom and kitchen modifications for mobility limitations, and accessibility improvements for those with hearing or vision impairments. Call 607-334-7114 for current availability.
Housing for people who need more than repairs
Greater Opportunities manages several programs for people who need to find or stabilize housing rather than repair a home they already own.
Rapid Re-Housing is for people who are homeless — living somewhere not meant for habitation, in a shelter, or exiting an institution. The program provides a security deposit and up to six months of rent assistance, combined with case management to help the person identify and overcome barriers to long-term housing stability. This program is available in both Broome and Chenango counties.
Permanent Supportive Housing provides ongoing housing and case management services for individuals and families living in poverty who need support to achieve independence. Participants receive counseling on health, finances, employment, and life skills alongside their housing placement.
Shelter Plus Care is specifically for chronically homeless individuals and families who have a documented disability — including past substance addiction or physical/mental disabilities. Chronic homelessness is defined as either one continuous year without stable housing or four episodes of homelessness in three years. The program provides permanent housing with ongoing rental subsidies and supportive services.
Greater Opportunities also directly owns and manages affordable housing units in the county. The Sherburne Project at 12 West State Street in Sherburne has five units available to households with incomes below 80% of the Area Median Income. The Red Mill Complex in New Berlin — renovated in 2022 with $5.2 million in state funding — provides 18 permanent apartments (nine one-bedroom and nine two-bedroom) for income-eligible residents.
HUD housing counseling: for buyers, homeowners, and renters
Greater Opportunities has been a HUD-certified housing counseling agency since 1992. Counseling is available to people of all income levels on a wide range of housing situations: first-time homebuying, renting, mortgage delinquency and foreclosure prevention, predatory lending, refinancing, home repairs, and reverse mortgages. For homeowners who have fallen behind on payments, counselors can help develop a plan and work with lenders on modification options.
This is not emergency financial assistance — counselors don't have money to give you. What they offer is guidance, information, and advocacy in navigating a housing challenge. For someone facing foreclosure or an unresponsive mortgage servicer, having an HUD-certified counselor in your corner can make a real difference. Call 607-334-7114 or visit greaterops.org for information and to request an appointment.
Energy assistance: HEAP and NYSERDA EmPower
For heating bill assistance, Chenango County residents should contact the Chenango County Department of Social Services at 5 Court Street, Norwich (607-337-1500), which administers the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP).
Greater Opportunities administers a separate energy program through a partnership with NYSERDA: the EmPower New York Program, which is available to NYSEG and National Grid customers. EmPower focuses on reducing electricity usage and energy costs rather than paying bills. Eligible households may receive a home energy audit, replacement of inefficient appliances such as refrigerators and water heaters, new lighting, and in some cases insulation and air sealing work. Households must meet income guidelines. Call 607-334-7114 for information.
Early childhood education: Head Start and Early Head Start
Greater Opportunities operates Head Start across all nine school districts in Chenango County, providing federally funded early childhood education for children ages three to five from income-eligible families. Head Start goes beyond academic preparation — it also provides health screenings, nutritious meals, and family engagement programs for parents.
Early Head Start in Chenango County serves pregnant women and children from birth to age three through weekly home-based visits. Families in the Chenango County program receive home visits from educators who work with parents and children together on developmental activities and school readiness.
How to get started
For all programs, the starting point is the Chenango County office at 44 West Main Street, Norwich, NY 13815, phone 607-334-7114. Applications for most programs are also available online at greaterops.org, where you can find contact forms, downloadable applications, and program details. For programs that serve both Broome and Chenango counties, the Broome office can be reached at 607-723-6493.
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