Financial help from Sandhills Community Action Program.
Sandhills Community Action is one of the leading non-profits to contact for assistance. They process government aid such as section 8 as well as USDA commodities. Several other support services are available in the counties of Montgomery, Moore, Anson and Richmond.
Food assistance from SCAP
Staff from Sandhills Community Action Program are responsible for the distribution of available USDA Food Commodities to low-income residents. This is offered across all regions they cover, including Anson, Montgomery, Moore, and Richmond Counties. Any support is provided in accordance with established USDA and NCDA guidelines.
Available nationally, the TEFAP - Emergency Food Assistance Program provides millions of low-income and unemployed citizens (as well as thousands in North Carolina) with government commodities. All the assistance originates from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
To qualify for surplus USDA Food Commodities from SCAP, an applicant must meet the federal poverty guidelines or be an active participant in the SNAP Food Stamp Program. Sandhills Community Action Program will also consider household size for this determination. Find other resources, including applications to SNAP food stamps.
Sandhills Community Action Program rent and housing programs
The Sandhills Community Action Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Family Self-sufficiency Program is designed to supply participants with a portion of their rent as well as offer assisted housing if needed. Any aid also comes with supportive services that can help them achieve economic independence. This program is only available to families having a HUD Section 8 Voucher.
The state of North Carolina as well as federal government’s Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program assists very low-income families, the elderly, and the disabled in counties such as Montgomery or Richmond. The services will focus on those who otherwise would be unable to afford decent housing in the private market on their own.
Assistance available from Sandhills is in the form of Housing Choice Vouchers, which allow participants to independently seek out and secure a home. They can select reasonably priced townhouses, single-family homes, or apartments, in the location of their choice.
Section 8 does not require that dwellings be subsidized, as long as they meet program requirements and landlords agree to accept rent from the state under the program. Therefore both the tenant and landlord need to agree to this. Rental subsidies are paid directly to the landlord on the participants’ behalf, with participants paying the remainder of the rent to the landlords.
SCAP’s Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program Family Self-Sufficiency Program is also available for participants. It provides assisted housing and supportive services to further support Section 8 clients. The program’s goal is to facilitate the low income families’ efforts as they move toward economic independence. Locate a list of low income section 8 apartments and housing units that may help low income families.
Transitional housing from Sandhills Community Action differs from a homeless shelter in that the short term housing provides long term solutions. The other option in the area, a standard homeless shelter, those stays are limited to just a day or two.
SCAP’s Transitional Housing Program serves homeless mothers and their children for time periods of up to 2 years. It works by providing support services as well as case management that help residents move from instability and crisis into more permanent and stable circumstances.
In addition to being able to count on having a place to live, each clients participates in workshops that provide help and support as they develop an individualized goal plan and then follow through to aggressively engage in activities that are necessary to gain stability. The process will help them reach goals, and move forward into permanent housing.
Single Family Rehabilitation from Sandhills Community Action provides repairs to the homes of low-income residents. Most of the clients are disabled or elderly. It operates across Montgomery, Moore, Anson and Richmond Counties. Manufactured home and rental units are not eligible for this particular repair program.
SCAP actively solicits applicants who meet the following minimum requirements for eligibility. The applying household member must be aged 62 or older, either with or without a disability. They also need to be financially disadvantaged. The homes must be owner-occupied, with clear ownership, and of course the property needs to be deteriorated, but not to the point where it is not possible to bring them up to standards using the limited funding available. If not qualified, then find other disability loans for paying bills.
Education and employment services
The goal of the Sandhills Community Action CSBG (Community Services Block Grant) is to help those whose earnings fall at or below the federal poverty income guidelines. Families from across Anson or Montgomery will learn how to increase their income and become self-sufficient.
Each client of FSS participates in case management, during which the social worker partners closely with the client as they move toward achieving their employment as well as educational goals. The process will also involve identifying and removing each individual’s personal barriers to self-sufficiency. The program’s areas of focus vary according to community-level needs, and may include, but are not limited to, the following:
Employment ranges from help with job training, resume writing, job search, interviewing techniques, and job placement. There are also basic goods available from SCAP, such as free uniforms, vouchers for gasoline, steel-toed boots, safety glasses, and/or tools. Or find other employment and job placement programs.
SCAP establishes a Family Self-Sufficiency escrow account for each Section 8 family for the purpose of saving money. Based on the term of the FSS contract that is entered into, SCAP applies credits to the account as the family’s earned income increases. In cases where clients require funds to reach an interim goal, such as paying for job training or school tuition, Sandhills Community Action may release a portion of the escrow account balance for that specific purpose.
Sandhills Community Action Program Educational support is assistance with tuition, information on scholarships, and help with books for college courses. Clients can also access employment-related certifications, job skills training and licensures. There is also continuing education courses in areas that could lead to employment in Montgomery County.
Applications for assistance
As noted, Sandhills Community Action covers a few counties. The main office is at 340 Commerce Ave., Carthage, North Carolina 28387. Call 910-947-5675.
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