Lorain County Community Action Agency Announces Its' End-of-Summer 'Reaching Rural Families' Ohio Benefit Bank Program Based in Wellington, Ohio, from July 15 to September 14

CONTACT:

William T. Locke                                    Jackie Boehnlein

Executive Director                                  Director of Strategic and

                                                            Organizational Development

440-204-3150                                         440-204-3146

Lorain County Community Action Agency Announces Its’ End-of-Summer “Reaching Rural Families” Ohio Benefit Bank Program Based in Wellington, Ohio, from July 15 to September 14

Lorain County Community Action Agency (LCCAA) will be providing appointments for low and moderate-income households through its’ Reaching Rural Families – Bridging Benefits program. Rural residents are being welcomed to find out if their households qualify for any of the many programs included in the Ohio Benefit Bank database of public assistance programs including, but not limited to, home energy assistance, health care coverage, child care subsidies, and food stamps. The purpose of the program is to help households and families eligible for assistance and work supports easily verify eligibility and complete applications all in one visit.

From July 15 to September 14, LCCAA will be conveniently located inside Wellington Village Hall located at 115 Willard Memorial Square between 8:30am and 4:30pm, Monday-Friday. Appointments are preferred; however, walk-ins willing to wait for the next available counselor are welcome.

Families and households interested in participating may call (440) 654-3992 or (440) 654-3341 to make an inquiry or schedule an appointment. The program will move to Building 23 at the Lorain County Fair from August 23-29, 2010. It will be closed September 6, 2010, for Labor Day.

The first 250 income-eligible households completing an appointment will receive a FREE $10 PRE-PAID FUEL CARD. A free weatherization “how-to” clinic on using window-insulation kits and weatherstripping is also being provided. The first 100 income-eligible households completing a 20-minute “how-to” session will receive FREE DUCK-BRAND WEATHERIZATION PRODUCTS valued at $25.

About Ohio Benefits Bank

Per Ohio.gov, the Ohio Benefit Bank (OBB) is a web-based computer program to connect low and moderate-income Ohioans with access to work supports such as tax credits and public benefits. The OBB is offered through a public-private partnership between the Governor's Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, the Ohio Association of Second Harvest Foodbanks and more than 900 faith-based, nonprofit, governmental and private-sector partners. Trained counselors staff Benefit Bank sites in all of Ohio's 88 counties where they help prepare and file federal and Ohio income tax returns at no cost to eligible Ohioans. Free income tax assistance is also available through an online, self-service program. Ohioans can also check potential eligibility for other work support benefits such as health care coverage, home energy assistance, child care subsidies, and food stamps.Since beginning operations, the Benefit Bank has helped more than 78,000 Ohioans access more than $265 million in tax credits and other work supports.  However, more than $1.7 billion in tax credits and other supports go unclaimed by eligible Ohioans who do not apply.

About LCCAA

Lorain County Community Action Agency is a 501(c)(3), non-profit organization dedicated to serving and empowering Lorain County residents in need. Governed by a 15-member tri-partite board of the public, private and low-income sectors, the Agency delivers programs and services to low-income families that stabilize and lift households out of poverty. Programming includes early childhood education, home weatherization and energy conservation, utility assistance, housing and foreclosure prevention, money management training, technology training, community learning, food pantry partnerships, emergency home repair, senior services, and digital imaging. Annually, the Agency serves approximately 18,000 residents.

 

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