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Megan Shreve, C.E.O. of the South Central Community Action Programs (SCCAP) - shown above in a screen capture from our Zoom meeting - gave us a nice update on the funding available through that organization. Megan introduced herself by telling us that her organization operates in Adams and Franklin Counties, PA. The mission of SCCAP is"To empower families and engage the community to pursue innovative and effective solutions to break the cycle of poverty". Megan told us their budget for this year will exceed $20 million. She gave us some numbers in regard to the contributions that were made by the Rotary Club of Gettysburg. Our club had given a grant of $35,000 to help with rent and utilities for families that were facing homelessness. This was established to help get people back on their feet and provide recovery from circumstances created by the pandemic of COVID-19. This money was used as a last resort when other funding was not available or applicable for a certain situation. About $24,500 (an exact figure, down to the penny was given by Megan, but this reporter was not quick enough to record that number) has been distributed so far. This leaves almost $9,000 to be used.
Seventeen (17) families have been helped with the money so far. Those families are made up of 23 adults and 28 children who were facing eviction for non-payment of rent. There were also 7 utility shut-offs that were prevented by paying those bills. This helped 12 adults and 18 children. Megan explained that the payments from SCCAP go directly to the landlord or utility after a vetting process is done through an application and interview process. The goal of SCCAP is to make sure that their clients are on a road to recovery. This can be demonstrated by several factors, including the verification that they are currently seeking work, if unemployed, among other things.
To be eligible for the funds that were provided by the Rotary Club of Gettysburg, the family income must be under 200% of the federal poverty guidelines. This means that a family of three must have an income of under $43,920. There were two single fathers and their children who were helped through this funding. There was also an unconventional problem with an elderly couple who had suffered from COVID and could not afford to replace their water well pump that had quit working. In this case, the money was paid directly to the contractor who replaced the pump. In another case, a gentleman was evicted because he could not pay his rent after being hospitalized due to COVID. He was put up in a hotel until SCCAP could find help for him. He suffered from some mental health issues and it was determined that he could get the best help by returning to his family in upstate PA. The grant money paid for a bus ticket to transport him to his sister's house and he is reported to be doing much better. Megan also told us about a Federal Emergency Rental Program that was part of a large recovery bill signed into law last year. Much of that money came to Pennsylvania and $6.7 million was dispersed to Adams County. This money can be used to make the landlord whole - including legal costs, etc. The qualification for this money is that the family income must be less than 80% of the federal median family income rate. This is basically for the middle class who has been affected by COVID; either directly or indirectly. This can include a decline in income or an increase in costs. It is for families who are at risk of homelessness. The program started March 7, 2021, and will last for 18 months, until September 2022. As of last Wednesday (4/14/21), SCCAP has distributed $443,296 for rent and $95,400 for utility payments. Some of the staff at SCCAP has been redeployed - some of the part-time staff has gone to full-time and some of the full-time staff has agreed to work overtime in order to administer these grants. The Federal Grant has a 5% cap for administrative costs. It was also mentioned that the Rotary Club of Gettysburg had made a grant to the SCCAP food bank of $15,000 early on in the pandemic. Megan expressed her gratitude for our generosity and ended by saying Thank you! |
