All too often people fall on hard times to no fault of their own and need the assistance of friends, family, and the community to help pick them back up. Community Action has helped such individuals in that way for 50 years.
Almost 10 years ago a client stopped into Clinton County Community Action looking for assistance for the very first time. His wife had just left him with no warning, leaving him to raise three small children on his own. He was in desperate need of affordable housing, food, and reliable transportation.
Thankfully he was employed, but his income was not enough to support market-rate rent or a new vehicle. Through Clinton County Community Action’s emergency food pantry he was assisted with a three-day supply of food for him and his family. He applied and was accepted into one of Clinton County Community Action’s Affordable Family Housing complexes at a rent within his budget. He also applied and was accepted into their CARS program that helps low-income individuals in need of reliable transportation obtain a vehicle. Community Action worked with his budget and needs to set up an affordable payment plan and paired him with an appropriate vehicle.
Since his first visit he has managed to maintain his employment, get remarried, and no longer needs the assistance of the emergency food pantry. He still drives the vehicle he completely paid off from the original car loan he obtained through the CARS program, and his family continues to live in one of Clinton County Community Action’s affordable housing complexes; upgrading from a two bedroom unit to a three bedroom. One of his children has now graduated high school, and all of the children are considering future college options when they graduate.
Without the assistance that Community Action was able to provide, he and his family may not have been able to make it through the tough stretch that life had thrown at them.