After a recent job loss, a family was struggling financially and had fallen behind in their rent payments. They came to Geauga Community Action for assistance.
The family had never asked for assistance before and they were not sure what was available. Fortunately, Geauga Community Action was able to use Community Service Block Grant (CSBG) funds to help with a past due rent payment.
During the course of the interview, the family stated that they hoped to have employment soon, but even then, it was difficult to keep up with household expenses. The staff person working with the family recommended that they attend the Financial Literacy workshop sponsored by Geauga County Job and Family Services and funded in part with CSBG dollars to learn more about budgeting and saving.
The family attended the workshop and reported after completion of the program that they were more confident about adjusting their spending to keep up with expenses, even with less household income.
For more information about Community Action programs in your area, visit www.oacaa.org. Note, not all Community Action Agencies offer these programs.