HRDC offers assistance during COVID-19 pandemic

Along with the programs District 4 Human Resources Development Council usually offers to assist people who are below the poverty level or considered low income, some extra money and assistance is available due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

HRDC received a state COVID-19 grant to assist with overall costs such as the phone system and working remotely. This makes it possible to assist employees and clients during the pandemic, HRDC Executive Director Carilla French said. The grant also assisted with different infrastructure needs of the organization. 

One of the newly available assistance programs is through the Emergency Solutions Grant, a COVID-19 program to help people who are not able to pay their rent. 

“We are trying to keep families housed by helping with three months of arrears and up to three months of future rent and more if needed,” HRDC Housing Director Alma Garcia said.

The grant also helps people who need rapid rehouse, she said.

The ESG program does not have a waiting list and HRDC is accepting new families she said.

HRDC’s normal service area includes Hill, Blaine and Liberty counties, however for the ESG funds they are also providing services for District 5 counties including Phillips, Valley, Daniels, Sheridan and Roosevelt counties said Executive Director Carilla French.

The CARES Act also provided funds through Montana Department of Commerce to assist landlords with repairs on properties to qualify to be a Section 8 rental, Garcia said. The tenant may apply for this program. It is to encourage landlords to rent to Section 8 recipients. 

Another COVID-19 related program provided funds to hire a full-time employee to help at both the ESG program and the Havre Community Food Bank.

Food Bank assistance

COVID-19 funds through the state have provided extra funding for the food bank. This includes funds to hire new employees and provide existing employees more hours due to the loss of volunteers. 

“All of our volunteers were older and high-risk, so we can’t allow them to volunteer right now,” said French. 

Through donations and CARES Act funding the food bank has enough food to offer both Thanksgiving and Christmas boxes to families in need, she said. The boxes will be larger than they have been in previous years as well. 

A turkey box giveaway for individuals who were not able to sign up in time for a food box also will be held. 

Funds were also received to provide additional food baskets and boxes, Food Bank Director Alma Garcia said. Some requirements have been changed to get emergency baskets. 

Head Start Assistance

In the summer, HRDC also received additional funds from the Office of Head Start to run a special cohort for pre-kindergarten students. It was a six-week program to provide extra instruction to help 32 students transition into kindergarten.

“If the funding was to be available for us to continue adding summer cohorts I believe that we would, but I don’t know that that is something that will be available from the office of Head Start,” Child Services Director Katie Botner said.

The Head Start program also received COVID-19 funds from the Office of Head Start to cover extra staff due to quarantine or COVID-19 diagnoses. It has also covered the cost of extra cleaning supplies, soap and paper towels.

LIEAP Assistance

Low Income Energy Assistance Program, or LIEAP, is a low income-based program that helps pay natural gas, propane and electric accounts, HRDC Energy Assistance Director Theresa Wynia said. It is not intended to pay the entire bill, however due to some qualifications it sometimes does cover the entirety of the bill. 

Energy Share, another program offered, is funded by corporation and private donation. This program is for people who are in a crisis in their life and have received a disconnect notice. It is a short-term assistance program and assists in crisis such as a death in the family or job loss. It is expected to be paid back and intended to only be used once every 10 years. 

A committee of local community members determines whether the person applying for Energy Share assistance is approved. Applications are considered on an individual basis and income, crisis and expenses are all taken into consideration. 

Two cooperatives, Hill County Electric and Big Flat Electric, also have programs to assist individuals. They each have their own guidelines and funding. HRDC just processes the applications.

Extra COVID-19 funds were received to assist with LIEAP and Energy Share. This allowed clients to keep all benefits that were awarded instead of having to pay them back to the state. The recipients did not receive cash, the funds are applied to the recipient’s account and are used until exhausted.

It also assists with the influx of new clients the program has seen.

A program ran last spring also enhanced the LIEAP program. It was for people who faced hardships due to COVID-19 such as loss of income, inflation, and job loss. The benefit provided a one-time energy payment for energy assistance. This program has ended.

LIEAP normally has a 45 day wait period, does not have a waiting list for assistance.