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MCS COMMUNITY SERVICES 345 West State Street Jacksonville, Illinois 62650 PHONE: (217) 243-9404 |
Dan Little, Director
Hours are: 8:30 - 12:00 1:00 - 4:30 Monday - Friday
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FLOODPLAIN REGULATION |
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HISTORY MCS Community Services (MCS) was created to administer social service grants in order to meet a regional need for such services as Energy Assistance - now LIHEAP, the Weatherization Program, and Community Services Block Grant programs. These programs were under represented in Morgan, Cass, and Scott Counties in the late 1970's. As a result, the Morgan County Board of Commissioners responded to a solicitation from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Community Affairs in 1980 to operate the Energy Assistance Program for the three counties. Subsequently, the agency became the preferred provider for the above listed programs. Morgan County accepted the offer to be the contractual agent for the agency, with the counties of Cass and Scott agreeing to participate. The three county configurations allowed a sufficient economy of scale to convince the Illinois Department of Commerce and Community Affairs to take a chance. MCS is one of the smallest Community Action Agencies in the state.This July we begin the 2008 Program Year of the LIHEAP, marking twenty-seven years of operation. Thanks for taking a look at our webpage. We hope you find some useful information here. Please feel free to call our office at (217) 243-9404 should you have additional questions regarding our services.
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The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program is designed to assist eligible low-income households pay for winter energy services. LIHEAP provides a one-time benefit, paid directly to the utility(ies), to supplement the cost of heating their home. The amount of assistance is determined by the level of income, household size, fuel type and geographic location. Renters, whose heat is included in the rent amount, may be eligible for benefits if the rent is greater than 30% of their income. Reconnection Assistance may be available if your household is disconnected from an energy source needed for heating and/or a delivered fuel supplier has refused to deliver and the tank contains 25% or less. Assistance for reconnection will only be provided to households that have made a good faith effort to maintain their energy services, or can pay a portion of the amount owed for reconnection. Emergency Furnace Assistance may be available for income eligible homeowners whose heating systems are non-operational or have been red-tagged as being unsafe by their utility company or a heating contractor. The goal of this component of the program is to restore the heating system back to SAFE and effective operation either by repair or replacement. WHO IS ELIGIBLE ? Income guidelines are based upon 150% of the federal poverty guidelines. Maximum total gross household income for the 30 days prior to the application date is as follows:
These guidelines are effective July. 1, 2007-June 30, 2008. Senior Citizens (60+) and/or households with a person receiving disability are given priority to apply in the months of September and October. The program is then open to anyone that is income eligible beginning in November. If interested, please call us for an appointment time and the current income guidelines. Services are available as funding levels permit. The program is operated on a first-come, first-served basis. MCS Community Services reserves the right to deny applicants due to lack of funds or program ineligibility. Funding is provided through a grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the State of Illinois and is administered by the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services-Office of Energy Assistance. For more information, please call us at 217-243-9404 or toll-free 1-888-288-4413.
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The Illinois Home Weatherization Assistance Program (IHWAP) is designed to help low-income residents save fuel and money while increasing the comfort of their homes. Depending on the circumstances and condition of your dwelling, some of the following weatherization work may be done: sealing cracks with weather stripping and caulk; insulating attics and walls; and repairing windows and doors. Weatherization services include having an experienced heating contractor examine your heating system. Work on your furnace may include one or more of the following: clean and tune; repair; retrofit; and in some cases, replacement of the unit. WHO IS ELIGIBLE? Income-eligible households with high energy bills in relation to income, and those containing young children, persons with a disability, and/or elderly members will be given priority and receive Weatherization services first. Non-priority, income eligible households will be served if funding is available; therefore, some eligible households may not receive weatherization during the year they apply. A 50% landlord contribution for weatherization work is required for rental property. WHAT ARE THE INCOME GUIDELINES? Income guidelines are based upon 150% of the federal poverty guidelines. Maximum gross income for the 12 months prior to application date for a household is as follows:
WHEN CAN HOUSEHOLDS APPLY? Currently, applications for this program are taken each December. Those households wishing to apply should contact MCS Community Services during the last two weeks of November to get sign-up information or after a sign-up period* has been announced on the radio and/or listed in the newspapers. Applicants calling the office will be given appointments on a first-come first-served basis. Eligible applications will then be prioritized by: income, energy use, elderly, disabled and children under 6 who live in the household. An applicants' file remains active for 12 months. MCS Community Services reserves the right to deny applicants due to lack of funds or program ineligibility. * This years SIGN-UP PERIOD will be December 3rd & 4th, 2007. These will be the ONLY two days to call in to set an appointment. WHO PROVIDES THE FUNDING FOR THE PROGRAM? Funding is provided through a grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, U.S. Department of Energy, and the State of Illinois and is administered by the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services. For more information, please call MCS Community Services at 217-243-9404 or toll-free 1-888-288-4413.
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The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) administers the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG). MCS Community Services provides the services available through the CSBG grant. MCS is governed by the county boards of Morgan, Cass, and Scott counties. Individually the CSBG grant has a Tri-partite governing board made up of local citizens from the three county areas. The members represent three segments of the community; elected officials, private citizens, and client representatives. The Community Services Block Grant provides a full range of services. The following are services offered by MCS Community Services: EMERGENCY SERVICES: This program is designed to assist low income individuals/households that are facing eviction from their residence. To qualify for this program the client needs to be at least 30-days behind on their rent and the landlord has to have served them a written eviction notice. The client will also be required to have some type of income (employment, social security, TANF, unemployment, etc.) to qualify for assistance. Babysitting (or some other type of working) for cash will NOT be accepted as income. CSBG eligible clients may also be assisted with some medically needed prescriptions under the emergency services program. SCHOLARSHIPS: The scholarship program is offered annually. Packets are sent out in the spring to all high schools in the three county areas. Applications are also available at our office. The scholarships of $1000.00 (amounts are dependent of funding levels) are offered to income eligible individuals in each of Morgan, Cass, and Scott counties, who are planning to attend accredited Illinois University, community college, technical or vocational schools. Preference is given to applicants of racial or ethnic minorities. Eligibility is based upon the following: Must be a high school graduate or GED recipient planning initial enrollment in a Illinois post-secondary educational/vocational program: must be a resident of Morgan, Cass or Scott county: must be economically disadvantaged, according to CSGB income guidelines. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: CSBG offers a loan program to assist new businesses or expand an existing business to provide new employment for the income disadvantaged. FAMILY DEVELOPMENT: This program provides case management services to assist in family stability and to help move a family towards self-sufficiency. MCS has one Family and Community Development (FCD) certified caseworkers on staff. Enrollment is limited. INCOME GUIDELINES FOR ALL PROGRAMS LISTED ABOVE
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (DHS) The Emergency Food and Shelter Homeless Prevention program provides low-income clients with rent and security deposit assistance to help a household maintain housing. To qualify for this program the client needs to be behind on their rent and the landlord has to have served them a written eviction notice. The client will also be required to have some type of income (employment, social security, TANF, unemployment, etc.) to qualify for assistance. Babysitting (or some other type of working) for cash will NOT be accepted as income. A client can only be assisted every two years through this program. INCOME GUIDELINES FOR DHS PROGRAM
TRANSITIONAL HOUSING: A program designed to move homeless families from streets and shelters into permanent housing and to maximize self-sufficiency, this program is for families only and they must be homeless in order to recieve assistance. Homeless means living on the street, in an emergency shelter, or a place not meant for human habitation (cars, parks, sidewalks, abandoned building, etc.) Occupancy is limited. For more information regarding any of these programs, please call (217) 243-9404 to speak with the coordinator or to schedule an appointment.
ALL PROGRAMS ARE DEPENDANT UPON AVAILABLE FUNDING, AND APPLICATIONS WILL ONLY BE TAKEN BASED ON CLIENT INCOME ELIGIBILITY AND ARE FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED.
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