Stimulus funds available for low income citizens

The South Central Human Resources Agency (SCHRA) received nearly $1.3 million in federal stimulus funding to help low income citizens weather the tough economic times.

On Tuesday, Gov. Phil Bredesen announced the approval of $19.5 million in funding for Tennessee made available by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) in the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) program.

SCHRA, which services Bedford, Coffee, Franklin, Giles, Hickman, Lawrence, Lewis, Lincoln, Marshall, Maury, Moore, Perry and Wayne counties, will receive $1,293,376, according to the announcement.

The funds will flow through the Tennessee Department of Human Services and on to the 20 community action and human resource agencies across the midstate and are targeted at low-income seniors, individuals with disabilities and families with very small children.

"Community Services Block Grant funds are a lifeline to our most vulnerable citizens," Bredesen said.

"The additional dollars will help more families take care of the basics: putting food on the table, making this month's rent or mortgage payment, or even buying diapers and baby formula for their children."

The goal of the CSBG program is to provide services to eligible low-income individuals and families to improve the communities in which they live. A family or individual must be living at or below 125 percent of the federal poverty guidelines (that's $27,562/year for a family of four).

CSBG agencies will focus on five areas for their ARRA funding: nutrition (particularly food banks), employment, housing, health, and emergency services.

"DHS sees effects of this troubled economy every day, in every corner of the state," said DHS Commissioner Gina Lodge. "The number of individuals and families applying for public assistance programs has risen greatly over the past year. We are so pleased that more help for vital services will be made available through the Recovery program and our local CSBG agencies."

The CSBG Recovery Act provides $1 billion in federal funds to be distributed nationally, with Tennessee's share at $19.5 million.