Community Block Grants Program
Air Date:01/11/2012
More than 40-thousand state residents and 18-thousand families receive help from Community Block Grant programs. The Department of Social Services presented the program to the Senate Health and Human Services Committee today. The agency is federally required to present the program to legislators every three years. The federal government completely funds the program, and state cap agencies issue funds to those who are eligible. Republican Senator Jean Hunoff questions how the process is monitored and how long a person can receive funding. D-S-S Secretary Kim Malsam-Rysdon says the funds are only for short time use.
"Often times it's the family that's being evicted if they can't come up with half of their rent that they just couldn't make rent. Then the cap helps them with that one half month's worth of rent and that's it. That's the nature of the assistance that this funding provides," says Malsam-Rysdon.
Malsam-Rysdon adds that the program also helps people find jobs, manage finances, and provides money for emergency assistance. Applicants need to be below the 125 percent federal poverty level to be eligible for a grant.
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