Sleepout Raises Awareness For Utility Assistance In County
October 21, 2017 at 3:44 a.m.
Sleepout Raises Awareness For Utility Assistance In County
By David [email protected]
The annual Combined Community Services Winter Warmth Sleepout in downtown Warsaw raises awareness of the need for utility assistance in Kosciusko County.
“One in five people, with the limited funding we have, we’re not able to assist them,” said John Parker, CCS utility and intake liaison.
While the 80 percent success rate is significant, he said, “You’re always wanting to be able to help more, and more, so having to say no to people is something we’d like to do less of.”
CCS assisted 323 families who had a utility disconnect notice in keeping their utilities on in 2016, according to a news release. But CCS was unable to assist 108 families because of funding limitations. Parker said when CCS can’t help a family, he refers them to other places like a township trustee or church.
Families are eligible to request assistance once they have a disconnect notice and can only make a request every 12 months, Parker said.
He said they do sometimes make an exception, such as when there are medical issues or someone is laid off.
The financial need depends on the year, he said. If a person has a disconnect notice for gas and electric, Parker said a person may need $150 or more. If they come in with a disconnect bill of more, for example $500, Parker will look to combine funding from other resources such as a trustee or church to help pay it off.
“In a month, we can be spending multiple thousands of dollars, so it takes a lot,” Parker said.
People come to CCS for utility assistance year-round, he said.
“I’ve noticed recently more people coming in just asking. Like today, I think I had multiple people that asked and we usually schedule about a week out. So if I’ve already scheduled out how many I’m going to be able to do in the next period, I (have to tell them), ‘There’s other resources we’re going to have to point you toward,’” he said.
CCS Executive Director Steve Possell said, “We have United Way assistance for utility assistance, and then it’s whatever we raise. KREMC gave us a grant for $10,000. And then we get money that can go anywhere, so some of it we put toward utility assistance.”
Possell said CCS spends significantly more on utility assistance than it gets every year.
“Hence doing things like this (sleepout), being proactive on that,” Parker said.
CCS organizes the annual event, with Kosciusko REMC being one of the sponsors. Wabash Donuts provided doughnuts, and Hacienda Restaurant gave chips and salsa.
Supporters raised money prior to Friday night’s sleepout, signing up on CCSSleepout.com. People can donate through that website for another week.
The top fundraising team was Warsaw Church of Christ with $2,765, according to the website, followed by Leesburg Grace Brethren Church at $700 and New Life Christian Church at $320.
Top fundraisers were Chrissy Ehrman, $1,490; Peggi Lisenbee Wright, $1,395; and Kelly Duncan, $1,275.
As of about 9 p.m. Friday, 22 percent of the $30,000 goal was met, according to the website.
Possell said when he started at CCS, the event was held in the middle of January and participants slept in cardboard boxes. No one was willing to do that, so the time period was changed to get more people involved.
“We just want people to know it’s a need,” Parker said.
The annual Combined Community Services Winter Warmth Sleepout in downtown Warsaw raises awareness of the need for utility assistance in Kosciusko County.
“One in five people, with the limited funding we have, we’re not able to assist them,” said John Parker, CCS utility and intake liaison.
While the 80 percent success rate is significant, he said, “You’re always wanting to be able to help more, and more, so having to say no to people is something we’d like to do less of.”
CCS assisted 323 families who had a utility disconnect notice in keeping their utilities on in 2016, according to a news release. But CCS was unable to assist 108 families because of funding limitations. Parker said when CCS can’t help a family, he refers them to other places like a township trustee or church.
Families are eligible to request assistance once they have a disconnect notice and can only make a request every 12 months, Parker said.
He said they do sometimes make an exception, such as when there are medical issues or someone is laid off.
The financial need depends on the year, he said. If a person has a disconnect notice for gas and electric, Parker said a person may need $150 or more. If they come in with a disconnect bill of more, for example $500, Parker will look to combine funding from other resources such as a trustee or church to help pay it off.
“In a month, we can be spending multiple thousands of dollars, so it takes a lot,” Parker said.
People come to CCS for utility assistance year-round, he said.
“I’ve noticed recently more people coming in just asking. Like today, I think I had multiple people that asked and we usually schedule about a week out. So if I’ve already scheduled out how many I’m going to be able to do in the next period, I (have to tell them), ‘There’s other resources we’re going to have to point you toward,’” he said.
CCS Executive Director Steve Possell said, “We have United Way assistance for utility assistance, and then it’s whatever we raise. KREMC gave us a grant for $10,000. And then we get money that can go anywhere, so some of it we put toward utility assistance.”
Possell said CCS spends significantly more on utility assistance than it gets every year.
“Hence doing things like this (sleepout), being proactive on that,” Parker said.
CCS organizes the annual event, with Kosciusko REMC being one of the sponsors. Wabash Donuts provided doughnuts, and Hacienda Restaurant gave chips and salsa.
Supporters raised money prior to Friday night’s sleepout, signing up on CCSSleepout.com. People can donate through that website for another week.
The top fundraising team was Warsaw Church of Christ with $2,765, according to the website, followed by Leesburg Grace Brethren Church at $700 and New Life Christian Church at $320.
Top fundraisers were Chrissy Ehrman, $1,490; Peggi Lisenbee Wright, $1,395; and Kelly Duncan, $1,275.
As of about 9 p.m. Friday, 22 percent of the $30,000 goal was met, according to the website.
Possell said when he started at CCS, the event was held in the middle of January and participants slept in cardboard boxes. No one was willing to do that, so the time period was changed to get more people involved.
“We just want people to know it’s a need,” Parker said.
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