Published Saturday, November 08, 2008

ACE: Resources available for needy

By Winston Skinner

The Times-Herald

Christmas will soon be here, but more Coweta families than ever need help now -- and many of them do not know where to turn.

Jan Taylor, executive director of the Alliance for Children's Enrichment, said the number of families seeking help to provide gifts for their children at Christmas is up sharply. The annual visit by Santa Claus, however, is far from the first thing on the minds of those parents. Mortgage payments, rent, doctor bills and other financial obligations have many people -- particularly those who have serious illnesses or who are out of work -- concerned as the holiday season approaches.

"A few toys isn't the real answer here," Taylor said. She said that younger children particularly will not understand a Dec. 25 with no Santa, but many families' needs run deeper.

"These families need more," Taylor said.

Because many of the families in need this year have not dealt with an economic downturn before, they may not know where to go for help. A variety of programs and resources exist, but many people need some direction to get the help they need.

People who are unemployed can get help in the following ways:

n For monthly food assistance, families may qualify for the federal food assistance program. The program is handled locally by the Coweta County Department of Family and Children's Services at 533 Hwy 29 North, Newnan. "You must appear in person and apply," Taylor said.

n Assistance with children's or low-income family Medicaid health insurance is also handled by DFACS and involves an in person application process.

n "If you have lost your children's health insurance through the loss of your job, but still have some income into the home, you may qualify for PeachCare for Kid's health insurance," Taylor said. Application can be made at DFACS or online at www.georgiapeachcareforkids.com.

n For parents who have children in school, help can come from free or reduced price lunches. Taylor said parents should contact the counselor at their child's school.

n "If you have an infant or children under age 3, you may qualify for nutritional food assistance through the Women, Infant and Children's program, known as WIC," Taylor said. WIC requires an in person application process. The program is handled locally by the Coweta County Health Department at 137 Jackson St.

n People who need to apply for unemployment benefits should visit the Georgia Department of Labor's office at 30 Bledsoe Road in Shenandoah Industrial Parl. There is also help to "refresh your job search or job readiness skills" there, Taylor said.

n "If you need to use a computer and don't have one or don't have Internet access, the public libraries in Coweta County have them available for public use free of charge," Taylor said.

ACE has been taking applications for Christmas for more than two months. Taylor serves on the Workforce Development task force and several other committees and had heard figures on the economy and the number of lost jobs in the county.

"I thought I was prepared for what was most probably coming in the form of requests for Christmas assistance. I wasn't. I don't think any of us could have been," Taylor said.

"I've never seen so many people we have never seen before," she said.

"I have been amazed at how many people have been actively seeking work while drawing their unemployment and haven't applied for Medicaid or even food stamps. Quite a few didn't know where to go or how to go about applying for these government services," Taylor stated.

"They have worked all their lives, most in good paying jobs, until the companies hit hard times and laid them off. We've seen so many families who are losing their homes from foreclosure because they have been unable to find employment," she added.

"We've had so many who ask if we know anyone who is hiring," she said. "They want a job. It's really tough out there right now."