Mecosta CountyMecosta County

Community Support SystemsCommunity Support Systems

Paula SawyerPaula Sawyer

Ferris State University Ferris State University

Need in MecostaNeed in Mecosta

According to the US census bureau According to the US census bureau in 2008, 20.9% of the population in in 2008, 20.9% of the population in Mecosta county were living below Mecosta county were living below poverty level.poverty level.

In comparison, 14.4 % were below In comparison, 14.4 % were below the poverty level in the state of the poverty level in the state of Michigan in 2008 Michigan in 2008

Assistance programsAssistance programs

Third Ave Soup KitchenThird Ave Soup KitchenOffers free hot lunch every Offers free hot lunch every

WednesdayWednesday

(231) 796-6574(231) 796-6574

Women, Infants, and Women, Infants, and children services children services

Offers Food and nutrition Offers Food and nutrition programs to eligible pregnant programs to eligible pregnant women and children 0-5 years women and children 0-5 years old.old.

Address: 14485 Northland Drive Address: 14485 Northland Drive Big Rapids, MI-49307Big Rapids, MI-49307Phone: (231) 592-9440Phone: (231) 592-9440

Family Independence Family Independence AgencyAgency(FIP)(FIP)

The main goal is to help The main goal is to help families become self-families become self-supporting and supporting and independent independent

FIP is temporary cash FIP is temporary cash assistance for low-income assistance for low-income families with minor families with minor children and pregnant children and pregnant women. women.

FIP helps them pay for FIP helps them pay for living expenses such as living expenses such as rent, heat, utilities, rent, heat, utilities, clothing, food and clothing, food and personal care items.personal care items.

Family Independence Family Independence AgencyAgency

FIP applicants and FIP applicants and recipients may be recipients may be assigned to assigned to Jobs, Jobs, Education and Education and Training (JET)Training (JET) for  for assistance in finding a assistance in finding a job or to develop needed job or to develop needed job skills. job skills.

Help with transportation, Help with transportation, childcare and other childcare and other needs related to needs related to employment and training employment and training may be provided. may be provided.

Family Independent Family Independent Agency:Agency:

Eligibility RequirementsEligibility Requirements Michigan resident and intend to remain in Michigan resident and intend to remain in

Michigan and Michigan and notnot be receiving cash be receiving cash assistance from another state assistance from another state

The asset limit for FIP is $3,000.  Only cash The asset limit for FIP is $3,000.  Only cash assets are counted, such as:assets are counted, such as:

Cash on hand. Cash on hand.

Bank and credit union accounts. Bank and credit union accounts. Investments. Investments. Retirement plans. Retirement plans. Trusts. Trusts.

Assets such as your home, vehicles and Assets such as your home, vehicles and personal belongings are not assessed. personal belongings are not assessed.

Eligibility RequirementsEligibility Requirements To qualify for FIP, children must be under To qualify for FIP, children must be under

the age of 18, or a high school student age the age of 18, or a high school student age 18-19. 18-19.

The child's parents, stepparents, and siblings The child's parents, stepparents, and siblings who live together normally make up the FIP who live together normally make up the FIP group. group.

Pregnant woman; or parents whose child is Pregnant woman; or parents whose child is in foster care but is expected to return home in foster care but is expected to return home within one year can also be eligiblewithin one year can also be eligible

  You cannot receive FIP for more than 48 You cannot receive FIP for more than 48 months in your lifetime unless you qualify for months in your lifetime unless you qualify for an extension or an exception an extension or an exception

Mid Michigan Community Mid Michigan Community Action AgencyAction Agency

Mission StatementMission Statement: "Mid : "Mid Michigan Community Action Michigan Community Action Agency Agency supportssupports families and families and individuals by individuals by providingproviding access to resources and access to resources and opportunities." opportunities."

““Mid Michigan Community Mid Michigan Community Action helps individuals and Action helps individuals and families become self-families become self-sufficient. We help keep sufficient. We help keep people warm; stay in their people warm; stay in their homes; save money through homes; save money through weatherization; prevent weatherization; prevent foreclosure; buy supplies for foreclosure; buy supplies for employment; and weather employment; and weather many other situations and many other situations and crises that families face. We crises that families face. We also work hard to strengthen also work hard to strengthen families through programs families through programs serving pregnant women and serving pregnant women and young children.”young children.”

Mid Michigan Community Mid Michigan Community Action Agency Action Agency

Services offered in Mecosta county:Services offered in Mecosta county: Heat and utility servicesHeat and utility services Food Assistance programFood Assistance program WeatherizationWeatherization PreschoolPreschool Early Head startEarly Head start Mortgage/rent assistance Mortgage/rent assistance Homelessness SupportHomelessness Support Financial Management and Financial Management and

homebuyer education homebuyer education Foreclosure Prevention Foreclosure Prevention

Mid Michigan Community Mid Michigan Community Action AgencyAction Agency

Contact Contact Information:Information:

Outreach OfficeOutreach Office14330 Northland Drive14330 Northland DriveBig Rapids, MI 49307Big Rapids, MI 49307231-660-0271231-660-0271

www.mmcaa.orgwww.mmcaa.org

Project StarburstProject Starburst Services offered:Services offered: Individual Case Individual Case

Management Services Management Services Sustainable Food PantrySustainable Food Pantry Personal Hygiene Pantry Personal Hygiene Pantry Baby Supply and Diaper Baby Supply and Diaper

PantryPantry Household Goods PantryHousehold Goods Pantry Birthday Gift ProgramBirthday Gift Program Cleaning Supply PantryCleaning Supply Pantry TIPLAP Housing Case TIPLAP Housing Case

ManagementManagement Holiday Food/Gift Holiday Food/Gift

ProgramProgram

Project Starburst cont.Project Starburst cont. Prescription Medicine Prescription Medicine

ProgramProgram School Supplies ProgramSchool Supplies Program Specific Un-Met Needs Specific Un-Met Needs

ProgramProgram Medical Need Medical Need

Transportation ProgramTransportation Program Infant Safe Sleep Infant Safe Sleep

ProgramProgram FSU/Project Starburst FSU/Project Starburst

Optical ProgramOptical Program Laundry ProgramLaundry Program FSU/Project Starburst FSU/Project Starburst

Dental Hygiene ProgramDental Hygiene Program Collaborative Fresh Collaborative Fresh

Produce ProgramProduce Program..

Project StarburstProject Starburst

Contact Contact InformationInformation

Address: 120 S. State Address: 120 S. State Street, Big Rapids, MI-Street, Big Rapids, MI-4930749307Phone: (231) 796-5342Phone: (231) 796-5342

Habitat for HumanityHabitat for Humanity Seeks to eliminate Seeks to eliminate

poverty housing and poverty housing and homelessness from the homelessness from the world and to make world and to make decent shelter a matter decent shelter a matter of conscience and of conscience and action. action.

Habitat uses volunteer Habitat uses volunteer labor and money labor and money donations and donated donations and donated materials. Habitat builds materials. Habitat builds and rehabilitates simple, and rehabilitates simple, decent houses alongside decent houses alongside our homeowner our homeowner (partner) families. (partner) families.

Habitat for HumanityHabitat for Humanity

Habitat houses are Habitat houses are sold to partner sold to partner families at no families at no profit and financed profit and financed with affordable with affordable loans. loans.

Payments are used Payments are used to build more to build more habitat homeshabitat homes

Habitat for HumanityHabitat for Humanity

Contact Contact Information: PO Information: PO Box 369 Mecosta, Box 369 Mecosta, MI-49332MI-49332Phone: (231) 972-Phone: (231) 972-21002100

WISE women’s WISE women’s information serviceinformation service

Provides: Provides: domestic violence and sexual domestic violence and sexual assault counseling and an advocacy shelterassault counseling and an advocacy shelter

Contact information: Contact information: Po Box 1249 Po Box 1249

Big Rapids, MI 49307 Big Rapids, MI 49307

(231) 796-6600 (231) 796-6600

Crisis HotlinesCrisis Hotlines National Hopeline NetworkNational Hopeline Network

Phone: (800)-SUICIDEPhone: (800)-SUICIDE           (800) 784-2433           (800) 784-2433Hours: 24 hours dailyHours: 24 hours daily

Crisis counselors available and referral information to local Crisis counselors available and referral information to local resources.resources.

Parent HELPlineParent HELPlinePhone: (800) 942-4357Phone: (800) 942-4357           (517) 351-4000           (517) 351-4000Hours: 24 hours dailyHours: 24 hours dailywww.gatewayservices.orgwww.gatewayservices.org

Hotline assistance for abused children or parents who Hotline assistance for abused children or parents who fear they may become abusive.fear they may become abusive.

Crisis HotlineCrisis Hotline Sexual Assault Hotline (24 hrs daily)Sexual Assault Hotline (24 hrs daily)

Phone: (877) 666-3267Phone: (877) 666-3267www.gatewayservices.orgwww.gatewayservices.org

Information and referral and crisis counseling. Information and referral and crisis counseling.

Vulnerable Adult HotlineVulnerable Adult HotlinePhone: (800) 996-6228Phone: (800) 996-6228           (517) 351-4000           (517) 351-4000Hours: 24 hours dailyHours: 24 hours dailywww.gatewayservices.orgwww.gatewayservices.org

Crisis counseling regarding elder abuse and neglect and Crisis counseling regarding elder abuse and neglect and provides information and referrals for each county.provides information and referrals for each county.

ReferencesReferences Ferris State University. (n.d.). Virtual Women's center. Ferris State University. (n.d.). Virtual Women's center.

Retrieved October 17, 2010, from Retrieved October 17, 2010, from http://www.Ferris.edu/vwc/resources/loccom.htmhttp://www.Ferris.edu/vwc/resources/loccom.htm

Mid Michigan Community Action Agency. (2010). Mid Michigan Community Action Agency. (2010). Retrieved October 17, 2010Retrieved October 17, 2010

State of Michigan. (2010). State of Michigan. (2010). Department of Human ServicesDepartment of Human Services. . Retrieved October 17, 2010, from Retrieved October 17, 2010, from http://www.michigan.gov/dhshttp://www.michigan.gov/dhs

Habitat for Humanity. (2010). Retrieved October 17, 2010, Habitat for Humanity. (2010). Retrieved October 17, 2010, from http://www.habitat.org/cd/local/affilate.aspx?from http://www.habitat.org/cd/local/affilate.aspx?place=59place=59

Ferris State University . (2010). Ferris State University . (2010). Virtual Women's Center Virtual Women's Center . . Retrieved October 17, 2010, from Http:// Retrieved October 17, 2010, from Http:// www.ferris.edu/vwc/ecn/crisishotline.htmwww.ferris.edu/vwc/ecn/crisishotline.htm..

US Census Bureau. (2010, August 16). US Census Bureau. (2010, August 16). State and County State and County Quick Facts Quick Facts . Retrieved October 17, 2010, from . Retrieved October 17, 2010, from http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/26/26107.htmlhttp://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/26/26107.html