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More Resources for our Conferences and Neighbors
Conference Assistance Fund (CAF)
We, together, extended approximately $820,000 in total FY2022 CAF assistance for the fiscal year ended 9/30/2022, including nearly $80,000 to 181 households in September. The comparable CAF total for the prior year FY2021 was $712,000.
October activity to-date:
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You've submitted 17 fresh applications
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We've already approved 85 applications (many carried over from Sept)
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You've withdrawn 1 application
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We have 36 applications currently in-process
Our new FY2023 began 10/1. Our Council has committed $60,000 per month to subsidize our CAF. We will be able to extend this $60,000 per month plus any twinning to CAF from fellow Conferences. If your Conference is currently blessed with funds exceeding 2-3 months of your normal operating outflow, please know that we have fellow Conferences in search of funds to invest in lifting neighbors right now. We invite your Conference to discern if twinning is your best available act of faithful stewardship.
Please expect that we will be implementing adjustments to our CAF model to more closely align your/our flow of applications with available funding. Please also read about ERA 2 (immediately below), which is available to eligible/qualified tenants residing in the City of Cincinnati. While our CAF exists to be extended to your/our neighbors, please also seize opportunities to help our neighbors experiencing need to access governmental programs for which they may qualify and other publicly- and privately-funded assistance resources. This is particularly relevant for neighbors navigating chronic budgetary shortfalls. Examples include SNAP, SSDI, and the OWF & PRC programs administered by Hamilton County Job and Family Services ("JFS").
Finally, we remind you that your Conference must now be utilizing CMS to access CAF for your/our neighbors. Each CAF application submitted should have a CMS case #. Why? CMS, as now used by the majority of our Conferences, is proving to be an extremely useful tool to do our good works even better.
Publicly-Funded Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERA 1 & 2)
We have processed and extended all the ERA 1 (Hamilton County) applications we could in collaboration with CAA. We no longer have access to ERA funds for Hamilton County residents living outside the City of Cincinnati. We were able to transfer certain applications for City of Cincinnati residents to ERA 2, funded through the City of Cincinnati. As of today, we have approved 5 ERA 2 applications and have 11 more in progress. This ERA 2 program should be available to December, 2022 and we are readily accepting ERA 2 applications from your neighbor and you for qualified City of Cincinnati residents. We hosted a Resource Spotlight on ERA 2 this past Thursday, 9/29. You can find informational content and our ERA 2 application on the Member Support and Forms page (password: member) of our SVDP-Cincinnati website.
Rahe Beds Fund & Program
Today (Wed, 10/5) is the last day to submit bed requests for October. Each Conference may submit up to six bed requests using the online request form . Vouchers will be processed on Thursday and Friday and put in the mail.
If your Conference is considering purchasing beds to extend as assistance, you can get info, including current pricing, or purchase by contacting Dave Chidlow, Stores Retail Resource Manager, at dchidlow@svdpcincinnati.org or 513.853.1002. Your purchased beds will be picked up at our CHRC within our Liz Carter Center. Please be aware that our beds cost and resale pricing have risen significantly.
We still have pack ‘n’ plays available for neighbors with children too young for beds (under age two). These do not count against the limit of two Rahe beds per household per lifetime. If you have a neighbor who is in need of one, please contact Phuong at rahebedfund@svdpcincinnati.org . We will provide the neighbor with a voucher that can be redeemed at our CHRC.
Do you have questions about our Rahe Beds Fund & Program?
You can find the most updated Bed Fund Conference Guide in the Members section of the SVDP website. You are also welcome to join us on Wednesday, 10/19, 3-4pm, for a Beds Assistance Resource Spotlight. (Zoom information found earlier in this edition).
Metro Bus Passes (Everybody Rides Metro)
Your Conference has access to Metro bus passes to be extended to neighbors for use for any of 3 defined purposes:
- Commute to/from new employment
- Commute to/from our Bank St services hub or other community social services
- Commute to/from medical appointments
Please understand that these passes are sourced through the Everybody Rides Metro program and our Council is required to comply with the above-referenced usages and submit reports of passes distributed. Please also understand that your Conference will need to record bus passes extended in CMS for the neighbors receiving this assistance. Our Bus Pass Guidelines sheet for Conferences is available to you on the Members Support page of our website https://www.svdpcincinnati.org/conferences-members/member-support/
or use this link to go directly to this document
https://www.svdpcincinnati.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Bus-Tickets-Policy.pdf
If your Conference wants to learn more about this program or request passes, please contact Alec Jewell, Conferences Manager, at ajewell@svdpcincinnati.org or 513.345.4983.
Our Re-Entry Program
Our Re-Entry Program Manager, Dion Crockett, is eager to work with you to assist neighbors you are serving who have been affected by the criminal justice system. If you would like to host Dion at a Conference meeting, get together with him in another way, or discuss a particular situation, Dion can be reached at 513.562.8851 or dcrockett@svdpcincinnati.org .
Cooking Improv with La Soupe
Our partner La Soupe teams with our Catino Choice Pantry to present monthly Cooking Improv demonstrations in the Teaching Kitchen at our NOC. Instructors from La Soupe and volunteers engage participants on basic cooking principles and how to use what you have to create delicious, nutritious meals. All recipes are based off ingredients found daily in our Catino Choice Pantry. Neighbors are encouraged to sample the delicious dishes and discuss preparation and ingredients with our staff, volunteers, and resident La Soupe instructor, Chef Mona!
These sessions are held on the first Wednesday of each month - which means the next event is today (Wed, 10/5) 11am-1pm. No pre-registration is required.
Feel free to share this information with your neighbors, or if you’re interested in getting involved in our Teaching Kitchen programming, please reach out to Demi Schoenherr at dschoenherr@svdpcincinnati.org for more information.
Haircuts from the Heart in our NOC
This is a free haircut program, courtesy of our partner Franciscan Ministries. Stylist Margarita will be in our NOC on the first and second Monday of each month, 9am-noon, cutting hair in a room on the 2nd floor. This coming Monday, 10/10, is the next date she will be here. Neighbors are accepted on a walk-in basis, and should sign in at our NOC reception desk upon arrival.
Education Center Within Our Neyer Outreach Center
Our NOC Education Center is available for neighbors to use during our operating hours: Monday - Friday, 8am - 4pm, and Saturday, 8am - noon.
Christ Church Plumb Line
Olivia Scheper, Conferences Support Coordinator, is our central contact point-person. Plumb Line only accepts assistance referrals from this single SVDP point-person.
As a reminder, Plumb Line can assist with $400 of past due rent for neighbors who are currently working.
Please note: Your Conference does not need to enter your request for Plumb Line assistance into CMS when you submit it to Olivia. Olivia will add the referral into CMS once she submits it to Christ Church.
All referrals to Plumb Line should be sent to:
Olivia Scheper
oscheper@svdpcincinnati.org
Phone: 513.345.4986, ext 239
Please understand and have faith: Plumb Line only communicates with the landlord and the neighbor after our referral is made. Therefore, once we have submitted your neighbor referral to Plumb Line, no news is good news. Christ Church will only communicate with us when they are unable to assist a neighbor or there are difficulties with a case. We should not contact Christ Church for status reports on a referral.
Greater Cincinnati Water Works (GCWW)
GCWW's Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) Program provides funds for assistance for eligible tenants residing in the City of Cincinnati. There are eligibility stipulations. Tenants must qualify by completing an online application at assistance.mygcww.org .
Renters can also call 513.591.7700 to receive assistance from the call center to complete an application. There is also a flexible payment plan through the PromisePay Portal. GCWW customers can visit GCWW.promise-pay.com for details about the program and how to enroll. Renters not residing in Cincinnati city limits but living in Hamilton County can visit https://erap.hcjfs.org/ for utility assistance. If you need additional materials or information, please contact GCWW at GCWWCares@gcww.cincinnati-oh.gov .
Duke Energy
The combination of high temperatures and elevated fuel prices has impacted summer bills.
Duke Energy has resumed standard billing and credit policies, including disconnections for non-payment.
Duke encourages us to follow our standard steps for processing pledges on customer accounts. For questions on accounts or pledges for neighbors requesting utility assistance, please contact Duke Energy's Centralized Agency Team at 800.241.3194. Advocates are currently available Monday through Friday, 7:30am - 5:30pm.
Duke also encourages us to direct customers to their helpful fact sheets to find programs, tips and tools. Should a customer not meet their qualifications for assistance, please refer them to Duke's customer care organization at 800.544.6900 where they may find assistance through a flexible installment plan.
State of Ohio Program for Struggling Homeowners
Save the Dream Ohio helps eligible Ohio homeowners facing foreclosure and/or who cannot afford to pay their mortgage payments, utility payments or other related housing costs as a result of economic hardship caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The state of Ohio was awarded $280 million from the U.S. Department of Treasury through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 for the program. Click here for more information:
Save the Dream Ohio - Managed by the Ohio Housing Finance Agency (ohiohome.org)
City of Cincinnati and Hamilton County COVID Assistance
Our neighbors & you can still find info and resources at https://513relief.org .
Cincinnati Eye Institute Foundation (CEIF) Vision Clinic in our Neyer Outreach Center
The Vision Clinic operates by appointment on certain Monday mornings & Thursdays as designated by CEIF. Our Vision Clinic is open tomorrow (Thurs, 10/6) and each of the remaining Thursdays in October, 8:30am - 3pm. A limited number of walk-in exams can also be accommodated. To schedule an appointment, or to inquire for additional info, please call 513.207.6140.
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