Jefferson Franklin Community Action Corporation

Public housing authority-provides rental and homeownership assistance to approximately 1,000 families in Jefferson and Franklin counties in Missouri through the mainstream, housing choice vouncher and emergency housing voucher programs.

The emergency rental assistance program is a federally funded program from the american recovery act. This program provides assitance to income eligible individuals who have a need related to the covid 19 pandemic. Services can include rental payments (including arrears and future payments) to landlords, payments to utility companies, assistance with legal fees related to eviction and costs related to security deposits to avoid homelesness. During the fiscal year this program served approximately 858 income eligible participant households. Energy assistance (ea) provides low income utility clients with a one-a-year energy assitsance grant paid to the primary utility company in order to offset the high energy burden experienced by many low-income families. Ea provides winter and summer crisis funds for clients who find themselves in a state of or threat of disconnect. Ea also works in partnership with local utilities, churces, and other organizations to enhance ea effectiveness and help solve payment of larger utility bills. Ea helped approximately 4,829 families.

The head start/early head start programs program is funded to provide education services to approximately 487 income eligible prenatal women, infant, toddler and preschool children and their families. The program provides services in 31 classrooms at 15 locations and offers in home education services throughout Jefferson and Franklin counties. The program employs approximately 107 staff who hold a bachelor or associates degree, family development credential, and/or parent's as teachers certification. The program collaberates with 24 school districts and 6 Community child care partners to ensure positive child outcomes for school and life-long learning.

Other programs to help the economically disadvantaged.

Weatherization is a decades old program that focuses federal, state and local resources on upgrading low-income client homes with energy efficiency measure, at no cost to the client. A comprehensive energy audit is performed to create a computer model showing the most cost effective items to install on the home. The energy savings for client over time will at at a minimum pay for the cost of the measures implemented on the home. Health, safety, and comfort are also increased for the occupant with the added benefit of lower medical costs over the long term. Weatherization allows participants to save money on their utility bills placing more useable income in their pocket. Weatherization is a one time per 15 year program. Jfcac weatherized 33 homes during the year ended 9-30-2023.

The Community services department includes programs delivering valuable services coupled with case management activities for supporting individuals seeking assistance in stabilizing households and moving towards self-sufficiency. All Community services projects work strategically, driven by the assessed needs of the Community and individuals living within Jefferson and Franklin counties. Programs include the Community services block grant, insurance navigation program, skillup, ezmo transportation, crisis intervention and the greenheart Community project.