Local Locations for Information & Assistance

Residents of our entire service area can now stay a little closer to home when seeking help from Green Hills Community Action Agency. The agency has recently made arrangements with a local site to set up a box in each of our counties. The boxes contain information and applications for various programs and services offered by the CAA. Each box will contain applications for the LIHEAP program, Weatherization, and Emergency Funds, as well as information on the GHCAA Section 8 program, and brochures detailing several of the agency’s other services. Each location has also made arrangements with the agency to further assist clients by offering the use of their fax services to make submitting completed applications or supporting documentation even easier. Third-party staff at these locations can not answer program related questions, they are simply acting as a drop off/pick up location for information and/or applica-tions. Questions, comments, and concerns about the services you receive or are applying for should still be directed to CAA staff by calling 855-290-8544. Daviess County: Gallatin City Office, 112 E Grand, Gallatin; Phone – 663-2011, Fax – 663-3937; Hours of Operation are M-F 7:30 – 4:30 Pattonsburg Municipal Building, 100 2nd Ave (off I35 on CC Hwy), Pattonsburg; Phone – 367-4412; Hours of Operation are M-F 8 – 4:30 Livingston County: Chillicothe Municipal Utilities, 920 Washington St; Phone – 646-1664, Fax – 646-4181; ask for Valerie or Zella

continued on page 2...

Since the closing of our out-

reach service centers, we have

made it easier for people to

contact our main office in

Trenton. We have added a new

toll-free number, and stream-

lined many of our application

processes. Don’t forget this

number when you need to get

in touch with GHCAA - now you

can call us toll free no matter

what county you live in!

1.855.290.8544

Phone Directory Options

#1 Energy Assistance

#2 Employee Directory

#3 Weatherization

#4 Service Center

#5 Housing Programs

#6 Career Development

#7 Women’s Health

Other Important Numbers

1.877.611.7600 (WHS toll free)

1.660.359.6619 (fax)

1.660.359.2038 (LIHEAP fax)

Our Community In Action A Quarterly Publication of Green Hills Community Action Agency Volume 8, Issue 1 - Winter 2013

Local Locations Continued continued from page 1...

Putnam County: City of Unionville, 1611 Grant; Phone – 947-2437, Fax – 947-7756; Hours of Opera-tion are M-F 8 – 5; ask for Amy County Clerk’s Office, 1601 Main, Room 1 (inside courthouse); Phone – 947-2674, Fax – 947-4214; Hours of operation are M-F 8:30 – 4:30; ask for Margaret Grundy County: GHCAA Central Office, 1506 Oklahoma Ave, Trenton; Phone – 359-3907, Fax – 359-6619; Hours of Operation are M-F 8 – 5 City of Spickard, 303 Jefferson, Spickard; Phone – 485-6106, Fax – 485-6156; Hours of Operation are M, W, F, 8 - Noon Harrison County: Bethany City Hall, 206 N 16th, Bethany; Phone – 425-3511, Fax – 425-7889; Hours of Operation are M-F, 8-5 Eagleville City Hall, 10028 10th St (South of Hutton Tire), Eagleville; Phone – 867-3363, Fax – 867-5543; Hours of Operation are M-Th 8 – 5 and Fridays 8 - Noon Linn County: Brookfield City Hall, 116 W Brooks (across from United MO Bank); Phone – 258-3377, Fax – 258-4129; ask for Dana Marceline City Hall, 116 N Main; Phone – 376-3528, Fax – 376-3898; ask for Kasey Caldwell County: Hamilton City Hall, 200 S Daviess; Phone – 816-583-4911, Fax – 816-583-4929, Hours are M-F 8-5 Kingston City Hall, 90 West Main; Phone - 816-586-4110 Sullivan County: Milan City Hall, 212 E 2nd, Milan; Phone – 265-4491, Fax – 265-3005; Hours of op-eration are M-F 8-5; ask for Pam Green City City Hall, 4 Green St, Green City; Phone – 874-4219, Fax - 874-5813; Hours of operation are M-F 8-5; ask for Rachel Mercer County: Mercer City Hall, 112 S State (across from the bandstand), Mercer; Phone – 382-4210, Fax – 382-4266; Hours of Operation are 8 – 4:30; ask for Terry or Colleen Princeton City Hall, 507 W Main, Princeton; Phone – 748-4375, Fax – 748-4776; Hours of Operation are 8 – 4:30; ask for Carrie Persons with questions about the newly implemented information box system are urged to call GHCAA’s main office, toll free, at 855-290-8544

Yes! I would like to help the Green Hills

Community Action Agency! Please accept

my donation & use it to further your mission.

__ $50 __ $25

__ $10 __ $1 __ Other Amount ____

Please apply my gift toward the following: __ Health Services __ Education/Employment __ Housing Programs __ Energy/Weatherization __ Most Needed Area

Please send your donations to:

GHCAA

1506 Oklahoma Ave Trenton, MO 64683

Thank You!

Life Skills Classes Offered by GHCAA Green Hills Community Action Agency has partnered with several county Health Departments and the University of Missouri Extension to offer area residents free workshops designed to help them meet the challenges of modern life. There are several workshops to choose from during each day-long session, and persons are free to choose only those classes that most interest them; stay for just one or stay for the whole day. Gas cards, door prizes, goody bags, and snacks may be offered throughout the day. If interested in learning more or pre-registering for any of the courses, please call 855-290-8544 ext 1023. You must be pre-registered in order to qualify for door prizes or other rewards for attendance. Classes have been planned in these locations for the month of January (beginning at 9am): Hamilton - Thursday, January 3rd, at the United Methodist Church, 104 W Samuel (corner of Hwy 13 & CC) Chillicothe - Friday, January 4th, at the GHCAA building, 511 Elm St. Brookfield - Wednesday, January 9th, at the Linn County Health Dept, 635 S Main (use back/east entrance) Bethany - Wednesday, January 16th, at the Harrison County Court House, Basement, Extension Office Gallatin - Thursday, January 17th, at the Daviess County Library, Conference Room, Main Floor (Tentative) Unionville - Wednesday, January 30th, at the Putnam County Courthouse, Old Soldier’s Room, 1st Floor If you have any questions regarding dates, times, or location, please call the Green Hills office at 855-290-8544 ext 1023.

Pictured Above: Connie Neal, Housing & Environmental Design Specialist for the University of Missouri Extension shares with the

Grundy County group during a workshop entitled “Green Cleaning”. Participants all left with a basket of items to use at home.

*This project/program is funded in whole/or part with federal funds received from the US Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), Community Services Block Grant, as provided by the Missouri Department of Social Services, Family Support Division. The funds received from the Family Support Division are all federally funded.

Green Hills Community Action Agency works to build vibrant communities.

If you have particular programs that you would like to see highlighted in future issues, or if you know someone who would like to be added to our mailing list, please contact:

Green Hills Community Action Agency 1506 Oklahoma Ave. Trenton, MO 64683 Phone: 855-290-8544 | Fax: 660-359-6619

Aaron Franklin, CEO franklina@ghcaa.org

Utility Bill Help Still Available GHCAA still has some LIHEAP/ECIP funding available if help is needed toward a utility heating bill. If you, or someone you know, is struggling to pay a bill this winter, please give our office a call, toll-free, at 855-290-8544 The funding is available to qualified individuals and families, and each household must complete an application. All required supporting documentation must

be submitted and applications MUST be approved before any help will

be available.

Applications are also available online by

visiting our website.

Fiscal Changes With a New Year By now, I’m sure everyone has heard reference made to a “fiscal cliff”. But what, exactly, does it mean? According to Wikipedia: the fiscal cliff is a term used to refer to the economic effects that could result from tax increases, spending cuts, and a corresponding reduction in the US budget deficit beginning in 2013 if existing laws are not changed by the end of 2012. The deficit—the difference between what the government takes in and what it spends—is expected to be reduced by roughly half beginning in the first days of 2013. This sharp decrease in the deficit in such a short period of time is known as the fiscal cliff. This sudden reduction could lead to a recession in 2013. Certain major programs, like Social Security, Medicaid, federal pay (including military pay and pensions), and veterans' benefits, are exempted from the spending cuts. From fiscal year 2012 to 2013, federal tax revenue is expected to increase by 19.63%

So, how does all this politicking impact low-income families in America? Programs like the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), Child Tax

Credit (CTC), SNAP (formerly Food Stamps/EBT), Head Start, and some child care assistance programs could face threats of serious cuts. A staggering 11 million working families stand to lose an average of $854 from their Child Tax Credit, and 7 million families could possibly lose an average of $532 from their EITC. These deep cuts to EITC and CTC are just part of a broader budget deal which could be devastating to millions more families as many other core programs aimed at helping those in need could also face cuts. We urge you to educate yourself about the current and future state of our nation’s economy, and then contact your state and federal political representatives. Share your thoughts, concerns, and feelings with them. After all, they are elected to speak on your behalf! (Click to learn more.)

Seeking Board Members Green Hills Community Action Agency Board members have recently been involved in strategic planning sessions which concentrate on how the board can be strengthened and its membership enriched. Strong Board participation is integral to the success of any non-profit agency, and these sessions will help the agency strengthen its current board and allow for the addition of new board members. The tri-partite board of directors for the CAA currently has several vacancies; if you are interested in learning more about serving on the Green Hills Community Action Agency Board of Directors, please contact Aaron Franklin, CEO of GHCAA by calling 855-290-8544.