Hopefully you have stayed warm and safe this January. It has really been a trip back to the “old winters” we used to have.
Is staying warm a problem for you? Do not forget the Home Energy Assistance Program, coordinated by the Portage County Community Action Council (West Main St. in Ravenna, 330-297-1456).
Depending on your income, this agency can pay one month’s fuel bill, or fill your propane tank, or help you set up a sliding fee schedule with your utility company.
You can get an application for this program by going online (HEAP) to get an application and then sending it to Energy Assistance Programs, P.O. Box 1240 in Columbus, OH 43266-0583. Or, you can stop by or call the Community Action Council in Ravenna requesting an application.
With this program, assistance is available depending on your income. This year’s financial guidelines are $26,355 for a one-person household, and $35,770 for a two-person household
Realistically, this program is funded with our tax dollars — do not be bashful — you have paid taxes all your life, and this is just an opportunity to get some of your money back when you need it.
Another concern in this weather is getting to the grocery store to stock up on food. If we can get to a grocery store, the next concern is being able to afford the food because prices have gone up so much in recent years.
We have a relative who is on disability, 65 years old, and receives less than $40 a month in food stamps. As we all know, disability payments only cover basic costs, at a minimum!
I am sure there are many of you whose income is not that much more than what he is receiving.
There are resources in Portage County that can help with this issue. Remember, we are retirees who have paid taxes for years, and have made donations to agencies our entire working lives. There is no shame in taking some help from our neighbors or social agencies.
At the beginning of your emailed Portager, there is a link to various food resources in Portage County. This list includes 32 resources for food assistance, located throughout Portage County. For most of these resources, there is no need to declare your income when requesting assistance.
In the southern part of our county, there is the Randolph-Suffield-Atwater food shelf, located at St. Joseph Church. In Ravenna, there is Catholic Charities on Main Street, and in Mantua there is the Crestwood Community Coalition for Care on West Prospect (you must be a resident of Mantua.) In Aurora, there is the Volunteers of America, in Kent there is Kent Social Services, and in Streetsboro, there is the Streetsboro Community Pantry.
The list goes on, check out the list here and in the Portager emails.
The alternative to picking up actual food items is the area Mobile Meals Program. The Portage County Senior Center participates in a daily lunch program (donations accepted) and the Suffield United Church of Christ sponsors a lunch program on Wednesdays and Thursdays.
Participating in these two programs also gives the opportunity for some socialization, which can be just as good for you as the actual meal.
If you are receiving assistance from the Portage County Job and Family Services, you may be eligible for a “box of food a month.” The qualifications are low income and elderly.
I did a recent update for the 2025 poverty levels for America. They do seem to go up a little bit each year, and vary by which program you are applying for.
For a one-person household, $15,060 is considered 100% of poverty level, while 133% of the poverty level would be $20,029 for a yearly income, and the amount goes up to $22,590 for a program requiring not more than 150% of the national poverty guidelines to be eligible.
For a two-person household, the income guideline begins at $20,440 for 100% of poverty level and then goes to $22,484 income for a program requiring 133% of poverty level and a program requiring not more than 150% of poverty level to be eligible is $25,550. I would write these numbers down for future reference because government programs change through the year.
To get the full list of financial eligibility, just go online and Google National Poverty Guidelines for 2025. Be sure to put in the year, because it changes from one year to another. If you do not have a computer, remember our public libraries do have computers available for use. Just ask a staff member for help. Remember our libraries are tax supported.
Contact Sally Kelly with your senior news at 330-687-9501 or [email protected].
