McCOOK, Neb. -- As the Coronavirus pandemic began, the Red Willow County Ministerial Association knew some members of the community would have a hard time meeting the basic need of housing, so a new local program was created.
A housing/utility assistance program is being coordinated through the McCook office of the Community Action Partnership of Mid-Nebraska.
The program is partially funded with a $20,000 grant from the McCook Community Foundation Fund’s COVID-19 Response Account, created to address issues specific to the crisis. Additional funding from the Sherwood Foundation has also been directed toward the program.
The program is a great example of collaboration between organizations in the community who are working to support those facing economic challenges during this pandemic, MCF Fund Advisory Committee member Peggy Been said. “These organizations have created a safety net for those who are on the edge of losing their housing or shutting off utilities because of the crisis,” she said.
Tenants and mortgage holders who are unable to make rent or mortgage payments due to being laid off or losing hours at work because of the pandemic are eligible for assistance from Community Action Partnership. If a person or family qualifies, payments are distributed directly to the landlord, lending institution or utility provider on the resident’s behalf.
Qualifications include:
• Must be from McCook or Red Willow County
• Be under the 200 percent income guidelines
• Show verification of loss of income (ex. pay-stubs, letter from employer, confirmation of applying for unemployment, or provide a phone number to employer so loss of income can be verified)
• Provide a copy of Social security card and/or ID card
• And provide a copy of disconnect bill or eviction letter.
Those needing assistance can contact the local Community Action Partnership office at (308) 345-1187 or email, aayala@mnca.net.
Community Service Coordinator Araceli Santos-Ayala asked those in need to leave their name, number and a brief message on what type of assistance they need. Almost all the information may be provided over the phone with proof of need provided via email or fax.
The housing/utility assistance grant was one of the first provided by the McCook Community Foundation Fund because of the importance of housing in the community.
“When something as unforeseen as the coronavirus hits our community, we cannot stand by and watch hardworking families struggle to make rent or mortgage payments or choose between paying utilities and buying food,” Been said, who also serves as secretary for the fund advisory committee.
“We hope the grants funded by McCook Community Foundation Fund and coordinated through the Mid-Nebraska Community Partnership Program will ease the anxiety and stress within our community.”
MCFF continues to accept grant applications from the COVID-19 Response Account on an on-going basis. Application forms, along with other grant recipients, can be found on the MCFF website, mccookfoundation.org
McCook Community Foundation Fund is an affiliated fund of the Nebraska Community Foundation.
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With so much going, it is time for a “This, That and the Other Thing” column, where we will cover several topics, not very deeply but hopefully with a sense of humor as we clean up and prepare for a busy week in McCook. *** McCook again made state and national news this week for ice. This time, it was in the form of hail that pounded the community for hours upon hours. Conversations this week begin with “where were you….?” or “how many windows did you lose?” And while they may be legitimate and are offering their services, it is like vultures with all the roofing repair and dent removal businesses which have descended upon McCook following the storm. As city officials noted, do your due diligence with any company doing repairs for you and follow the old adage, which is old and still around because it’s true: If something seems to be too good to be true, it probably is. And one last note on the storm, we need to be careful what we ask for. As storm after storm approaches McCook and then splits in two to go around the town, we finally got one to roll right over us. The storm liked McCook so much it slowed down and just there. I was in Lincoln during the storm and trying to determine when I would drive home. I thought the weather app had frozen or the radar was broken because every time I looked, the storm was still sitting over McCook, doing its damage. I guess we can be thankful the next time a storm seemingly just goes around us. *** We are in the thick of McCook’s Heritage Days celebration. Congratulations to all the Heritage Days Royalty, which was announced at the MNB Bank Mixer this week. A special shout-out to Bill Donze, better known as Mr. Bill and his wife, Kathy, who were honored as royalty for their impact in McCook. As many know, Mr. Bill is fighting cancer and the prognosis isn’t good. The chances of him selling snow-cones and candy out of his van next summer near the McCook Aquatic Center are not good. One judge of his impact was the response to my column about Mr. Bill a few months ago. The post was shared thousands of times, viewed nearly 70,000 times with just as many comments by people sharing their fond memories of Mr. Bill. So when you see Mr. Bill riding down Norris in the convertible this weekend in the Heritage Days parade, send extra prayers and well-wishes to the man who has brought so much joy to so many kids - and adults too - over the years. *** Continuing on the Heritage Days theme, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that the McCook Rotary Club is tossing all egos and formality out the window this weekend. As the president of the McCook Rotary Club, I invite everyone to at least watch, if not participate, in the Rotary’s first inflatable costume relay race on Saturday as part of the festivities in Norris Park. These are those giant, blow-up costumes you usually see around Halloween. The first costumes were usually T-Rexes but now there is everything imaginable available as a design. With the idea for the race originally conceived by Melanie Goodenberger, she has purchased everything from corn on the cob to a cowboy riding a chicken. This is a fund-raiser for the Rotary Club with a cost of just $20 for a team of four to participate in the relay race. But it is also a chance to giggle, perhaps make a fool of yourself and just have fun. Come to the park Saturday afternoon for the Wiener Dog races and stay for the Rotary Relay races. While the dogs will already be close to the ground, the relay race participants will likely just end up on the ground. *** With so much going on in McCook this week, I debated whether there should be another activity the next week but the response has already been great for the Lied’s Arts Across Nebraska’s next production in McCook. Hosted by the McCook Creative District, the Omaha Street Percussion ensemble will perform at the Fox Theater on Wednesday, Sept. 24. There is a matinee showing at 10:30 a.m. but I will be up-front…we are testing the capacity of the Fox with every seat already claimed with students. If that is the only show you can make, please come and we’ll find you a seat but it may be those up in the rafters. Otherwise, please plan to attend the 7 p.m. show on Sept. 24. And even better, there is no cost thanks to the Kimmel Foundation and the Friends of the Lied. This is a busy week and a busy weekend but this is a great opportunity to sit back and enjoy a fun, entertaining evening of live music.
Most likely, we aren't going to be good at something at the start. But that shouldn't stop us from trying.
