200 S. Ninth, Room 311
Springfield, IL 62701
(217) 535-3120
Sharmin Doering, Executive Director

* Sangamon County Community Resources *

will be moving

to the new location at

2833 South Grand Ave. East, Suite C100

(former Cub Foods location)

effective August 2, 2010. 

Beginning Monday, August 2, all appointments will be
held at the new location.  The phone number will remain
the same as 535-3120.

Partners in the Illinois Employment and Training Center
1300 South Ninth Street
Springfield, Illinois 62703
(217) 782-3846 Ext. 236

Department Overview

Mission Statement

The Sangamon County Department of Community Resources was created to provide a centralized delivery system for human services. The Department strives to raise the health, education, and economic standards of Sangamon County residents living at the lower social and economic margins. The goal is self-sufficiency for our participants and is obtained by utilizing the following programs.

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Walk In appointments for services will not be accepted.  All appointments must be made by phone by calling 535-3120.

Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)

The LIHEAP program is designed to assist low-income households pay for winter energy services. A one-time benefit is provided to eligible households to be used for energy bills. For LIHEAP, over 8,000 households were served last program year.

Beginning in September, priority appointments are made over the phone (535-3120) Monday through Friday for seniors and people with disabilities. Beginning in November, appointments may be made by all income-eligible households over the phone Monday through Friday. Documentation required at the time of appointments includes, copies of the most recent gas and electric bills, social security cards for each household member, proof of household income for the past 30 days and a recent disconnect notice if one has been received. Appointments continue through May 31 or until funding has been depleted.

2009/2010 Program
Eligibility is based on the 30-day gross income and number of people in the household.

Household Occupancy	30-Day Income	Annual Income
1	$1,354	$16,245
2	$1,821	$21,855
3	$2,289	$27,465
4	$2,756	$33,075
5	$3,324	$38,685
6	$3,691	$44,245

For each additional member, add $467 to 30-Day and $5,610 to annual amounts.

The following documentation is required at the time of LIHEAP appointment or by 2 weeks after the appointment:

1. Household income documentation for the 30 days prior to the appointment
2. Social Security cards for each household member
3. Current gas and electric bills
4. Current disconnect notice if have.

Illinois Home Weatherization Program (IHWAP)

IHWAP provides energy conservation services (such as attic and wall insulation, storm windows, caulking, glazing, weather stripping etc.) to income eligible clients based on income for the preceding twelve months for all members in the household. Furnace tune-ups, retrofits and repairs are included with dollar limits for all work done. (A computerized energy audit is done to determine what items can be accomplished within the limit.) One hundred homes were weatherized last program year.

Weatherization customers must have received a LIHEAP benefit the year prior to service and be determined or re-determined as income-eligible within the calender year the service is provided.

Weatherization helps low-income families reduce their energy costs by an average of $437 dollars per year on utility bills and for every dollar invested in weatherizing a home, one dollar and eighty cents is saved.  With ARRA stimulus funds, Sangamon County has weatherized 247 homes with another 98 homes in progress.  At the end, nearly 350 homes will be weatherized this year in Sangamon County alone for an increase of 400% over 2009. 

But the work doesn’t stop here. This year all agencies in Illinois experienced a three-fold increase in WX applications.  Next year, we plan to weatherize over 400 homes with services again such as installing insulation, sealing ducts, replacing furnaces, windows and doors.  All of these services help reduce our national energy demand by 17.9 million barrels of oil each year from homes that use propane, thereby reducing our dependence on foreign oil.

And who does all of this weatherization work?  Naturally, additional contractor and crew jobs have been created to get the work done. In Sangamon County alone, an additional 4 full-time assessor and final inspector jobs have been created with ARRA funds. These additional jobs translate to an increase in the economic development in our community when families thrive due to employment and when large volumes of weatherization materials are purchased locally.

To conclude, Community Resources, along with our fellow community action agencies are continuing to “Keep the Promise” of weatherizing homes, creating green jobs and helping families.

• Dalitso Sulamoyo, President and CEO of the Illinois Assn. of Community Action Agencies
• Larry Dawson,Deputy Director, of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, Office of Energy Assistance
• Randy Bennett, Program Director, Weatherization Program, Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, Office of Energy Assistance
• Fred Bates, (home owner/recipient of services from the Weatherization Program)
• Bill Moss, Sangamon County Board Member, District 28, Chairman of the Sangamon County Department of Community Resources
• Sharmin Doering, Executive Director, Sangamon County Department of Community Resources
• Dwight Lucas, Vice President of the Illinois Assn. of Community Action Agencies, Executive Director of East Central Community Action Agency
  
  
  
  

Workforce Investment Act (WIA)

WIA provides guidance services for all individuals to enable them to become and remain successful members of the workforce. The WIA staff is ready to assist all clients (no eligibility requirements) with job search through resume and cover letter assistance, help signing onto the Skills Match Program, free job readiness workshops, labor market information, access to printers, Internet, copiers, phones and fax machines and information on other services provided by the community.

If a client is unable to find suitable work through these services and the client is determined eligible for the WIA Program, the client will be assigned a case manager. The case manager will work with the client in developing a career plan which may or may not include additional training.

Weekly orientation is on Monday from 9:00 a.m.-10:00 a.m. and Training Orientation on Wednesdays from
10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

Youth Employment and Training Program

Sangamon County offers many assistance programs for eligible youth ages 14-21. These programs help our youth achieve success through obtaining a high school diploma or through job readiness training for entrance into the workforce. Please contact the Youth WIA Coordinator at 217-558-4278 for information.

Community Services Block Grant (CSBG)

CSBG is designed to provide services that assist low-income people to attain the skills, knowledge, and motivation necessary to achieve self-sufficiency.

Components of the program include:

• Rental assistance, emergency dental services, short-term prescription medication, emergency summer fans
• Economic development loans to small businesses
• Scholarships for higher education

For more information on CSBG, click here

CSBG American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA):

CSBG American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) September 1, 2009 through August, 2010.

Sangamon County Announces New Programs and Additional Assistance Program Appointment Days for Eligible Residents from September 1, 2009 through August 2010. Individuals who have received a work program service under the current CSBG program or an emergency rent benefit within the last 12 months are not eligible for the same program service under the 2009 CSBG ARRA program ending in August, 2010.

Sangamon County Community Resources is offering appointment days through the DCEO CSBG American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) grant. Call-in days begin on Friday, August 28 until August 2010 or when funding for programs depletes. To qualify for the programs, applicants must be residents of Sangamon County and fit into income guidelines listed below. Programs include: birth certificate vouchers for Early Start (new), emergency rent, dental, and prescription drugs. Most program appointments may be made by calling 535-3120. Birth certificates for Early Start Students may be obtained by contacting Leanne Haage (525-3163), Springfield Public School Early Start Screening Coordinator through May, 2010.

Emergency, Rent, Dental: Call in days * Third and fourth Mondays of month. Rent Appointments are held on the following Tuesdays and Dental Appointments are held on the following Wednesdays.

Prescription Drugs/Medication: Call in days * Every Wednesday with appointments held every Friday.

CSBG POVERTY INCOME GUIDELINES - 200% Over Federal Poverty Level

For family units with more than 8 members, add $7,480 for each additional member to arrive at yearly amounts for 200%.

For more information, please contact Community Resources at 535-3120.

The following documentation is required at the time of appointment:

1. Family income documentation for the 90 days prior to the appointment
2. Social Security Cards for each family member
3. Photo i.d. for head of household.
   

Sangamon County List of Resources

Sangamon County Website Listing