County to Help Pay Families' Bills

At its Monday night meeting, the Orange County Board of Commissioners decided to appropriate an additional $30,000 in county funds to help address the emergency needs of low-income families.

Orange County currently allocates $85,265 for emergency assistance.

Of the $30,000 appropriation, $3,000 will be placed in a special fund to secure utility deposits for needy families.

"It has become apparent that there is a significant increase in requests for needs from our citizens in the coming months," said County Manager John Link.

Nancy Coston, director of the Department of Social Services, reported that the number of requests for emergency assistance is higher this year.

The Department of Social Services provides aid to families who meet a certain low-income criteria and face financial crises from unexpected events.

"We are in a situation right now where our funds will be exhausted by January," Coston said. "And (January) is probably the worst time for exhausted funds."

The number of requests for emergency assistance increased from 293 in October 2000 to 548 requests in October 2001.

Coston said the recent weakening of the economy has significantly influenced this increase.

"When (the families) are already limited by a low budget, the bad economy doesn't help much," she said.

Coston added that the majority of clients request emergency financial assistance with housing and utility expenses.

Board members expressed hope that the additional $30,000 in county funds will help address the anticipated shortfall in financial resources.

"Hundreds of people in Orange County rely on Social Services in order to live," said board member Margaret Brown. "But the fund has to be there."

After approving the additional funds, the board discussed plans to create a status report on the county's overall economic condition and assess increasing demand for emergency assistance.

"I think trying to find some resources to provide financial planning and counseling will (also) help families form strategies to avoid financial crisis," Brown said.

Coston said the Department of Social Services will research different options to guarantee utility payments for families at the time of need rather than using the current practice of paying deposits in advance. "We're developing an ongoing working relationship with utility companies and nonprofit organizations," she said. "The good news is that Orange County has a lot of people willing to help the families."

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