Housing Action Illinois subgranted $10,000 to BCMW Community Services—thanks to the Illinois COVID-19 Response Fund—to support the agency’s work offering interim housing and emergency shelter, short-term rental and mortgage assistance, and utility assistance.
BCMW Community Services is a community action agency that has been serving individuals and families in need since 1967. The agency covers Bond, Clinton, Marion, and Washington Counties in central Illinois. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, BCMW is striving to meet the current needs of its customers while keeping its staff safe.
Thanks to the Illinois COVID-19 Response Fund, Housing Action Illinois was able to provide BCMW with a $10,000 subgrant to help serve families and individuals who are homeless or at risk of homelessness due to the pandemic.
BCMW will provide emergency shelter through motel vouchers, as well as rental, mortgage, and utility assistance. The agency anticipates that the funding from the subgrant will allow it to serve twenty people.
Caseworker Ginny Dailey takes an application over the phone.
So far, BCMW has helped four individuals experiencing homelessness by providing emergency shelter through the subgrant, along with food. One of the individuals BCMW assisted had just moved to the area and was working, but lost his job due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He had not worked long enough to qualify for unemployment. BCMW helped with food and shelter, which allowed him the time he needed to look for other employment. He located a new job, and his case worker will be working to help him obtain permanent housing.
While the agency says it has been more difficult to serve customers without seeing them face-to-face, BCMW has been conducting intakes via phone. In the photo above, caseworker Ginny Dailey is seen taking a phone application.