UCHRA’s Community Services Block Grant Program To Conduct Needs Survey

UCHRA’s Community Services Block Grant is in the last of its three-year cycle.

Deputy Director LaNelle Godsey said that means the program is gearing up to do another community needs assessment survey. She said it uses funds from the Department of Human Services to fill in the gaps in community needs.

“So we’ll get our top five needs and then we’ll look and see if are there already services that are addressing these because transportation always comes up in a need assistance program,” Godsey said. “Well, UCHRA has the public transportation program. So we share our results with them to let them know what people are looking for or what we can expand.”

Godsey said one of the major needs that have come up in the last few years is rental assistance. She said with higher rent, more and more folks are needing help to cover additional costs.

Godsey said they also provide basic necessities vouchers. The program has partnered with several local businesses where people can go to purchase produce, canned items, and paper products such as toilet paper and paper towels.