Provides assistance for Benton and Franklin County Veterans, their families, and the families of deceased Veterans who meet the eligibility criteria for assistance. Community referrals to partner agencies for housing, case management services, VA claims and other services are given when needed. Services may include: utility assistance, rental/mortgage assistance, application fee/background checks for housing or pre-employment, up to 1 week in a motel for homeless veterans, bus passes,  food vouchers, burial expenses (up to $1,000), necessary safety equipment required by employer to gain employment, dental assistance (up to $2,000),  and childcare assistance.

Veterans Assistance Fund offered at Benton County Department of Human Services

Assists Benton and Franklin County veterans, their families, and the families of deceased veterans. Offers utility assistance, rental/mortgage assistance, up to one week in a motel for homeless veterans, bus passes, food vouchers, and dental assistance.

Programs that provide financial assistance to help people pay the processing fee(s) that individuals in search of rental housing must submit with their application form. The fee may cover criminal background checks, rental history checks, reference checks, employment verification, income and asset verification, and/or credit reports that some landlords require and use as a screening tool for potential tenants.

Rental Application Fee Payment Assistance

Programs that pay all or a portion of the gas service expenses of people whose gas has been or is at risk of being shut off including any reconnection fees that may apply. Also included are non-emergency programs like those funded through the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), also referred to as LIEAP or HEAP in some states, that provide home energy assistance, generally in the form of a credit, for low-income households that apply. The assistance is usually available once per calendar year (or heating season). Gas service payment assistance programs may have age, income, disability, need or other eligibility requirements.

Gas Service Payment Assistance

Programs that supply food coupons which can be exchanged in designated grocery stores, supermarkets and/or farmers markets for food products. The vouchers are generally provided to low income individuals and families on an occasional or ongoing basis, but may also be available to other specified populations; and may be issued in paper or electronic formats.

Food Vouchers

Programs that pay the dental bills of people who are unable to obtain necessary dental care without assistance. Also included are programs that provide vouchers which enable eligible individuals to obtain dental care. Dental bill payment assistance programs may have age, income, disability, need or other eligibility requirements.

Dental Care Expense Assistance

Programs that pay all or a portion of the electric service expenses of people whose electricity has been or is at risk of being shut off including any reconnection fees that may apply. Also included are non-emergency programs like those funded through the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), also referred to as LIEAP or HEAP in some states, that provide home energy assistance, generally in the form of a credit, for low-income households that apply. The assistance is usually available once per calendar year (or heating season). Electric service payment assistance programs may have age, income, disability, need or other eligibility requirements.

Electric Service Payment Assistance

Programs that pay all or a portion of the home heating fuel expenses of people who are unable to purchase the resources to heat their homes without assistance. Also included are non-emergency programs like those funded through the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), also referred to as LIEAP or HEAP in some states, that provide home energy assistance for low-income households that apply, usually once per calendar year; and programs that pay for firewood, propane, butane, kerosene, coal or other bulk fuels that are used for heating or cooking purposes in situations where people have no other means of acquiring them. Heating fuel payment assistance programs may have age, income, disability, need or other eligibility requirements.

Heating Fuel Payment Assistance

Programs that provide assistance for veterans who are having difficulty understanding, accessing, and/or are unaware of the full benefits and services to which they are entitled by law based on service to their country. The programs may help veterans understand the eligibility criteria for benefits and services, the benefits and services provided by the program, the payment process and the rights of beneficiaries; provide consultation and advice; help them complete benefits and services application forms; negotiate on their behalf with U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs staff; and/or represent them in administrative processes or judicial litigation. Included are Veteran Services Officers (VSOs) who are trained and accredited by the Veteran's Administration (VA) and can be found in offices specific to each state, the county courthouse, the local VA office and local veteran's rights organizations; as well as legal aid programs that offer more formalized legal assistance.

Veteran Benefits Assistance

Programs that provide homeless people with a temporary place to stay (usually one to three nights), generally utilizing a hotel or motel with which the referring agency has a prior agreement, but in some cases, temporary lodging selected by the individual. Also included are programs that provide vouchers for use in one or more of the community's homeless shelters.

Homeless Motel Vouchers

Programs that pay all or a portion of the water service expenses of people whose water has been or is as risk of being shut off including any reconnection fees that may apply. Included are programs that provide assistance with combined water/sewer bills in communities where sewer payments are bundled with payments for water services. Water service payment assistance programs may have age, income, disability, need or other eligibility requirements.

Water Service Payment Assistance

Programs that make rental payments for people who are at risk of eviction without assistance. Also included are rent supplement programs that provide assistance with ongoing monthly rental costs. Rent payment assistance programs may have age, income, disability, need or other eligibility requirements.

Rent Payment Assistance

Programs that cover all or part of the cost of child care in public and licensed private child care centers or private family child care homes, usually for low-income families or families which include children with disabilities in situations where parents are working, in school or in a training program. Also included are programs that pay the costs of in-home or out-of-home child care when the parent is receiving diagnostic tests, undergoing medical treatment, is hospitalized or needs to be out of the house for other reasons; and those that provide financial assistance to families with young children to help cover some of the costs of a parent staying home to care for their child.

Child Care Expense Assistance

Programs that issue identification cards that people can use in lieu of cash to pay for mass transit services.

Local Transit Passes

Programs that provide financial assistance to help people pay for a copy of their criminal history record in situations where they cannot otherwise afford one. A criminal history record is the cumulative record of occasions on which an individual has been arrested by a local or state police agency and convicted in a court of law of a felony or serious misdemeanor.

Criminal Background Check Fee Payment Assistance

Programs that make mortgage payments for people who are at risk of losing their homes without assistance. Mortgage payment assistance programs may have age, income, disability, need or other eligibility requirements. Some of these programs may also provide assistance for people who have a mobile home sales contract or land contract and need help making a payment that is due. Land contracts are written legal agreements that are used to purchase real estate (e.g., vacant land), a house, an apartment building, a commercial building or other real property but are negotiated with the property owner rather than borrowing money from a bank or other lender.

Mortgage Payment Assistance

Programs that provide money or vouchers to purchase gasoline, most frequently for individuals who need their automobile for necessary local or out-of-town travel but cannot afford to run their vehicle without assistance, but occasionally for people driving through the local area who have become stranded.

Gas Money

Programs that provide financial assistance to help families who have lost a loved one pay for the funeral and/or the cremation or interment of the individual's remains.

Filters

Focus Population

Languages

Days Of The Week

Veterans Assistance Fund offered at Benton County Department of Human Services