The Conference Call Line Receives anywhere from 65 to 125 requests per month for financial assistance. The vast majority are requests for help with past due utility bills or rent. we also Receive requests for Assistance with car payments, phone bills, pharmacy Prescriptions, doctor bills, bus passes, food assistance, and just about anything else. No Form of Charity is Foreign to the society. Obviously, we do not have either the finances or volunteer workers ( we are all volunteers) to comply with every request. Therefore we have no choice but to review each case and make decisions as to which cases we are capable of providing financial help. For those who we cannot help, we will offer assistance in other ways, such as referrals to other agencies who may be of assistance and Spiritual and comforting Suggestions to help ease the burden of stress they may be dealing with.
Below are just a small sample of typical cases from our most recent requests.
Our representative received a phone call from a Sheriff’s Deputy from the Polk County Sheriff’s department. She was at the residence of an older gentleman. She stated the neighbor’s electric was off and he had no food in the refrigerator. It was later determined the electric had been off for 4 days. In the interest of time, and with concern for the NIN’s situation, our representative proceeded to the home to conduct a home visit. Upon arrival, our Team member found that a employee from Adult Protective Services was at the residence along with the Deputy. After verifying the account with Lakeland Electric and speaking with other Team Members we decided to send a Letter of Intent to Pay to the utility, with a request to restore service to the NIN. Our Team Member waited with the Deputy and the Rep from ADP until the electric was on. This was completed in a little over an hour. The Deputy was going to purchase groceries for the neighbor. The Neighbor in Need is in his 80s and seemed confused but was in tears when his electric came back on. .
Neighbor in Need called the Conference Request Line with a request for assistance with a past due electric bill. The family consists of an unmarried couple with one son. Mother is a stay-at-home mom who home schools her son. The child has some learning issues and requires special attention and is physically challenged. Her partner works in the construction industry. Normally they are able to meet their financial obligations, but a temporary slow down at the bread winners employment, and unplanned emergency repairs caused them to fall behind.After an interview by our Home Visit team, it was decided to send a payment covering the past due amount to the utility company, thereby adverting an interruption in utility service. This also resulted in the family becoming fully self-sustaining again. Case was closed.
Neighbor in Need called the Conference Request Line with a request for assistance with a rent payment which was late. She works part time and receives some assistance from her late husband’s Social Security. Her employer recently lost a contract and was forced to cut her hours to a bare minimum, thus causing her to fall behind on her rent payment. The company was awarded a new contract and she would be back to her normal number of work hours in a couple of weeks and able to meet her financial requirements. Our team contacted the landlord and negotiated a settlement, which waived any late fees or penalties. The Conference agreed to forward the late rent payment to the landlord, thereby insuring that she would have uninterrupted shelter, and reducing a stressful time in her life.
Neighbor in Need called the Conference Request Line with a request for assistance with a past due utility bill. Family was in danger of having their service discontinued the next day because they could not afford to make last month’s utility payment. In addition a new utility bill was due in a couple weeks. The family fell behind because their income just covers their monthly expenses and any unforeseen emergency causes payments to be late and tremendous stress and mental anguish. After a visit from our Home Visit Team, a recommendation was presented to the Conference members to pay the past due utility bill and most of the new upcoming bill. This allowed the family to concentrate on other obligations resulting in a solution to becoming self-sufficient again.