Lima / Allen Council on Community Affairs

Lima Allen Council on Community Affairs (LACCA), our local Community Action Agency has created eleven (11) jobs in the first quarter of 2010 thanks to federal funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). These jobs are included in the latest White House report released April 29th at Recovery.gov.

During that same time period, the agency has utilized approximately $223,954.00 in federal Recovery Act funds. LACCA ensures these funds are circulated back into the local economy and that every cent is accounted for.

"Recovery Act resources continue to help rebuild our uncertain economy in Lima and Allen County," said LACCA’s CEO, Jacqueline Fox and Board President, Linda Chartrand. “Our organization has been assigned responsibility for a number of programs that help see the people of the Lima community through hard times and that offer assistance through programs such as Early Head Start, HPRP-Homeless Prevention & Rapid Re-housing Program, and Financial Literacy."

LACCA Community Action Agency received ARRA funding to help support the following programs: Early Head Start Expansion, which created 10 full-time positions to provide services to Early Head Start families for an additional 70 children. These services include: comprehensive health, education, nutrition, social and other services to infants and toddlers up to age three. It also provided funds to expand the Financial Literacy program, which provides free classes to participants with an understanding of poverty and its side effects, budgeting, and indentifying resources to help families move toward economic independence and possibly homeownership. HPRP – Homeless Preventions & Rapid Re-housing Program LACCA and Allen Metropolitan Housing Authority (AMHA) will provide emergency rental assistance to eligible households in Lima and Allen County – a position was created in conjunction with the implementation of this HPRP program; a Project Coordinator to assist with program development and reporting. The funds will also assist with shortfalls in funding for LACCA’s housing and RISE – Real Initiatives for Self-sufficiency & Employment programs.

"These high-impact activities will keep pumping resources and hope into the economies of the Lima community through the summer and into the next two years," Fox said. "Our community can expect our initiatives to support 70 additional families with Early Head Start and Home Based services, plus adding a new partnership with Smart Start Development and Learning Center. The HPRP program will keep over 200 families in their homes. LACCA’s Housing program goals are to provide homeownership counseling to over 45 families and foreclosure prevention to 30 families. The RISE program will be able to provide services to 8 participants and the Financial Literacy goal is to reach over 70 families for counseling sessions."