BVCA Receives Funds for Relief

Blue Valley Community Action Partnership was awarded more than $435,000 in supplemental Community Service Block Grant funds to provide Covid-19 pandemic relief.
The money can be used to assist low-to-moderate income people and families who earn up to 200% of the Federal Poverty Level.
BVCA is using a portion of the funds to support existing programs; specifically, the food pantries and emergency rent/mortgage/utility assistance offered throughout the organization’s core service area. BVCA is also in process of hiring a Community Resources Coordinator to implement several new programs to assist the public in ways beyond what it currently offered.
Once the Coordinator is in place, BVCA will launch a new, one-time expenses assistance program. The purpose will be to help people and families with unexpected costs such as car repairs, furnace replacement, and/or home repairs. BVCA plans to seek additional, unrestricted funding to continue this program even after the CSBG funds have been expended.

To more fully address food insecurity, the Community Resource Coordinator will develop a Food Voucher Program with local grocery stores, and will be available to deliver food to rural areas and homebound people.
BVCA will branch into tele-health services by creating space at eight facilities for private, secure medical and mental health virtual appointments. The spaces will be made available to anyone who has health limitations that restrict their ability travel, or lack reliable transportation. The organization will buy all the necessary equipment and software, including programs that allow required documents to be signed virtually.
Lastly, BVCA will purchase Chromebooks and mobile hotspots to loan to families should learning from home be required again for students, or for adults who don’t have access to the technology necessary to tele-commute to work.
BVCA will notify the public through traditional and social media when these programs are available. In the meantime, anybody who requires assistance should contact their local BVCA Family and Community Services office.
BVCA serves Butler, Fillmore, Gage, Jefferson, Polk, Saline, Seward, Thayer and York Counties.