What began as a small collaboration between a few churches and civic leaders in 1987, has now grown into a well-established independent relief agency that's able to provide our community with a safety net of support through a wide range of staff-supported programs. These programs include a self-select food pantry, emergency financial assistance for rent/utilities, community clinic, clothing room, children's programming, senior services, and transitional housing.
As all programs offered at GRACE are designed to be temporary solutions meant to assist the family as they make their way out of financial crisis and back into self-sufficiency, every potential client must first meet with a case worker before receiving services. At intake, our case workers conduct an in-depth assessment which includes questions about the client's family size, housing situation, education level, job skills, employment, medical insurance, income, and expenses. Once critical needs have been identified, individualized care plans are developed which include a detailed plan to guide the family back to stability and allow access to one or more of the following GRACE Programs:
-The GRACE Food Pantry - our self-select style allows families to shop for perishable and nonperishable food including fruits, vegetables, meat, dairy products, and bread.
-The GRACE Community Garden - provides fresh produce to clients as part of the food pantry program and cooking classes for diabetic/pre-diabetic Clinic patients.
-GRACE Transitional Housing - offers families the opportunity to break the cycle of poverty and homelessness through a two-year intensive program that focuses on education, employment, budgeting, and improving life skills.
-GRACE Clothing Room - provides clothing for children and adults. Adults often need clothes for job interviews and children receive seasonal packets throughout the year, including coats and shoes for the winter months.
-GRACE Children's Programs - offers children's programs including Feed Our Kids, a summer lunch program, Back-To-School, and the Christmas Cottage
-GRACE Friends & Family - provides monthly food and commodities to the elderly and disabled in the community and provides volunteer companionship to combat isolation.
-The GRACE Community Clinic - provides free medical care to uninsured and under-insured clients