Mid-Sioux Makes Annual
Budget Request
Mid-Sioux Opportunity, Inc. would like a $10,000 contribution from the county for the upcoming budget year. Dick Sievers, Mid-Sioux Executive Director, Tuesday asked the Plymouth County Supervisors for their financial support for the 2012-13 budget year. However, he said if $10,000 is not doable, a 10 percent increase from the current $7,250 contribution would help. "That still wouldn't bring you the full request we've been making for the past several years, but it would provide us with a little bit more funding," Sievers said.
He noted Mid-Sioux served 2,440 people and 904 households in Plymouth County throughout the year, bringing $1.7 million in services to the county. Some of those dollars were federal stimulus money, which is ending with the last of it being used in the weatherization program through March 2012, Sievers said. Stimulus money won't be renewed, he added.
"Cuts are inevitable, I think, at the federal level in a almost everything," Sievers said. "We're going to be experiencing that too so local funding is even more important to us than it has been in the past." Every dollar the county contributes to Mid-Sioux is used for services within the county, he said, adding that a $10,000 allocation would mean a return of $713 for each dollar invested. "With our central office being in Plymouth County, I think Plymouth County benefits more than the other counties we serve," Sievers said.
Mid-Sioux also serves Cherokee, Ida, Lyon and Sioux Counties. The organization's headquarters is in Remsen and employs 60 people throughout Plymouth County in
Le Mars, Akron, Hinton and Remsen, Sievers said.
Supervisor Craig Anderson asked if Sievers anticipates laying off staff with the federal funding going away. "I can't answer that today, but I think cuts may be substantial enough down the road that we would have to do that, yes," Sievers said. "I just don't think the funding for all the things that we do can be maintained at its current level."
Anderson commended Sievers for dispersing the money Mid-Sioux receives to the people who need it most. "On a positive side, I think the requests for services are stabilizing," Sievers added. "We've kind of seen that over the last year or year and a half. That's some good news."
The supervisors will make a decision on Sievers' request for financial support during budget discussions starting early this year.
Mid-Sioux to Help with Heat Bills
Mid-Sioux may be able to help pay your winter heating bill. The Low-income Home Energy Assistance Program, funded through the Iowa Department of Human Rights, has been established to help qualified low-income Iowa homeowners and renters pay for a portion of their heating costs.
Mid-Sioux’s outreach staff will be accepting applications for the 2011-2012 Low-income Home Energy Assistance Program beginning October 1, 2011 for elderly and disabled persons receiving Social Security or Social Security Supplement. As of November 1, 2011, all other households are welcome to apply for the program.
Applicants eligible for an award will be paid on a first-come, first-served basis and all payments are subject to availability of funds.
Please click on the links below to review the eligibility guidelines, outreach office directory, and instructions for applying for the program.
If you wish to apply by mail, an application can be filled out and sent to your local outreach office with all needed information included. No application can be processed without all the needed information provided.
Checklist for New Applicants
2011 Federal Poverty Guidelines
LiHeap Intake Form
Outreach Offices
Upcoming Events
March 10 - Comedy Night
May 4 - Annual Meeting
July 20 - Golf Tournament
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Mid-Sioux Opportunity, Inc. will be closed:
Jan. 2 - New Year's
Jan. 16 - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Feb. 20 - Presidents' Day
May 28 - Memorial Day
July 4 - Independence Day
Sept. 3 - Labor Day
Nov. 12 - Veterans Day
Nov. 22 - Thanksgiving
Dec. 25 - Christmas
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WIC Clinic Schedule
- Feb. 7- Community Center, 403 W 3rd, Ida Grove, IA 51445 712-364-2498
- Feb. 8 - Cherokee Community Center, 530 West Bluff, Cherokee, IA 51012 712-225-2715
- Feb. 14 - Central Reformed Church, 113 N Main, Sioux Center, IA 51250 712-722-1441
- Feb. 15 - Downtown Campus, 400 Central Avenue NW, Orange City, IA 51041 712-737-5357
- Feb. 21 - Forster Community Center, 404 1st Avenue, Rock Rapids, IA 51246 712-472-9000
- Feb. 22 - Convention Center, 301 12th St. SE, Lower Level, Le Mars, IA 51031 712-539-0869
- Feb. 28 - United Methodist Church, 1030 18th Avenue, Rock Valley, IA 51247 712-476-5634
- Feb. 29 - St. Mary's Catholic Church, 1121 Avenue L, Hawarden, IA 51023 712-539-0869