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

*****************************************************

WIC Clinic Schedule