President Donald Trump’s administration’s federal funding freeze was rescinded. One non-profit organization saw long lines at their Alice office on Monday, Feb. 3 as rural residents attempted to get federal funding assistance for their electric bill.
Josie Ramirez of Brooks County waited about four hours in line at the Community Action Corporation of South Texas (CACOST) office in the hopes of getting assistance for her light bill.
“This helps us in many ways. I can be able to buy things that we need for our house, more food at the end of the month,” Ramirez said.
Ramirez, a single mom of five, holds several jobs including a home provider. When she initially heard about the president’s administration freezing federal funding, her mind first went to her neighbors
“The people that live check to check. How are they going to meet ends with the prices going high and stuff,” Ramirez said.
She’s taken advantage of the program a few years back through her elderly clients. Clients face the monthly challenge of purchasing food and medicine or paying their light bills.
The program is called the Utility Assistance Program. Doug Hargrove is CACOST’s Director of Energy Program. He’s been in that position for 18 years and said he’s never seen the line this long.
“I think it’s brought a panic to people who fear that the funding may be cut at anytime. And I think that’s why people are trying to get in initially to get assistance first,” Hairgrove said.
He said they’ll help as many people in the 16 counties they serve.
“The demand is so high. They’ve told me they’re a little bit nervous about whether or not the dollars will be there,” Hairgrove said.
Haigrove said it’s been a heavy turnout at all their locations. The freeze in federal funds put CACOST at a standstill.
“It kinda broke up our routine where we had things planned. And we were afraid to move on certain things because we weren’t sure if the dollars were going to be there,” he said.
Hairgrove said the Utility Assistance Program gets about $7 million throughout the year to help. He said they are taking applications and staying in contact with the clients as they proceed with uncertainty.
This includes clients like Veronica Munoz of Brooks County, who recently found herself unemployed and living with family.
“It helps the community a lot because a lot of people - elderly who are on a fixed income and me that I’m unemployed right now. It does a lot for us and we really appreciate it,” Munoz said.
Hairgrove said they’re trying to assist as many people as possible without knowing exactly what’s to come for programs that rely on federal funding.
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