Yahoo News County agency gets $1.5 million grant
Feb. 6—Lawrence County Social Services is the largest recipient of a $6-million state grant to help people find housing.
The county agency will receive $1.5 million of the grant, administered by Lawrence County Community Action Partnership and announced by Gov. Josh Shapiro's office, for municipalities and nonprofit organizations to help unhoused individuals and families find housing.
The local grant will be spread among 12 counties and 16 grantees. LCCAP was one of seven nonprofits to receive funding.
Tom Scott, executive director of LCCAP, said the unhoused population in Lawrence County "is a consistent group of clientele who comes through our doors on Grant Street, and every day is different."
"People come from different places, but the bulk of them are predominately Lawrence County residents and repeat customers with other issues such as substance abuse and mental health, that are really driving the problem," he said.
LLCAP coordinates with other agencies such as Lawernce County Drug and Alcohol and the Human Services Center to provide them with help and services, he said.
The Energy Solutions Grant is an annual allocation the LCCAP receives from the state for its programs on a competitive basis, Scott explained.
"We've been fortunate because we're a fiscal agent for a coalition of 12 counties," he said.
The county applied this year for $2.7 million but received less money than in the past because Butler and Mercer counties applied for the funding this year on their own.
Lawrence County's application was for the region, which in addition to Lawrence County also includes the counties or agencies of Armstrong, Beaver, Crawford, Fayette, Green, Cameron, Elk, McKee, Potter, Venango, Warren and Forest counties.
