The Cass County Board of Supervisors, today (Wednesday), heard an annual report and request for funding, from West Central Community Action, which serves 10 area Counties, including Cass. WCCA Executive Director Joel Dirks, from Harlan, requested the same amount of funding as last year ($4,000). The funds are used to provide local match support required by some Federal programs, money for programs that provide financial assistance for their clients and assisting in the support of WCCA’s efforts to maintain safe and affordable office space for their local Outreach Centers. It does not pay for program delivery or administrative costs.

Dirks said in his report, West Central provided a little more than $1.6-million in services to the County last year.

He said 58-percent of their clients have a household income below 100% of the poverty guideline or higher ($24, 300 for a family of four).

Single family households comprise 47% of the families that apply for services in Cass County. 23% are two-person households, while those with 3 or more family members are under 12%. Dirks said 68% of their clients receive food assistance. 62% of their clients rent their home, while 37% own or are buying their homes.

WCCA provided more than $1.3-million in direct client program services in Cass County last year. Among the services WCCA provides is Head Start programs (In Anita and near Atlantic), Child Care Resource and Referral, family development, home weatherization, LiHeap (energy assistance), and the WIC program.

The Supervisors took his request for funding under advisement as part of the budget process that expected to begin next month.