State housing agency funds new service providers to fight poverty in Aransas, Refugio counties

Programs to focus on helping pay utility bills, transition low-income households toward self-sufficiency

(AUSTIN) — Residents in Aransas and Refugio counties have a new service provider for two key Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) programs that help fight poverty and promote self-sufficiency. The program contracts were reassigned in the wake of the recent shuttering of the Bee Community Action Agency, which had previously provided these services.

Programs affected by the Beeville-based agency’s voluntary closure included TDHCA’s Comprehensive Energy Assistance Program (CEAP) and Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) Program.  

To ensure these programs continue to be available to area low-income residents, TDHCA awarded a CEAP contract to the Community Action Committee of Victoria, Texas, to serve Refugio County; and a contract to provide CSBG services to Aransas and Refugio counties.

“CEAP and CSBG are essential to the Department’s mission and are often the difference between self-reliance and a life of dependency for many Texans,” said Tim Irvine, TDHCA Executive Director. “Staff worked diligently to ensure as seamless a transition as possible, and we are confident that the Community Action Committee of Victoria will continue to provide quality customer service to their clients in need.”

The Comprehensive Energy Assistance Program pays a portion of the utility bills of low-income households while providing them consumer education to learn how to better manage their future energy consumption. This frees up more of the household’s income for other necessities.

The Community Services Block Grant Program supports eligible organizations at the local level providing a wide array of services designed to transition low-income clients out of poverty and toward self-sufficiency, as well as helping meet the administrative expenses of these local agencies.  

Please contact the Community Action Corporation of Victoria, Texas, directly at (361) 578-2989 for more information regarding these programs, program eligibility requirements, and how to apply for assistance.