Emergency Assistance

Emergency assistance programs in Davidson County provide eligible families experiencing a financial crisis with assistance in paying for their utilities, rent/mortgage, or non-narcotic medications. These benefits are typically time-limited and subject to funding availability. Applications for Emergency Assistance are taken at Social Services offices in both Lexington and Thomasville.

Benefits

There are several sources of funding to assist families in need and each has its own individual program requirements and limitations. Caseworkers evaluate each applicant and provide those eligible with the greatest benefit available at the time. These benefits are not on going and the following information is provided to help applicants understand some of the basic criteria for each specific benefit. Each program has specific guidelines related primarily to income, number of individuals in the household, and the nature of the crisis. If assistance cannot be provided, referrals to other agencies and community resources may be given.

• Work First Emergency Assistance (WFEA) can be used to assist income eligible families with rent/mortgage or utilities. There must be a child under the age of 18 in the home and at least one household member must be a U.S. citizen or a Lawful Permanent Resident.
• The General Assistance (GA) program can be used to assist income eligible families with rent/mortgage, utilities, or non-narcotic medications. Funds from this program can not be used to assist with deposits for rent or utilities.
• In Davidson County, Emergency Food and Shelter (EF and S) funds provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) can be used to assist income eligible persons with utilities, but can not be used to assist with utility deposits.
• Funds from the Crisis Intervention program (CIP) can be used to assist income eligible families with heating and cooling their homes. This funding is somewhat flexible in that the monies can be used to assist with a utility bill, purchase an air conditioner or free-standing heater or to repair an existing heating or cooling system.
• The Share the Warmth program is limited to assisting income eligible families with heating their homes.

Non-Discrimination

Davidson County Social Services does not discriminate in the provision of services to all qualified persons.