Lazarus House offers grants for those in need

For people residing in St. Charles, Geneva, Batavia and western rural Kane County, Lazarus House offers hope in the form of rental assistance.

"We know there are a lot of people struggling to make ends meet, and we want to help," says Liz Eakins, associate director and outreach manager at Lazarus House. Eakins and her team at the St. Charles-based agency administer multiple grants for rental assistance. The most sizable is the $495,000 Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Rehousing Program grant, which helps people who had been self-sufficient until losing income due to the poor, recent economic conditions.

Anyone in need of help is encouraged to call Outreach at (630) 587-5872 for a confidential appointment.

Different grants have different qualification factors. Some have income limits. If a household does not qualify, staff will advise applicants of other potential resources.

Similarly different grants provide different types of assistance. Some are for one-time catch-up after an emergency; others are for ongoing rental subsidies. Depending on the grant, a qualified applicant may be able to get assistance with back rent, relocation costs, utilities and more.

"We work closely with qualifying households to stabilize their housing situation," Eakins explained. "The specific services a household receives depends on their situation."

Lazarus House offers meal assistance to Outreach clients and others at risk of becoming homeless. The agency also operates a community shelter for homeless persons connected to its service area. Shelter guests receive one-on-one customized case management, employment assistance, life skills training and other vital services to help them overcome homelessness. Anyone in need of shelter should call (630) 587-2144.