As inflation soars, there are places the needy can turn to for help

Food prices keep rising and the cost for gasoline remains north of $4.

Families and individuals who find themselves needing assistance during these difficult financial times should know there is help available for those who qualify.

IDHS

The Illinois Department of Human Services maintains two Family Community Resource Centers in the region. There is one at 2605 Woodlawn Road in Sterling that serves residents in Whiteside and Carroll counties and one at 1001 Pines Road in Oregon that serves residents in Ogle and Lee counties.

IDHS can help people meet basic needs, including applications for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (better known as SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (or TANF) or Women, Infants and Children (or WIC). Cash and medical assistance are also available to qualifying applicants.

Many of these services — and instructions for applying — can be found at https://www.dhs.state.il.us.

SNAP recipients can use benefits to buy food. It can also go toward seeds and plants for home gardens.

WIC recipients receive a card that can be used for nutritional foods, such as fruits, vegetables, milk, juice, eggs, cheese, cereal, whole grains, beans, peas and peanut butter. There is also help for breastfeeding.

TANF can help pregnant women and families with dependent children get temporary cash for food, shelter and utilities.

United Way

Each United Way locale has specific programs geared to its community. Summer food programs for children and teens can help families supplement their food budget.

In Lee County, for instance, Summer Eats provides free grab-and-go meals on Wednesdays to Lee County Children through Aug. 10 at Old Lincoln School, St. Paul Church, Wooden Wonderland, Dixon High School, Jefferson School, Washington School and the Paw Paw Boys and Girls Club. Libraries in Amboy, Dixon, Franklin Grove and Paw Paw are also pickup locations.

In Whiteside County, its grab-and-go meal program for children and teens runs through Aug. 10 at Margaret Park in Eric, Fulton First Reformed Church, Milledgeville Public Library, Morrison Community Center, Eclipse Square in Prophetstown, and Tampico Community Building. The same service is available in Rock Falls at Coloma Homes, Merrill School, the public library and Wallingford Park Shelter and in Sterling at Broadway Methodist, Latin American Social Club, the Salvation Army, Scheid Park Shelter, St. Paul Lutheran, the library and Ster-Lynn Apartments.

Ogle County is associated with the United Way of Rock River Valley and Carroll County is served by the United Way of Northwest Illinois.

The key contact point for all United Way services is by dialing 2-1-1 for assistance.

Tri-County Opportunities Council

TCOC serves individuals in Bureau, Carroll, La Salle, Lee, Marshall, Ogle, Putnam, Stark and Whiteside counties. https://tcochelps.org will assist individuals, families and communities who need help with stability and self-sufficiency. They can help with heating costs through LIHEAP and rental assistance through its housing programs.

Townships

Persons can also receive aid as a “last resort” by applying to the Illinois Townships office they reside in.