The Good Samaritan Fund assists with a variety of one-time needs, including rent or mortgage payments, periodic billing assistance, emergency fuel assistance, basic needs, emergency medical supplies, health care and even vehicle repair. Funding is determined by the Good Samaritan Advisory Committee on a case by case basis, and the average amount funded is about $500. We work with every case thoroughly by giving advice and direction even if we do not fund their case. The following is just one example of the many cases funded:

Case #892 was referred through a local County Human Services to help a single father pay his an electric bill: A 37 year old single father lost his wife about a year ago and has been learning how to take care of his home which includes his family of four girls, ages 3 and 5 along with 4 year old twins. Even with a part-time job and social security to supplement his household income he had been struggling to keep his bills current, but eventually fell behind on his utility bill. He was sending the company a little extra each month to try to get back to being current, but company wanted the entire $518 past due balance paid in full immediately or they would shut off his power. The dad could only come up with $210, so we paid the remaining $308 amount due. Our Good Samaritan Case Coordinator, arranged to enroll this single father in a “Family Living Course” at Tri-Cap to help him with budgeting and caring for his family and household. When our Good Samaritan Coordinator contacted this father to inform him that the Good Samaritan Fund would pay the balance of his bill, he started to cry over the phone.