Don Corley, Director of Housing and Energy

P.O. Box 590
Fremont, OH 43420

Phone: (419) 334-3332
Fax: (419) 334-4036
Dpcorley@wsos.org www.wsos.org

Incorporated: 1965

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STRATEGIES & ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Affordable Homes
WSOS Community Action Agency (WSOS) provides first-time homebuyers with down payment assistance and housing counseling, as well as emergency repair, weatherization, and housing rehabilitation services. Since 1981, WSOS has rehabilitated more than 1,010 homes. It has weatherized 1,200 homes since 1975, reducing heating bills by an average of 27 percent. In addition, it assisted 62 families with home mortgage loans and homebuyer counseling, enabling them to become first-time homebuyers. In 2000, WSOS provided emergency repairs to the homes of 15 flood victims in Norwalk. Currently, WSOS is considering its first development of affordable rental apartments.

Economic Development
WSOS administers several business loan funds, including a statewide migrant labor camp improvement fund, a targeted business loan fund, a childcare loan fund, and a microenterprise loan fund. The organization has made 141 loans overall totaling more than $2 million. Part of this total has helped construct or renovate 101 homes for 615 people, and created or maintained more than 990 jobs.

Community Development
WSOS works with local governments to identify and access funding sources for job creation and other development needs, administering a wide variety of projects involving US HUD Community Development Block Grants. Through Project Good START, WSOS has provided more than 40 communities with community planning and consensus-building services.

WSOS also administers the Great Lakes Rural Community Assistance Program (RCAP) for Ohio, which provides training and technical assistance to rural communities to help solve their drinking water, wastewater, and solid waste issues. RCAP operates in multiple states, including: Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

Employment
The organization's employment and training program works with both employers and employees; offering employers case management services and ongoing technical assistance, and helping prospective employees identify barriers to employment and learn the skills they need. In 2000, WSOS implemented the Work & Wisdom Youth Training program, which provides young people with the opportunity to learn a marketable skill and earn a national certification.

Essential Emergency Aid Services
WSOS offers low-income households heating assistance and emergency food and shelter. During the winter of 2000, more than 1,350 people received nearly $170,000 in energy assistance.

Homeless
WSOS assists the homeless find permanent housing and employment, helping them transition to self-sufficiency. In 2000, it provided 40 families with transitional housing and comprehensive services, and nearly $65,000 in rental assistance to help formerly homeless people secure places in which to live.

Child Development
WSOS's Head Start and childrens' programs provide center- and home-based care, educational and social services, speech, hearing, and developmental screenings, and medical, dental, and eye examinations. WSOS has child care centers in 21 locations throughout its service area. In 2000, it served a total of more than 1,300 children.

WSOS also operates after school and summer programs for children in grades one through nine. These programs served nearly 300 children in 2000.

Seniors
WSOS offers seniors nutrition, transportation, educational, health, and recreational services. It operates nine senior centers where meals are served daily, health screenings, financial seminars, and fitness classes are conducted, and vacation and day trips are organized. Since 1975, WSOS has served more than 88,500 seniors.