The Courier is pleased to share information about various Genesee County governmental departments and agencies, as explained by 2nd District County Commissioner Charles H. Winfrey. The Courier does not endorse any political candidates. This series of articles is for informational purposes only.
by Charles H. Winfrey,
2nd District Genesee County Commissioner
One of the most well-known Genesee County Departments is the Genesee County Community Action Resource Department (GCCARD).
CCARD is the county’s anti-poverty agency. Anti-poverty agencies were established by President Lyndon B. Johnson in the 1960s due to a large number of families experiencing economic hardships.
The Economic Opportunity Act (EOA) was designed to allow the government to use federal resources in the fight against poverty. Johnson believed that the government had to take a larger role in health care and education, specifically as a way to improve the lives of low-income families. Many of the programs created and used during this time (such as the Food Stamps program) are the same ones we see used today. The only differences tend to be name changes, different eligibility requirements or durations of the benefits.
In 1996 President Bill Clinton signed the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act (PRWORA), which placed tighter restrictions on anti-poverty recipients. The act imposed new eligibility requirements, and limited the amount of time a person could receive benefits. Clinton’s bill also allowed state governments to take a more active role in administering anti-poverty programs.
In Genesee County, GCCARD, under the direction of Stephanie Howard, provides services and programs aimed to assist those living in poverty. Its mission is: “to mobilize and utilize resources, public and private, in the Genesee County area, in an attack on poverty; to provide decent housing that is
affordable to low-income and moderate-income persons; to provide services, assistance and other
activities of sufficient size and scope and to give promise to programs dedicated toward the elimination
of poverty, or its cause, through developing employment opportunities, improving human performance,
motivation and productivity, bettering the conditions under which people live, learn and work, and the
administering of programs with the maximum feasible participation of residents served.”
The Genesee County Community Action Resource Department operates various services for community members. Children may benefit from the Head Start Program. Low-income residents may receive assistance
through the Weatherization Program and Neighborhood Services Center. The GCCARD Chore Maintenance Program and Senior Nutrition Programs are available for seniors.
During the pandemic, GCARD’s services expanded to include rental rebates to landlords for rental
income lost during the rent embargo imposed because of the pandemic and to assist income-eligible
residents who were behind on their rent due to COVID-19. CERA, or the COVID Emergency Rental Assistance Program, provided rental and utility assistance for renters facing eviction and to landlords unable to collect rental payments due to Covid-related restrictions.
To find out more about GCCARD and its programs and services, call (810) 232-2185.
