December Member of the Month

ACE December Member Spotlight: Help Network, Inc., Russellville

Poverty is an unfortunate reality for 1 in 5 Arkansas households.  Arkansas’ poverty level is the third highest in the nation, with more families affected each year.  Families must choose between food or medicine, electricity or gas, rent or utilities.  Help Network, Inc., located in Russellville, works with low-income families each day to ensure that they are able to stay in their homes, keep necessary utilities on, have fuel to go to medical appointments, afford their prescriptions, and have food on their table.  Help Network mission is to “Offer a Hand Up, Not a Hand Out” to low-income families in West-Central Arkansas.

Help Network provides over $72,000 in financial assistance to families every year.  With offices in Russellville and Dardanelle, Help Network serves families in Pope, Yell, Johnson, Logan, Perry, and Conway counties.  Help Network assists families with the following programs:

Emergency Utilities (Electric, Gas, and Water)

Emergency Rent Payments

Emergency Shelter

Fuel Vouchers to go to the doctor or look for employment

Prescriptions

Fans/Heaters

Food

Help Network works with over 25 area churches and other non-profit agencies to serve the low-income families.

Help Network was founded in 1993 by the Russellville Area Ministerial Alliance and a grant from the River Valley United Way.  Help Network is still a partner agency with the River Valley United Way.  From 1993 through 2001, Help Network served as an “Information and Referral” service point. Beginning in 2002, Help Network started providing the services in our offices, rather than referring families to another agency or church.

In 2012, Help Network will continue to offer the services in the above programs.  We are also going to have a class for individuals who are looking for employment on the techniques they need to use to help them find stable employment.  We are also going to host a symposium on heat-related death in the late spring.

To qualify for assistance with Help Network, families must meet one of the following criteria: below the poverty line, homeless, single-parent, long-term unemployed, or receiving Social Security Disability.  Help Network benefits over 85% of all requests that are made.  We are open in Russellville, Monday- Thursday from 9 am until 1:00 pm, and in Dardanelle by appointment.