Its motto, “Helping People Help Themselves,” is a good way to describe the array of people-focused services it provides.

Serving on the SCHRA Governing Board gives me a great appreciation for the work it does. Members include 13 County Executives, three city mayors, a State Senator, a peer-elected representative, and nine others from SCHRA’s service areas. I serve alongside Lawrenceburg Mayor Blake Lay and former County Executive T.R. Williams.

Former Lawrence County Executive Paul Rosson is SCHRA Executive Director. Agency headquarters is in Fayetteville and there are Neighborhood Service Centers in each county. Sonja Johns and Rebecca May work with clients at our service center at 232 North Military Avenue, Lawrenceburg. Many other employees and volunteers, with funds from state and federal sources, help provide the benefits SCHRA brings to this county and others.

This report to you is based on numbers provided by the 2023-24 SCHRA annual report.

Head Start and Early Head Start

Head Start/Early Head Start provides comprehensive early childhood education, health, nutrition, and parent involvement services to children and their families. Head Start serves children ages 3 to 5. Early Head Start serves children from birth to 3 years old and provides pre-natal and post-natal education to pregnant women and their families. Services are also provided to children with special needs.

SCHRA operates at least one Head Start and Early Head Start program in each of the district’s counties. Head Start and Early Head Start programs are located in Lawrenceburg; South Lawrence Head Start is in Iron City. Funding comes from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Nutrition Program

Kitchens in Hohenwald and Fayetteville prepare hot meals served Monday-Friday at meal sites in the 13-county district, including the Lawrence County, Loretto, and Summertown Senior Citizens Centers. Volunteers also deliver meals five days a week to shut-ins. In fiscal year 2023-24, the program served a total of 35,243 meals in Lawrence County, more than any other county in the region.

Emergency Food Assistance (Commodities)

This program distributes USDA-donated food products to low-income households on a quarterly basis. The value of commodities given away in

Lawrence County during 2023-24 was $98,842. SCHRA also purchased a new refrigerated commodity truck and a packing machine with USDA grant funds; and has a new warehouse with greater capacity to store USDA shipments.

Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act (WIOA)

American Job Centers in Lawrence and other counties are another SCHRA operation. Through them, the U.S. Department of Labor’s WIOA program helps the unemployed learn skills employers need.

Community Representative Payee Program

The report shows 55 local residents received money management services that are provided to those unable to budget, pay routine bills, and keep track of financial matters. A doctor must first certify that the person requires such help.

Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program

Funded through the Tennessee Housing Development Agency (THDA), this service gives one-time help with energy costs paid directly to the utility company. Crisis Heating Assistance assists households that have an official shut-off notice or are out of fuel. A total of 1021 local households received LIHEAP assistance and referrals to other helping agencies in 2023-24.

Weatherization Assistance Program

This THDA-funded program helps low-income homeowners create more energy efficient homes with insulation, air sealing, and inspection of heat/air systems. Three Lawrence County clients were served in 2023-24, receiving a total of $45,266 in assistance.

Homemaker and Respite Care Services

Low-income persons who are disabled but wish to remain in their homes can receive basic housekeeping and personal care services through this program. Thirteen local residents received 1,227 hours of these services in fiscal year ’23-’24.

Protective Services Homemaker

The Protective Services Homemaker program provides supportive services to adults (Adult Protective Services cases) threatened with abuse, neglect, or exploitation and require services in order to prevent this from occurring. In 2023-24, this program served an average of ten Lawrence Countians each month.

Senior Community Service Employment Program

This program is designed to help low-income men and women who are 55+ by providing supplemental income, work experience, training and assistance with placement in permanent employment situations. Fourteen local residents benefited from the service in 2023-24.

Foster Grandparent Program

Foster Grandparents serve as tutors at local schools, Head Start centers, or after-school and summer programs. Participants receive a tax-exempt hourly stipend,

lunch, and mileage reimbursements funded through AmeriCorps. In Lawrence County, eight worked in the Foster Grandparent program in 2023-24.

Justice Services: Recovery Courts

Recovery Court programs are under the direction of SCHRA and funded by the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. Tamara Robinson is coordinator of Recovery Court programs serving Giles, Lawrence, Maury and Wayne counties; others operate in Lincoln and Marshall Counties. Eligible participants are non-violent and serving sentences related to substance use. Fifteen Lawrence Countians participated in our Recovery Court Program in 2023-24.

Community Services Block Grant

The Community Services Block Grant from the Tennessee Department of Human Services supports direct and indirect services that address the causes and conditions of poverty in communities. Direct services include payment to vendors to help individuals in crisis; indirect services include referrals, case management, linkage services, application completion, and assessments for other programs.

Emergency Rental Assistance – Eviction Prevention Program (ERA-EPP)

Previously part of the Community Services Block Grant, ERA-EPP is now funded by the Tennessee Housing Development Agency. The purpose is to provide eviction prevention assistance to eligible tenants to help prevent evictions. SCHRA began taking applications for this program mid-April 2024 and spent over half its funding for client services before the end of the fiscal year, June 30, 2024. In Lawrence County 6 households received this assistance for a total of $11,687.

If you have questions about SCHRA services in Lawrence County, call 931-244-2057. You can also visit schra.us/service-center/Lawrence for more program information and eligibility requirements.