JAMES E. DOLIN

PRESIDENT

MARK A. SULLIVAN, JR.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

FRANK S. SULLIVAN

DEPUTY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR




Welcome to Citizens for Citizens


People living in poverty often need assistance with emergency situations and help with their own efforts to improve the circumstances under which they live. Citizens for Citizens, Inc. (CFC) is the Community Action Agency serving the cities of Fall River and Taunton. Additionally, CFC also serves the surrounding towns of Berkley, Dighton, Freetown, Lakeville, Rehoboth, Seekonk, Somerset, Swansea, and Westport.

Citizens for Citizens, Inc. is an antipoverty social services agency, assisting over 42,000  households  each year by providing short-term services that support families during financial crisis situations through its Fuel Assistance, Food Pantry, and Rental Assistance programs. In addition, CFC provides long-range solutions through diverse programs that seek to empower low-income individuals and families with the ability to overcome the burdens of poverty by giving them the tools necessary to achieve and maintain self-sufficiency by offering programs such as Weatherization Assistance, Heart Start, Early Head Start, After School Day Care, HEART WAP, Senior Aide, Foster Grandparent, RSVP’s, Family Planning, and Volunteer Income Tax Return Preparation.

In keeping with the standards established during more than forty years of service to the low-income community, the dedicated management and staff of Citizens for Citizens, Inc. are continuing to search for and develop innovative new programs to combat poverty and help families to lead healthier, happier, and more productive lives.

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2009-2010 Fuel Assistance & Weatherization Income Guidelines

Wondering if you qualify for Fuel Assistance? If you do you may also apply for the Weatherization Program and the Home Heating Repair / Replacement Program. Please call the numbers listed below to apply for the Fuel Assistance Program and then you can apply for these energy saving programs.

Here’s a brief overview of the income guidelines for most typical families:

Household Size Maximum 4 weeks Gross income or Gross Yearly
1 $2,240 / $29,126 year
2 $2,929 / $38,087 year
3 $3,619 / $47,049 year
4 $4,308 / $56,011 year

For information on larger families, or for other Fuel Assistance related inquiries, please call our offices at (508) 676-7397 or (508) 676-7398


Citizens for Citizens Inc. Head Start Program Participates in the Massachusetts Head Start Association’s Statewide Head Start Open House

The Citizens for Citizens Inc. Head Start Program will be part of the Massachusetts Head Start Association’s statewide Head Start Open House, to be held on Friday, March 12.

During the open house, Head Start programs from across the state will host visits from state representatives.

In Fall River, state Rep. David Sullivan will visit CFC Head Start’s Maple Center, located at 881 Maple St. Rep. Michael Rodrigues will visit the Aldrich Center, located at 295 Harrison St.

In Greater Fall River, state Rep. Steven D’Amico will visit CFC Head Start’s Rehoboth Center, located at 139 Bay State Road. Rep. Pat Haddad has already visited the Ocean Grove Center in Swansea and plans to visit again.

State representatives will be able to see Head Start classrooms and participate by reading stories to children.

They will also meet with Head Start parents and staff and learn about the issues that are important to them, such as the state’s economy and unemployment rates.

Head Start is a comprehensive child development program that seeks to help young children from low-income families prepare to attend school. Citizens for Citizens, Inc. has operated the Head Start Program in Greater Fall River since 1965 and provides services to expectant families and children to age five.

Needy families get gifts, smiles from Citizens for Citizens

Taunton —

Hundreds of needy families got some help on Saturday when Citizens for Citizens distributed toys, winter clothes and other items for its annual Operation Christmas campaign.
Operation Christmas helped about 3,000 Taunton area children last year and, although the final numbers for this year haven’t yet been tallied, organizers expect it to surpass last year’s total.
“For a lot of people coming in, it was their first time doing it, and some were amazed at what they got,” said Debbie Araujo, director of the Citizens for Citizens Taunton office. “People were very happy. I’ve been doing this for 30 years, and this is the happiest I’ve seen them.”
The growing number of people needing help is rooted, in large part, to the economic recession, she said.
“Our fuel assistance application numbers are up as well,” she added.
Despite the poor economy, a lot of people were still able to step up and make donations this year.
“Donations have been pretty good,” Araujo said. “The community has been unbelievable bringing in monetary donations, toys and clothing.”
Araujo said the Taunton teachers collected books for the drive, the Taunton High School Key Club brought in about $800 worth of toys, the Taunton Jaycees donated pajamas and winter jackets and the Barboza family of Giant RV World brought an RV loaded with toys.
“Donations continue to come in,” Araujo said. “We’ll offer assistance right up to Christmas Eve.”
To apply for Operation Christmas, eligible parents must fill out an application, which must then be approved by an authorized agency.
“We’re trying to help them out as much as we can to maintain spirit of Christmas for these kids,” Araujo said”

“Courtesy of the Taunton Daily Gazette”