JAMES E. DOLIN

PRESIDENT

MARK A. SULLIVAN, JR.

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, Head Start,Early Head Start, After School Day Care, HEART WAP, Senior Aide, Foster Grandparent, Retired Senior Volunteer Program, Family Planning, and Volunteer Income Tax Return Preparation.

In keeping with the standards established for nearly fifty 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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2012-2013 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 $2,405/ $31,271 year
2 $3,145/ $40,893 year
3 $3,885/ $50,515 year
4 $4,702/ $61,137 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


Operation Christmas Receives $15,000 From Herald News Holiday Fund

The contributions from caring Fall River and Taunton area residents began arriving with the annual kickoff of The Herald News Holiday Fund giving drive in the fall of 2012. A silent auction held at the Venus de Milo restaurant sponsored by the Fall River Area Chamber of Commerce and the Venus de Milo on November 15, 2012 started the donations momentum. By the time the fund raising campaign was completed, a record amount had been raised through generous contributions by Holiday Fund donors.

During the past 11 years, The Herald News organization mounted an annual campaign to collect funds from local individuals, groups, businesses, families, charities, and schools in order to make sure that every needy family in Greater Fall River has the means to provide both the necessities and gifts for children during the Christmas holiday season. The total of all the donations is divided between the Citizens for Citizens, Inc. (CFC) Operation Christmas Program and the Salvation Army. Since the inception of the program, more than $321,000 has been donated to the Holiday Fund.

In 2012, a new donor category called the 100 Club was created for especially generous donors to the Holiday Fund. Everyone who donated $100 or more to the Holiday Fund drive was recognized in The Herald News as a member of the 100 Club. As of Mid- December 113 donors had  joined the 100 Club. Donations could be made by anyone and could be made as a special gift or in the memory of a loved one. Donations could be made throughout the entire holiday season.

Thanks to the generosity of local donors, the CFC Operation Christmas Program was recently presented with a check in the amount of $15,000 by the Holiday Fund. CFC’s Barbara Travis, the face of Operation Christmas accepted the check. Barbara said “These funds will be used to purchase Christmas gifts of toys that will be distributed to low-income local families during the 2013 Christmas holiday season.”

Bristol County Savings Charitable Foundation Provides New IDA Program Funding

Citizens for Citizens, Inc. recently announced the receipt of $16,000 in new funding for the Individual Development Account (IDA) Program, thanks to a generous donation from the Bristol County Savings Charitable Foundation.

Pictured: Michele Roberts, Executive Vice President, BCSB & Clerk, BCSCF;  Andrew Mello, Director of Special Projects, CFC; Dr. Jean MacCormack, SAB Chair & Board Member, BCSB; Patrick Murray, President & CEO, BCSB & President, BCSCF; Joe Nauman, SAB Board Member.

The Bristol County Savings Charitable Foundation (BCSCF) was established in 1996 and is committed to investing in communities served by Bristol County Savings Bank (BCSB) through funding of organizations that address the economic and social needs of the people and institutions located in those towns and cities in the Bank’s service area. Since the inception of the Foundation, over $9  million in grant funding has been awarded to charitable organizations. The grant funding awarded by the Southcoast Advisory Board (SAB) to the CFC Educational IDA Program will be highlighted in the next annual report for Bristol County Savings Bank.

The creation of the Individual Development Account (IDA) concept during the 1990’s has led to the growth of a potent strategy to help low-income people achieve financial well-being and escape poverty. The combination of generous matches to individuals’ savings in accounts that operate in a similar fashion to 401 (k) plans, plus required financial education classes, provides a powerful boost towards economic self-sufficiency for program participants. The Individual Development Account is simple in design, but significantly aids communities by increasing economic literacy, savings, and the assets held by the working poor.

Andrew Mello, Director of Special Projects, noted that, “One of the most necessary tools involved in escaping the cycle of poverty is higher education.” The CFC Educational Individual Development Account Program has the goal of increasing the number of persons from low-income families who have a post-secondary education in the target area of Greater Fall River and Greater Taunton, thus increasing the economic and social stability of their families and communities. The Bristol County Savings Charitable Foundation, Inc. has granted $16,000 to the program for eight participant IDA accounts. The CFC Educational IDA Program will also provide the eight participant families with financial counseling and  formal, classroom setting financial literacy education. By the combination of the participants’ own savings with matching funds, the program would provide the resources needed to pay for a substantial amount of post-secondary educational expenses for the eight new program participants.

Citizens for Citizens, Inc. is very pleased to have established a new partnership with the Bristol County Savings Charitable Foundation that will assist students from low-income families with the attainment of their higher education goals.