Lifeline now offering services in Geauga

Lifeline, Inc. is now offering services in Geauga County.

“We’re very excited to finally be up and running in Geauga County,” said Lifeline Executive Director Carrie Dotson in a news release. “We have provided quality services in Lake County since 1973 and have built some incredible partnerships and collaborations over the years to really meet the needs of our residents here in Lake County.

“We really look forward to doing the same in Geauga County as we learn more about the residents and needs there.”

Lifeline was designated as Geauga County’s interim Community Action Agency beginning Jan. 1, 2020, by the Ohio Development Services Agency, following the closure of the Geauga Community Action Agency. Lifeline has served as Lake County’s Community Action Agency since the early 1980s and delivers nearly 20 different programs aimed at eliminating poverty and assisting those living in poverty in achieving self-sufficiency.

The launch in Geauga hasn’t been without challenges and delays, said Dotson.

“We spent January and February preparing to open our Geauga office, securing space, putting staffing in place, getting MOUs signed with partners, and other business necessities,” said Dotson. “We were just preparing to launch when the COVID-19 virus and the closures happened, so that set us back a couple of months.”

Today, however, the Geauga office is open and ready to serve Geauga residents. The initial program being offered is the JumpStart Car Repair program. Through JumpStart, eligible Geauga County residents may receive up to $1,000 in car repairs at an approved ASE partnering business.

The JumpStart program helps residents with repairs to make their vehicle “road worthy” so that they can continue to access employment or educational opportunities, child care, food, medical or social services.

Interested applicants can contact Lifeline’s Geauga County office at 440-2512781 for more information.

In addition, Lifeline is preparing to welcome six new board members who will represent various sectors of the Geauga County community.

“Community Action Agencies have always been locally controlled and designed to reflect their communities and meet local needs,” said Dotson.

“We’re excited that we’ve hired Geauga County residents to staff our Geauga office in Newbury and that in the next two months we’re bringing on six new Board members who can really advocate for the needs of the residents in Geauga County.

“We’re looking forward to building meaningful relationships as we grow in Geauga County.”

Lifeline for the Empowerment and Development of Consumers was founded in 1973 with the mission of helping Lake County residents by providing them assistance and life skills programming that is designed to increase self-sufficiency.