A new program is coming to Campbell County to help families become economically independent.
Erin Cormier, mobility mentor with Catholic Charities of East Tennessee, is promoting the East Tennessee Collaborative program.
She spoke to the Campbell County Commission at its workshop on April 8.
“I’m just here to share a new program that I’m bringing to Campbell County,” Cormier said. “It’s for families in our community that are on government assistance who might be ready to get off of government assistance. So the program is to help them become self-sufficient. I can take anybody who is a United States citizen, and they need to have a child in their custody. They are financially responsible for a child under the age of 18. They also have to be ready and willing to get off of government assistance. In order to be eligible for the program, they do already need to be on some kind of government assistance, which could include SNAP. It could include WIC, and just any child in their family that’s on TennCare, it makes that family eligible for this program. I’m a mobility mentor. We’re covering over 10 counties, and I serve Campbell and Scott myself, and I am able to help families who maybe want to go back to school, and they don’t have the financial ability to pay for tuition or books or the licenses that come across that may be in a technical school. And I can help them financially with those financial burdens. Together, we set goals, and those goals are for themselves to become more budget conscience and better their economic standing.”
Currently all of her participants live in Campbell County, Cormier said.
“I might be able to help someone get a job,” Cormier said. “I’m able to help families that are working, with child care and transportation costs. I can help purchase a car. I can help with the purchase of a home. So I’m just here to say this is a great opportunity for Campbell County. I’m really excited. I do have slots available for participants if anybody knows someone who might be eligible.”
