The Custer County Human Services office has announced it has received $7,600 in grant dollars to assist qualifying families with utility bills.

Furthermore, beginning in March, community block grant dollars totaling $6,000 will be available to qualifying persons to assist with a number of expenses.

Local social services director Laura Lockhart said the energy outreach grant dollars will be available through Oct. 31, 2010, or until the funds run out. Persons must come into the social services office located on the first floor of the Custer County courthouse to apply. Persons who have already qualified for LEAP will also qualify, however, they must still apply for the Energy Outreach grant dollars..

Once qualified, said Lockhart, persons can only receive utility bill assistance one time through Oct. 31.

Lockhart said the community block grant dollars can also only go to qualifying persons one time during the grant period, which is March 2010 through January 2011 or until the dollars run out.

As of October, community service block grant dollars for March 2009 through January 2010 have run out.

Community service block grant dollars can be used to help pay rent, utilities and medical bills, among other emergencies, said Lockhart.

Lockhart said with the state of the economy her office is seeing more persons coming in for help.

Many of these persons, said Lockhart, have recently lost jobs.

One such person out of work is Cecil McDonald of rural Westcliffe.

McDonald, a veteran who served in the U.S. Navy from 1959 through 1963 during the Cuban Missile Crisis, said he has found little work this year.

Typically, said McDonald, “I can find more work during the summer but this last summer not so much.”

McDonald is looking for carpentry, painting and staining jobs. He said applying to the Colorado State Workforce Center in Canon City was also unsuccessful.

Jobs are just tough to find,” said McDonald.

So, McDonald decided to wear a sign asking for work. Most days he can be found standing in front of the Westcliffe Super Market or Valley Ace Hardware.

So far, said McDonald, he has received a few jobs but not enough to make ends meet.

In the meantime, to help pay utilities and put food on the table, McDonald said he has been to the veterans’ service office, Helping Hands organization and social services office.

McDonald has also been forced to pawn his construction tools and other items to pay the bills.

McDonald and his wife, Mary, have lived in the Valley since 1993. They owned and operated a successful cleaning service until Mary became disabled.

Since then he has worked for various local construction companies. “The construction business has just been slow this year,” concluded McDonald.

– Nora Drenner