Starting the second week of October, Tioga County Rural Ministry (TCRM) will begin to offer emergency financial assistance services to low-income individuals and families residing in Northern Tioga County. Paul Kunik, who currently serves as pastor of the Berkshire First Congregational Church, has been hired by TCRM as its Northern Tioga Outreach Worker.
Financial assistance services will be exclusively dedicated to addressing one-time emergency assistance needs for individuals or families in crisis. Examples of such needs include assistance to cover utility costs, prescriptions, car repairs or rent.
To ensure that services are accessible, the Northern Tioga Outreach Worker will deliver services out of three satellite offices spread throughout Northern Tioga. Financial assistance services will be offered at the Newark Valley Municipal Building on Mondays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; the Hubbard Resource Center in Richford from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesdays; and in Berkshire (location to be determined) on Mondays from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. and Thursdays from 2 to 4 p.m.
“I am very excited that we are able to expand our services to the northern sector of our County in order to provide better access for residents in need during times of crisis,” said Sister Mary O’Brien, TCRM executive director.
She added, “It only takes one hospital visit or unexpected car repair to suddenly create havoc in an individual’s or family’s ability to pay bills in a timely fashion. We want to be able to help in such times of need. We also hope to provide easy access to information about other support services available in the County.”
TCRM’s expansion of financial assistance services into Northern Tioga is the direct result of a bequest from the trust of Eugene H. “Bucky” Benson, who passed away in 2017. The bequest was given in memory of Bucky’s wife, Julie Hill Benson who predeceased him. Bucky was a lifetime member of the VFW, Elks and Moose, and Past Governor of the Owego Lodge #1595. He worked for IBM for 30 years and then retired to Vero Beach, Florida.
“The Benson Estate bequest will impact the lives of hundreds of low-income individuals struggling to keep their heads above water during a crisis,” said Sister Mary. “Bucky’s legacy gift in memory of his wife, Julie, reflects their lifetime commitment to our community. In our ministry, I, at least weekly, hear someone comment on the blessings they have received and their wish to pay it forward. Clearly, this was Bucky’s motivation. These new satellite offices and our ability to serve and respond to needs will be a testament to Bucky’s desire to ‘pay it forward’ and enable others in the community to thrive.”
Sister Mary invites the community to attend an information session about the services that TCRM will be offering in Northern Tioga County on Wednesday, Sept. 25, at 6 p.m. at the Berkshire Community Association Building (lower level) on Jewett Hill Road in Berkshire.
Founded in 1978, and headquartered in Owego, TCRM offers a variety of social services to low-income individuals and their families in Tioga County. Services include operating a food pantry, providing financial assistance to individuals in the midst of a crisis, presenting free nutrition education workshops, building ramps for low-income families with medical needs, as well as offering a number of tailored programs that address the unmet needs of the poor, sick, and elderly in our community. In 2018, 178 unique families across the County received financial assistance from TCRM.
To learn more about TCRM, you can call their main office at (607) 687-3021.
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