Nonprofit Offers Financial Help To Cobb County Families

MARIETTA, GA – Cobb County families who have been impacted by the new coronavirus pandemic and its far-reaching effects will now be able to receive financial assistance from a local nonprofit to help get through this difficult time.

The Center for Family Resources announced Friday it had received funding to providing emergency financial assistance for families, including help with rent, mortgage payments, and utility payments. The assistance is intended to help ensure housing stability for Cobb County's most vulnerable populations.

Families who fall below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines are eligible for financial assistance. The funding comes in the form of grants through the Cobb County Foundation, the Cobb COVID-19 Response Fund, Cobb EMC Foundation, and the Greater Atlanta COVID-19 Recovery and Response Fund.

The center said it currently has more than $170,000 available in financial assistance, but anticipates the requests for assistance will easily triple that amount. The center serves more than 12,000 people per year and helps more than 700 families with housing and rent assistance. In the past two weeks, they have received more than 160 calls for assistance related to coronavirus, the announcement said.

"Keeping families stably-housed and with access to basic needs is imperative," said Melanie Kagain, CFR CEO, in a prepared statement. "What we don't want is for these families to be two to four months behind in paying these expenses and have no way of climbing out of that hole."

Those seeking assistance can contact the CFR at 770-428-2601. Those interested in making a donation can do so online.

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