The St. Johns County Council on Aging can help senior citizens dealing with emergency situations thanks to the Emergency Food and Shelter Program in place.
According to COA Program Director Sharon Gesek, the program has been around for a long time and has been very effective for the county.
Although the program is under the guidance of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, it is categorized as the “emergency” portion handled by the agency, which is separate from the “disaster” classification that FEMA is often associated with when natural disasters occur.
“We are governed by FEMA, but our local board is the United Way,” Gesek said. “They’ve been a great partnership.”
There are about 11 nonprofits in the county that take advantage of the program, with each focusing on various segments of the population, such as teens, veterans or families.
For COA, the concentration is on helping residents 60 years of age and older.
However, Gesek stated that the COA still works closely with the other nonprofits to ensure that no resident is being overlooked.
“People may find themselves in an emergency situation for a variety of reasons, but the need for help remains the same,” Gesek said.
One of the things she likes most about the program is how simple it can make it for people to find the help they need at a quicker rate.
“It is definitely a quick turnaround,” Gesek said. “We can approve them that day, if they have all the proper paperwork completed.”
The program is in place to help older adults who are having trouble paying their bills and may be in danger of losing their house or having the electricity cut off. Up to $500 can be paid on their current or past due utility bills and rent or mortgage.
To qualify for the program, the person must be a resident of St Johns County and 60 years of age or older, and currently earning less than:
“We want to get the word out and make sure seniors in St. Johns County know about the EFSP program,” said Michael Large, who coordinates the program through the Care Connection division of COA. “If they find themselves in this emergency situation, they should contact us.”
Large can be contacted by calling 904-209-3649 between 9 a.m. and noon weekdays or via email at mlarge@coasjc.org.
