Hancock Co. Resource Center offering services to those affected by BP oil spill | Events

Hancock Resource Center:

Coastal residents of Mississippi who are still being affected by the BP Oil Spill of 2010 may benefit from services that are offered by the Hancock Resource Center (HRC). These free services are being funded through a grant that was awarded by the Baton Rouge Area Foundation (BRAF) in January 2012 and will continue until January 31, 2013.

Although hundreds of millions of dollars have been allocated or paid out to provide relief to residents and businesses affected by the Oil Spill, until now there has been no comprehensive program in place that uses case management to provide long-term recovery planning, financial counseling, mental health referrals, short-term direct assistance, and employment/micro business assistance to residents of the three coastal counties – Harrison, Hancock and Jackson. 

The Hancock Resource Center is using these new grant funds to provide free one-on-one counseling sessions to qualified coastal residents.  The basic eligibility requirements to be considered for assistance are:  coastal residency; impact from the Oil Spill that affected the income of one or more family members; inability to meet obligations including rent, utilities, mortgage, food and other expenses; and, willingness to cooperate in financial counseling and case management to develop a recovery plan.
The Hancock Resource Center has been serving the community since its inception in 2008.  It is a local HUD-approved, non-profit, that provides free services to county residents and works to improve conditions of housing, replaces damaged homes, creates new housing, fosters affordable homeownership and provides foreclosure and homelessness prevention counseling. 

For more information about all available services offered at the Hancock Resource Center, please call 228-463-8887.  The Hancock Resource Center is located in Waveland on Hwy 90 adjacent to the WIN Job Center and the Pearl River Community College Campus (Hancock Center).

Information source: Hancock County Resource Center.