Four-County has received funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

 (ARRA) which will enable us to perform weatherization services on 975 homes by the end of

 next year. Under this program, we will be able to expend an increased amount ($4000 per

 house) to make the homes more energy efficient. The ARRA Weatherization Assistance Program

 also allowed us to create 11 new positions: three Energy Auditors, seven Energy Outreach

 Specialists, and one Energy Office Assistant. The En-ergy Auditors work in all seven of the

 They are working closely with the CSBG FESS and ERP Case Managers to ensure that each

 Weatherization applicant family is served as completely as possible. Anyone residing in the

 service area (covering Bladen, Brunswick, Columbus, Hoke, Pender, Robeson, and Scotland

 Counties) and living in the home, should contact their nearest Four-County CSBG

 CSBG Stimulus Project

 The CSBG Stimulus Project is off to a good start having prevented five foreclosures, four

 evictions, 11 utility disconnects, and two vehicle repossessions in the last two weeks (November

 5—20, 2009). This project, the Economic Recovery Project (ERP) targets those who’ve lost jobs or

 had their hours or wages cut because of the economy. The goal is to help stabilize these families

 for up to nine months (but no longer than September 30, 2010 when the project and its funding

ends). Stabilization activities include mortgage, rent, utility, transportation, and child care

 subsidies primarily. Though we are targeting those working families who have been adversely 

 affected by the economic downturn, we are also able to provide limited assistance to those on 

 fixed incomes to prevent foreclosure, eviction, or utility disconnection. The maximum that can be

 spent on a family is $9000, with the goal of serving at least 102 families through the term

 of the project period (September 1, 2009 through September 30, 2010). In addition to these

 activities, we have hired 17 ERP Case Managers and two ERP Office Assistants. The existing CSBG

 staff are instrumental in assisting these new Case Managers by helping them access other needed

 resources and with following up on each family to ensure that their action plans are working. We

 are coordinating with lenders and have made contacts with each of the Clerks of Superior Court 

 Offices in our seven counties as all foreclosures, evictions, etc., must go through there before

 going to court. Based on the volume of applications, we are fairly certain that we will serve more

 than planned. We are optimistic that ERP also will contribute to the broader benefit of helping our