Laura Seney
Welcome to Live Wire, a podcast powered by Kosciusko REMC. We are a member owned and locally operated cooperative that supplies electricity to portions of Kosciusko, Fulton, Wabash and Whitley counties, here in northern Indiana. Live Wire is a program where we come together to discuss co-op matters, energy, community topics, and to communicate with KREMC members. I am your host, Laura Seney.

Welcome back to another episode of Live Wire. Joining us in studio today is Tiffani McClanahan, Director of Emergency Assistance. She is here to discuss Combined Community Services' Winter Warmth Program. KREMC has donated to this program every year since 2007.

Hi, Tiffany. How are you doing today?

Tiffani McClanahan
I'm doing good. Thank you.

Laura Seney
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself, Combined Community Services, and your role there?

Tiffani McClanahan
Yes, I've been with CCS for five years now. It'll be six years next month, so that's pretty exciting. I originally started with utilities as my main role, and now I'm the Director of Emergency Assistance, which includes providing utility assistance to our guests.

Laura Seney
For those who may not be familiar, could you give us an overview of the programs and the services that Combined Community Services provides to the Warsaw community?

Tiffani McClanahan
Yes. So CCS offers programs and services for Kosciusko County. We work with people to help stabilize situations through our emergency assistance programs, which includes food pantry, utility assistance and seasonal events like the Coat Drive, Tools for School, and Adopt a Family. We also help them meet their long term goals through our economic self-sufficiency programs, Hand Up and Project Independence. We also have a pro bono attorney, a Bowen health consultant, and soon there will be a representative from Ivy Tech available for appointments at CCS.

Laura Seney
Sounds like you guys are really well equipped and have all of your bases covered.

Tiffani McClanahan
Yes, we do a lot for sure.

Laura Seney
Can you tell us more specifically about the Winter Warmth Program and how it works?

Tiffani McClanahan
The Winter Warmth Program helps with utility expenses, so CCS utilizes funding from KREMC, Nipsco, local churches and individual donations to provide utility assistance to low income households or households experiencing temporary hardship. Our goal is to prevent disconnection, especially during the cold months.

Laura Seney
A lot of people in our community are probably vulnerable to that during the cold months of trying to keep up with heating bills and everything.
What do you wish people knew about the Winter Warmth Program?

Tiffani McClanahan
In 2024, CCS provided utility assistance to 122 families, benefiting a total of 382 people. We continue to look for ways to increase funding in order to assist more of those in need that we've been unable to help. We also collaborate with other agencies to help ensure that everyone who reaches out for utility assistance, has a high chance of keeping their utilities on, or can quickly be reconnected if their services have been interrupted.

Laura Seney
What have you found personally rewarding about working with CCS?

Tiffani McClanahan
I think when I was in utilities that was a super rewarding position because I would have so much money that I could budget each week or month for utilities. So when the calls would come in, I would see what their bills look like, what they could pay towards it, and if they needed more help then we could work with other agencies to hopefully keep their power on. It was definitely work for, you know, everybody, us, them and the other agencies, but working together and seeing that we helped that person and kept their power on was super rewarding. Moving into the director position, I now see all the different aspects, the food pantry, covering the front desk, utilities as well, and then the seasonal program. So it's great to see daily, even, you know, weekly, all the different people we impact and how we can really help them in everyday lives.

Laura Seney
Do you see a huge need in our community? Are there a lot of people that reach out that you have to turn away?

Tiffani McClanahan
Not really. Well, we do see a lot of people for utility assistance, that's for sure. But we do have relationships with other agencies where we could reach out to them. So if we're not able to help at this time, then we can always refer them to those other agencies, or we can work together and both of us pledge or pay a part of the bill to help keep them on.

Laura Seney
What other programs does CCS have that you wish people knew about?

Tiffani McClanahan
We have so many amazing programs. Our food pantry is currently serving 800 to 900 families a month. In addition to food, we also provide essentials like baby items, hygiene products, and even pet food, based on the donations we receive. Tools for School and Adopt a Family are just two of our seasonal programs that keep us very busy. Plus, our self-sufficiency programs Hand Up and Project Independence, assist in reaching life goals through education, employment, training and life skills. They offer invaluable help and guidance to our guests, and we're proud to see so much success through them.

Laura Seney
Do you have any items that really fly off your shelves that you always need more donations of?

Tiffani McClanahan
Yes, in the food pantry we could always use pasta, pasta sauce, mac and cheese, peanut butter, jelly and breakfast items, even soups and that sort of thing as well.

Laura Seney
Are there any challenges or trends that have become more prevalent recently?

Tiffani McClanahan
With the rising costs of heating and electricity bills, there's always a need for additional funding. The ability to increase our weekly or monthly utility budget can enable us to offer more support in various situations, for example, helping individuals avoid financial burden to family or friends to cover a portion of the bill, providing additional assistance with prepaid amounts to ensure that utilities remain active until individuals receive their monthly Social Security checks or similar situations.

Laura Seney
Could you share any success stories or outcomes that highlight the positive impact that CCS has on individuals or families in the community? Specifically with the Winter Warmth Program or elsewhere?

Tiffani McClanahan
Sure. So we have a success story I'd like to tell through our Project Independence Program. The woman had started the program about three years ago during a challenging time in her life. At that point, she was unemployed and her marriage had just ended and she was a single mother raising her nephew, her adopted son, and her newborn son. She had taken in her nephew after he had lost his dad, and her adopted son had faced a tragic loss as well, losing his mother. She was very thankful to the support of Combined Community Services, as she benefited from the utility assistance and other various programs through setting life goals and dedicating herself to hard work and education, she has proudly reached the goal of achieving economic self-sufficiency and no longer requires our services.

Laura Seney
That's awesome to hear, and it's really awesome that Combined Community Services really wants to help people become self-sufficient and achieve that independence. Would you say that that is a really important value at CCS?

Tiffani McClanahan
Yeah, I would say that is one of our main goals. When we have guests come in, they normally start with our Emergency Assistance Programs, whether that be the food pantry or utility assistance, grabbing a coat from the coat drive or school supplies from Tools for School. They usually start on our side on emergency assistance and then when they're ready, we can refer them to the self-sufficiency programs, because that does take a little more work, you know, weekly or monthly things that you may do. But then in the end, if you finish those programs, then you are usually self-sufficient in a way that you may no longer need CCS's help. So that definitely is a goal for us, for everyone that comes through our building.

Laura Seney
How does CCS collaborate with other local organizations, businesses, or government entities to extend its reach and effectiveness?

Tiffani McClanahan
We partner with community agencies for many services, because combining community services is our goal. We work closely with EAP, Salvation Army, local churches and trustees to help with utilities. EAP is currently in our building for the winter, which has been a great help for utility assistance. The food Bank of Northern Indiana, along with other food banks, help us stock our food pantry and Tools for School. The toy giveaway and the coat drive are all made possible by community support.

Laura Seney
It's really cool to hear how all the different organizations, businesses, and our community can work together to help these members of our community. How can members of the community support CCS beyond financial donation? Are there ways for people to get involved in a more hands on way?

Tiffani McClanahan
Yes, we're always looking for friendly volunteers who can lend us a hand with stocking shelves, assisting with food pantry pickups, and unloading and keeping our building organized and clean. We also appreciate help at the front desk, support for seasonal programs, and a variety of other volunteer opportunities. We also find ourselves in need of donations for food, baby items, hygiene products, cleaning supplies, toilet paper, egg cartons, and pet food. As we have a continuous needs for these items.

Laura Seney
What would you say to someone who is considering volunteering or donating to Combined Community Services? Why should they get involved?

Tiffani McClanahan
If you're considering volunteering at CCS, please stop by our building and learn more about us or go to our website ccsgives.com to fill out the volunteer form and I'll contact you with more information. We have such a wonderful group of volunteers who serve with us on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. Our staff and volunteers work together seamlessly to provide food and emergency assistance for our community, and we'd love to have you join our team. If you'd like to donate to CCS, please bring donations to our building at 1195 Mariner Drive in Warsaw on Monday, Tuesday or Thursday between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Laura Seney
For anyone listening who may be in need of services, what's the best way to get in touch with CCS and find out what support is available?

Tiffani McClanahan
If you need emergency assistance, or are interested in our self-sufficiency programs, please give us a call or come to our building at 1195 Mariners Drive, Warsaw during our regular business hours Monday, Tuesday or Thursday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m..

Laura Seney
And how do people specifically qualify for the Winter Warmth Program?

Tiffani McClanahan
To be eligible for our program, you need to be a resident of Kosciusko County. We also require that you have a disconnect notice from your utility company, you have less than two weeks of service remaining in your REMC prepaid account, or your LP tank is at or below 10%. Utility assistance can be applied for once per 12 month period. We ask that you request funds at least 24 hours prior to your disconnect date. Our guidelines for financial assistance cover up to 200% of the poverty guidelines. Many of the individuals we assist with their utilities are on fixed incomes and often face tough choices between paying for heating and lighting, purchasing medication, or meeting other essential needs. We frequently see people experiencing temporary hardships due to job loss, serious illness, or other challenges beyond their control. During their appointment, we will work with them and develop a plan to keep their utilities on. We aim to be responsible with donor funds, so we collaborate with other community organizations and ask individuals to contribute a portion of their past due balance.

Laura Seney
Is there anything else that you would like to talk about at Combined Community Services? Anything you want to promote or any events you have coming up? Or did we cover it all successfully?

Tiffani McClanahan
I think we pretty well covered everything. Thank you.

Laura Seney
Awesome. Thank you for joining us today and thank you for your hard work with Combined Community Services. I hope you have a good rest of your day.

Tiffani McClanahan
Thank you.

Laura Seney
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You have been listening to Live Wire, the official podcast of KREMC. To learn more about KREMC, visit our website, kremc.com, or follow us on social media. Thanks for listening.