A Lifeline in Rockville: REAP Responds to Increased Need

As summer started, Mr. Z and his family faced high temperatures with no water. It had been disconnected due to nonpayment - Mr. Z's modest Social Security income had not been enough to cover their monthly expenses. Mr. Z knew he had to do something to get it turned back on.

First, he contacted Department of Health and Human Services, but was told their utility funding had run out. So he turned to REAP, where he and the director crafted a plan to eliminate the past-due and current water charges, bringing the balance to zero and restoring water service just in time to safely weather the summer heat. In addition to paying the past-due water bills, REAP advocated with the utility provider to waive the reconnection fees and introduced Mr. Z to ongoing utility assistance programs to help keep his costs down in the future. He is now empowered with the tools and support needed to keep his family and himself comfortable, with access to essentials like water.

This is just one of many utility shut-offs that REAP either prevented or reversed this year. In fact, the program worked with almost twice as many households this fiscal year compared to the previous. Clearly, more families were struggling with their utility payments – whether, like Mr. Z, their fixed incomes weren’t enough to cover monthly expenses, or they faced an unexpected crisis like losing their job that led to lowered income.  

Utility assistance wasn’t the only area where REAP saw greater need in the community. This year, REAP distributed 62% more in rental and mortgage assistance, serving 72 households that faced eviction or foreclosure. REAP provided 50% more referrals for food as well, up from 923 last year to 1,384 this year.  

REAP’s ability to meet this rising demand was made possible in part by its enduring partnership with the City of Rockville's Department of Housing. For over 40 years, the City has supported REAP’s mission to provide emergency financial assistance to residents in crisis. This year, recognizing the increased need in the community, the City of Rockville Mayor and Council responded by increasing REAP’s funding—ensuring that more families like Mr. Z’s could access critical support when they needed it most.

"The City of Rockville is glad to partner with Reach to provide residents with efficient and caring assistance when experiencing an emergency," commented Jane Lyons-Raeder, the Housing Programs Manager at the City's Department of Housing.

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