Care & Share provides both emergency and designated financial assistance to families in East Lyme/Niantic and Salem.

Emergency Financial Assistance

Emergency Financial Assistance is provided on a one-time, case-by-case basis for emergency needs, including, but not limited to rent, electricity, home heating oil, medication and clothing.  Funds that can be distributed to clients are dependent upon the amount of money allocated for such assistance in the Care & Share budget, and the amount available at the time of a client request.

Because Care & Share requires documentation of income and expenses from individuals requesting financial assistance, applicants will be required to complete a financial disclosure form.  Clients who receive financial help should not expect to receive additional financial assistance sooner than six months from the time they last received assistance.

If you need to apply for financial assistance, please call Care & Share at 860-739-8502, and leave a message with your name, telephone number, the type of assistance needed, and a convenient time for a telephone responder to call you back. After a brief telephone conversation, the responder will mail you a Financial Form for completion.  After the form is received and reviewed by Care & Share, the responder will inform you how we may be able to provide you with financial assistance.

Designated Assistance

The Designated Assistance Program provides a limited number of families with monthly monetary assistance for expenses such as rent, food, or utilities.  If you have a need for ongoing financial support, a Financial Form must be completed and returned no later than November 1.  Financial Forms are included in the September School Packets, or can be requested by calling Care & Share at 860-739-8502.  Our ability to assist you in this way is dependent upon the amount of funds allocated in our budget, and the number of assistance requests we have received.  Designated Assistance is therefore limited, but we will do our best to help.

Other Assistance

Home Heating Fuel

Care & Share is an authorized referral agency with United Way of Southeastern Connecticut for Project Warm-Up (home heating fuel).

If you need home heating fuel assistance, please call us at 860-739-8502. We then may be able to make a referral to United Way’s Project Warm-Up.  Those who receive assistance from this program receive a limited amout of fuel from a home heating fuel provider that is paid directly by United Way.  Participation is limited to one time per heating season.