Programs

Auburn

Serving Johnson, Nemaha, Otoe, Pawnee, & Richardson counties

Lincoln

Serving Butler, Cass, Gage, Jefferson, Lancaster, Polk, Saline, Saunders, Seward, Thayer, and York counties

Our Family Support Services (FSS) Program offers financial assistance for various needs, including rent, utility bills, prescriptions, vehicle repairs, and transportation. The program will consider requests for assistance with all types of bills.

Each household selected can receive financial assistance once a year. The maximum one-time assistance amount is $300 and is only approved as the final payment for a bill. Please note that the maximum assistance amount is not guaranteed; the actual amount approved will be determined based on available funding, program guidelines, and the specific circumstances of each request.

For assistance with funeral-related expenses or if you have been impacted by a natural disaster, please reach out to Marilu Cazares,  Director of Family Support Services, at mcazares@csshope.org to receive instructions on the application process for these situations.

What to Know Before You Apply

• Funding is limited, and assistance is not guaranteed.
• Be ready to upload all the required documents mentioned in the application you will be submitting. The documents required depend on the specific reason for the assistance request. However, regardless of the assistance you are requesting, you must submit proof of income (examples: paystub, SSI, SSDI, SNAP, Unemployment). Applicants with no income must include a complete explanation of their current financial situation with their application.
  • Rent Assistance.
    • Picture ID
    • Lease/rental agreement (all pages)
    • Rent ledger and balance due statement
    • Full landlord's information must be provided, including:
      • Landlord's name or company name
      • Phone number
      • Landlord’s Email address. If unknown, the applicant is responsible for contacting their landlord to obtain it.
  • Utility Assistance
    • Picture ID
    • Utility bill (Full picture of it). A screenshot of the balance is NOT acceptable, must upload the official bill.
  • Deposit / First Month's Rent
    • Picture ID
    • An approval letter from the landlord is required. This letter must contain the following information:
      • Apartment address
      • Unit number
      • Lease rate
      • Confirming that you can move-in on ____ (date) if Catholic Social Services will guarantee $300 for toward the first month's rent
  • Vehicle Registration
    • Current Nebraska driver's license
    • An official invoice from the DMV is required for your request to be processed
  • Miscellaneous
    • Picture ID
    • Copy of invoice or bill
• If you are facing an eviction, only submit an application if your landlord will accept a maximum of $300 from Catholic Social Services.
• Financial assistance cannot be requested again for six months if an application is incomplete or denied, including required supporting documents.
• Applications are processed in the order received and based on eligibility and available funding. 
• Online applications are only accepted on Fridays from 7:00 pm until all spots have been filled. Access to the form will reopen the following Friday at 7:00 pm.
• Our FSS program has two staff members, so we appreciate your patience while we process the requests submitted.
• Please check this site for updates, as the online form availability is subject to change.
• Once you submit your application, if your application is selected for further consideration, we will contact you within the next 24 business hours. If we do not contact you within that timeframe, it means your request was not selected for further consideration.
• The review period for submitted requests may take up to six business days.
• PLEASE NOTE: Anyone 18 or older in the household will need to give permission for their information to be included in the database that CSS and other organizations use to track services provided. Please click here to read our Release of Information before submitting your application.

IMPORTANT: Like you, we are interested in your financial well-being. Toward this, we encourage you to invest in growing your financial literacy skills. If you receive assistance and should need to request additional financial assistance from CSS after one year, you will need to provide proof of having completed financial literacy training. Click here for financial literacy training resources.

Are you in need of blankets, sleeping bags, sunscreen, bottled water, toiletries, diapers, baby formula, and more? We offer these items to our walk-in clients at our downtown location at 2241 O Street during our normal business hours.

Hastings

Serving Adams, Clay, Dawson, Fillmore, Franklin, Furnas, Gosper, Hall, Hamilton, Harlan, Kearney, Nuckolls, Phelps, and Webster Counties

Our Family Support Services (FSS) Program offers financial assistance for various needs, including rent, utility bills, prescriptions, vehicle repairs, and transportation. The program will consider requests for assistance with all types of bills.
Each household selected can receive financial assistance once a year. The maximum one-time assistance amount is $500 and is only approved as the final payment for a bill. Please note that the maximum assistance amount is not guaranteed; the actual amount approved will be determined based on available funding, program guidelines, and the specific circumstances of each request.

What to Know Before You Apply

• Funding is limited, and assistance is not guaranteed.
• Be ready to upload all the required documents mentioned in the application you will be submitting.
  • Rent Assistance
    • Signed Lease Agreement or Eviction Notice
    • Photo ID
    • Proof of Income
  • Utility Assistance
    • Utility Bill or Disconnect Notice
    • Photo ID
    • Proof of Income
  • Car Repair
    • Estimate from certified mechanic.
    • Proof of Insurance
    • Valid Registration
    • Proof of Income
    • Valid Driver’s License
  • Deposit Assistance
    • Statement from Landlord
    • Photo ID
    • Proof of Income
  • Miscellaneous
    • Copy of invoice or bill
    • Photo ID
    • Proof of Income
• If you are experiencing or facing homelessness and require assistance with your deposit Catholic Social Service request can be made for up to $500
• Financial assistance cannot be requested again for three months if an application is incomplete or denied.
• Failure to upload required supporting documents will result in a denial.  
• Applications are processed in the order received and based on eligibility and available funding. 
• For people in the Hastings office service area, online applications are only accepted on Mondays from 9:00 am until all spots have been filled. Access to the form will reopen the following Monday at 9:00 am.
• Our FSS program has two staff members, so we appreciate your patience while we process the requests submitted.
• Please check this site for updates, as the online form availability is subject to change.
• Once you submit your application, if your application is selected for further consideration, we will contact you within approximately 24 hours. If we do not contact you within 24 hours, it means your request was not selected for further consideration.
• The review period for submitted requests may take up to six business days.
• PLEASE NOTE: Anyone 18 or older in the household will need to give permission for their information to be included in the database that CSS and other organizations use to track services provided. Please click here to read our Release of Information before submitting your application.

Are you in need of blankets, toiletries, cleaning supplies, diapers, wipes, and more? We offer these items to our walk-in clients at 124 S. Colorado Ave during our normal business hours.

Imperial/McCook

Serving Chase, Dundy, Frontier, Hays, Hitchcock, Lincoln, Perkins, and Red Willow counties

Please get in touch with Family Support Services Specialist Jennifer Hinze at jhinze@csshope.org to learn more.