The Senior Homeowner Assisstance for Repairs, known as SHARP, program is currently accepting
applications for grants totaling a maximum of $15,000 for repairs to homes owned by low to moderate income seniors in the community.
SHARP was launched and operated as a cooperative effort between the City of Frankfort, Clinton County, The Farmers Bank and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis to help qualifying senior citizen homeowners address higher cost maintenance items such as roofs, windows, heating and air conditioning systems, plumbing, electrical and more when repairs are necessary.
The grants may also be utilized to make accessibility modifications, such as adding railings and ADA-accessible amenities to the home for seniors in need of accessibility improvements within their own home. Funding partner and President and CEO of The Farmers Bank Chris Cook shares more about the program and the bank’s participation.
“This is the eighth year of the SHARP Program” Cook said. “In our seven years of participating in this program, we have been able to provide 161 homeowners with a total of $1,263,035 in grants used for repairs to their homes that helps them age in place. That kind of impact for our residents is what is at the core of who we are as a community bank that cares and serves.”
SHARP Administrator Tom Jameson elaborated on the program and its impact on the senior community across Clinton County, specifically those who are residents of the City of Frankfort and are over the age of 62 with ownership of their home.
“Most of the recipients are people who have worked hard their entire lives,” Jameson said. “They frequently live on a fixed income and do not have the means to take care of larger expenses such as roofs, windows, HVAC. That is where this partnership between the City of Frankfort, The Farmers Bank and The Federal Home Loan Bank comes in.”
According to the City, the Office of the Housing and Urban Development establishes the income guidelines that determine the eligibility of local seniors for the program, which may dictate that a household of two persons must have a maximum household gross income of $52,250 to qualify. The qualifying applicants may utilize the funding that they receive from the program for repairs and replacements of existing heating, ventilation, air conditioning and repair or replacement of existing water heater alongside energy conservation improvements, including windows, siding, roofing, gutters, downspouts, insulation and exterior doors. The eligibility requirements also state that certain plumbing and electrical improvements may be eligible for the program.
Frankfort Mayor Judy Sheets elaborates on the program even more from her perspective as she has seen the improvements made for the seniors in Frankfort since the program’s inception in 2017.
“The City of Frankfort, The Farmers Bank, and The Federal Home Loan Bank are proud to offer the SHARP Program, it’s a lifeline for our senior citizens,” Sheets said. “This program keeps are valued senior homeowners safe and secure, allowing them to age comfortably with a piece of mind in their own home,”
Homeowners may check their qualifications for the program by contacting Tom Jameson at 765-650-1969.