For the first time in nearly a decade the budget for the Adult Services of Centre County is working with a budget over $40,000.

Jan Reasinger is a case manager for people in Centre County ages 18-59, living with a disability who need assistance at home. 

The program is part of the county’s Adult Services Office, which only gets $16,000 from the state each fiscal year—until now.

Faith Ryan, Dir., of Adult Services in Centre County, said they’ve been awarded a new grant from the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency.

“Without this funding it was keep cutting, keep cutting,” Ryan said.

$26,000 has been granted to the department.

It’s part of a new grant, Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement Fund/ Reality Transfer Tax (PHARE RTT), which is intended to help those who are disabled with low incomes.

The money will help care takers provide more assistance to qualifying residents in Centre County.

“You’d think that they won the lottery, you know they’re just so excited about that increase,” Reasinger said.

For some this means just a couple of hours of care a month, could increase to four or five.

“For many of them, they don’t have family support, and they don’t have friend nearby,” Reasinger said.

Ultimately it helps clients keep a roof over their head rather than risk homelessness or being institutionalized, which means less time for them being in state and county funded facilities   

“Everything in the county affects everybody else,” Reasinger said.

The office is currently serving 22 homemaker clients, ensuring they’re sustainable at home.

“Their contract with their landlord, that they personally are cleaned, that they have someone to talk to,” Ryan said. “I think we’re just really excited to be able to offer this, I think it’s a really big deal for our county.”