LEXINGTON COUNTY, S.C. — It doesn't take much to get behind on household bills; an unexpected illness or loss of a job could do it.
On Friday, community action groups provided a helping hand to people who needed it.
"It's been skyrocketing with this winter being so cold," Myiesha Cockley said.
Cockley, a Lexington County resident, came to the Brookland Lakeview Empowerment Center in West Columbia to get help paying her utility bill. Myiesha said she used to be able to make ends meet, but when the pandemic hit, that all changed.
"Before this, you know, I used to do odd jobs or, like, crafts for a lot of people and stuff like that, but now we don't get out to do most of that anymore. COVID has definitely changed it," she said.
But some groups say federal pandemic relief funds can help.
"We are trying to expend all of those moneys because they're going to be expiring in September of 24 and we actually want the opportunity to serve as many people as possible," Bertie McKie with the Aiken Community Action Agency said.
Assistance is based on federal income guidelines that include how many people live in a home and the state's median income to decide eligibility for services.
"It's a lot of poverty in South Carolina, and there's a lot of poverty in Lexington. So, everyone who qualifies for the program must meet 0 percent of the state median income to be assisted with utility assistance," McKie said.
Myiesha said the program will make a difference.
"It's like eating my light bill up, it's like tripled since winter has started and now that they're giving out assistance, it's great. I can turn my heat back on," she said.
Residents in Lexington County can contact community action agencies that serve each county in the Midlands.