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Bridges Community Action Partnership tells commissioners it served 2,810 Delaware County households, urges funding diversification
Summary
Andrew Baker, executive director of Bridges Community Action Partnership, told the Delaware County Board of Commissioners the agency served 2,810 county households last year and urged diversifying funding after federal/state shifts; he highlighted HEAP, weatherization, tax clinics and a change in state administration for HEAP/HWAP.
Andrew Baker, executive director of Bridges Community Action Partnership, told the Delaware County Board of Commissioners that the agency helped 2,810 households in Delaware County last year as part of 15,378 clients across its six-county service area. Baker made the remarks while delivering Bridges’ annual report to the board.
Baker said the nonprofit’s annual operating budget rose from about $6 million before the pandemic to more than $24 million in 2020, and has since reduced to roughly $8–9 million. “What we came out of [the shutdown] learning is we need to diversify our funding,” he said, arguing the agency should rely less on federal and state grants and attract more private and corporate support.
The presentation listed program outputs Baker said were delivered in Delaware County: 2,443 HEAP winter/summer crisis assists, 113 home-repair and weatherization projects through the Home Weatherization Assistance Program (HWAP), and 254 volunteer tax-assistance returns that returned more than a quarter-million dollars to county taxpayers and saved roughly $76,200, according to Bridges’ summary. Baker noted the county office is at 555 Sunbury Road and that staff are seeking a site closer to town.
Baker also told commissioners that administration of certain energy-assistance programs (HWAP/HEAP/PIP) in Ohio recently moved from the Ohio Department of Development to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. He described the transfer as administrative, saying it should not change local funding levels but may reduce barriers between agencies when verifying client information.
During follow-up, Baker explained the volunteer tax clinic is supported by a United Way grant, uses IRS-certified volunteer preparers, serves households under about $75,000 in income and operates multiple times per week in Delaware County from January through April, with additional weekday and Saturday sessions. He closed by thanking local board representatives including Jeff C and Bob Anderson for their participation.
The Bridges presentation concluded with commissioners thanking the agency for its work and encouraging broader public awareness of the tax clinic and other services.
