Financial Assistance

Each year, ECCO provides help to hundreds of individuals facing unforeseen hardships through our Financial Assistance program. If you are facing an unexpected financial emergency that has made you unable to pay your utilities or vulnerable to losing your home, we are here to provide guidance and resources, including emergency financial assistance for those who meet our program requirements.

The Financial Assistance program is intended to help with mortgage, rent, or utilities. Assistance is not guaranteed, but you must be (or become) a current ECCO client to submit your application. Please note priority consideration is given to first-time recipients, and clients are eligible to receive assistance once every 2 years (24 months). The application opens on the 1st of each month and closes when the financial requests exceed the monthly program allocation. If the first day of the month falls on a weekend or an ECCO holiday, the program will open the next business day

We use the following criteria to assess eligibility during the application process:

  • A current ECCO client who has not received assistance in the past 24 months
  • A sudden loss of income in the past 90 days (ex: job loss, reduced hours, illness)
  • An unusual increase in expenses in the past 90 days
  • Circumstances creating an unreasonable financial burden on a household that could not have been predicted or expected in the past 90 days (ex: car repairs, unexpected medical bill, recent death in the family impacting income, etc.)

*Note: The following DO NOT qualify as unexpected financial emergencies: Home repairs, property taxes, HOA fees, security deposits and home/car insurance.

To receive financial assistance, current clients are required to provide one of the following items:

  • Past and present utility bills showing the increased bills in the past 90 days
  • Receipts showing the unforeseen expense in the past 90 days
  • Letter from employer with the last day of work/or verification of termination or an unemployment benefits letter

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If you are unsure about your eligibility, please call ECCO at (843) 849-9220, Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

  • A follow-up call by an ECCO staff member will be made within 5 business days using the contact information you provide.
  • If your application is approved, payment will be made directly to the service provider within 10-15 business days.

To qualify for financial assistance, ECCO clients need to fill out the Financial Assistance Inquiry form. Not a client? Click here to learn more about our client eligibility!