In case you weren’t aware, there is a charitable fund operated by a church organization in Perry that gives residents a variety of financial support in times of hardship, especially related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Perry Ministerial Association, in partnership with New Opportunities of Dallas County, operates the donation and grant-funded “Good Samaritan Fund,” which is available to anyone living in the Perry School District. PMA President Andrea Brownlee says the fund can help people with rent or utility payments, as well as unexpected bills like vehicle repairs or health care costs. She emphasizes there are plenty of funds available to the community, and notes that those affected by the coronavirus outbreak are ideal candidates for support.

“We encourage people to reach out and see if they qualify for this assistance, because we know that everyone’s going through difficult times right now especially with everything surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. People have lost jobs, people have maybe had hours cut, those kind of things. But we also know that bills still need to be paid, and so we want to be able to help people as we’re able to continue to pay the bills and stay on their feet or get back on their feet. If we can be of assistance in those ways, we want to be able to help!”

Anyone interested in utilizing the Good Samaritan Fund should first reach out to New Opportunities at 515-465-5185, and they’ll assess eligibility. For more information, listen to today’s Perry Fareway Let’s Talk Dallas County program on air and at RaccoonValleyRadio.com.