Hazel Rhea Hurst Community Center provides rent payments to avoid eviction

The Hazel Rhea Hurst Community Center is a part of the Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, Community Action Program (JeffCAP), and is one of seven community centers through which the Parish delivers emergency assistance to families and individuals.

JeffCAP is dedicated to the empowerment of the families of Jefferson Parish, in particular the elderly or disabled, economically disadvantaged, and the young. The maintain a system of links with various local and federal agencies in order to help people in need of temporary assistance to get back on their feet and achieve self-sufficiency.

The Center continues the work and legacy of Hazel Rhea-Hurst, a local resident and community activist. This well-known woman was the founder of a number of social initiatives, including the placement of the area on the postal route. Well-remembered for her work in education and social inclusion, she is today regarded as a natural-born community leader. The Hazel Rhea Hurst Center serves the area of Metairie and Jefferson; the other six outlets are the Avondale, Gretna, Bridge City, Merrero, Harvey, and Dorothy Watson community Centers. These Community Centers provide crisis support and assistance to families and individuals which includes: transportation for both children and adults to visits to medical appointments, hospitals, social service agencies etc. (provided that all children are accompanied by an adult); an Emergency Food Assistance Program which distributes daily basics and USDA items to low-income families; income tax assistance for families, utility payment assistance, counseling on housing and accommodation, weather-proofing of homes, assistance in avoiding eviction by meeting mortgage and rent bills; the provision of day-care facilities for families with large numbers of children; employment assistance such as jobs training or work placement for young people meeting obstacles in finding work; and homeless assistance for families moving into the area.

The Center also provides bus service vouchers for local residents; medication vouchers for those unable to afford their prescriptions; emergency vouchers for clothing and uniforms (work and school); and food services vouchers. The Center is also home to the Metairie Food Stamp Office, which supplies information about the Food Stamps program’s qualification requirements.

The Hazel Rhea-Hurst Center places a special emphasis on empowering the elderly. In the words of Anthony Williams, the Center’s manager, “We want to change and empower our seniors to raise their educational level so they can become self-sufficient. Our Center is starting with physical fitness to later promote educational fitness.”

Call 504-838-4287 to speak with an intake counselor so that you can schedule your appointment for help.