DAP operates in-person the 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month from 12 noon – 3:00 p.m. at Grace Lutheran Church, 1300 Kishwaukee Valley Road, Woodstock, IL (Except when a holiday falls on that day.)
The Direct Assistance Program (DAP) is sponsored and funded by the Woodstock Area Community Ministry (WACM). This program provides financial help to residents in need who live within Woodstock School District 200 boundaries.
This program operates under the guidance of the Woodstock Area Community Ministry Board of Directors and offers the needy in our community a centralized location in which they can ask for financial assistance.
Each household is limited in the amount of financial assistance it may receive in a calendar year. All financial assistance is rendered in the form of vouchers or check requests for payment to prearranged vendors. No cash is ever given to our clients.
Kinds of assistance we provide:
- Transportation – Assistance is given in the form of a gasoline voucher. Drivers must provide a valid driver’s license and up-to-date car insurance information each time a request is made.
- Clothing – Voucher to resale shops (Sparrow’s Nest in Woodstock and Salvation Army Thrift Shop in McHenry).
- Shoes/Boots – Voucher to Farm and Fleet; client is limited to two (2) shoe/boot purchases a year.
- Utilities – Assistance may be provided for utility bills (gas, electricity, or water) that are at least one month past due. Account numbers must be included so that verification can be obtained from the utility provider.
- Car Repairs – An estimate of the repair cost must be obtained from our approved vendor, Allstar Auto Repair, 11913 Industrial Heights Drive, Woodstock (815) 337-2277. Based on the amount of household assistance already provided during the year, DAP will contribute toward the repair bill. The client must pay their portion first before DAP assistance is sent directly to Allstar Auto Repair.
- Rent – Assistance with a security deposit, first month’s rent, or rent that is one month or more past due is based on the amount of help already provided during the year. Verification will be made with the landlord, and payment will be sent directly to the landlord or property company.
The Direct Assistance Program does not discriminate in the provision of any aid on the basis of race, sex, religion or any other criteria.
The Direct Assistance Program (DAP) was started in the 1992 by the Rev. Dan Larsen of the Congregational Unitarian Church and his mother Madalin Prentiss.