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Interlocal Community Action Assistance Programs in Indiana

Updated October 21, 2025 • 6 min read • 1,219 words
Focus Immediate Financial Assistance

Interlocal Community Action agency assistance programs.

Interlocal Community Action administers several programs for families that are struggling in the region. While a full listing of their services are below, examples include rent help from Section 8 Housing, free food from Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), and even medical care from a clinic. Both private and government funds are used to operate these resources. Anyone that lives in Delaware, Hancock, Henry, or Rush Counties can call upon Interlocal CAP, which is also known as ICAP. So a large service area is supported. Not only will the agency offer the services below, but referrals are also another key resource provided.

Find food assistance programs

The WIC - Women, Infants, and Children service helps young families as well as single moms make a strong start. This is accomplished through the distribution of free checks that are accepted as payment for baby formula or food in most local grocery stores. The purpose is to provide a healthy foundation for all family members by using the federal government checks to obtain nutritious and healthy foods. Those who are eligible for WIC include pregnant women, new moms (up to six months after delivery), infants, and children under age five. Income limits are in place as well. ICAP also has lists of free food banks as well as pantries, soup kitchens , and long term USDA benefits. Many programs in counties such as Hancock, Rush, and other area feed the low income. Or they help students get free school lunches or the homebound get meals delivered to them. Find a list of free Indiana food pantries .

Housing, energy bill and rent help from Interlocal Community Action

Interlocal CAP

administers the Section 8 Housing Program for the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority in the Rush, Madison, Hancock and Henry county region. This will provide monthly rent subsidies to assist eligible low-income households experiencing difficulty in making payments for privately owned homes or apartments. Eligible dwellings include family homes, town houses, duplexes, apartments, or mobile homes. Responsibility for locating suitable housing and making sure that the owner of the unit agrees to accepting rent payments under the program falls upon the tenant. All units must pass Housing Quality Standards Inspections, to ensure that the unit provides decent, safe, affordable, and sanitary housing. When everything is in place by the Interlocal Community Action Agency as well as the tenant, the housing assistance program requires the landlord’s signature on a contract stipulating that he or she will accept payment of monthly rent from the State of Indiana. There is a waiting list in each county, which ICAP opens from time to time. Applicants’ names from counties such as Henry are selected from the waiting list as openings become available.

The EAP - Energy Assistance Program

furnishes federally as well as state of Indiana funded block grants to assist low-income families who struggle with managing the high cost of home heating bills. To apply, contact a local ICAP office to set up an interview or appointment. When the applicant will come in for a scheduled interview, they need to bring income verification and Social Security numbers for everyone in the home. The applicant to a grant for heating bills also needs to be provided with a copy of a lease agreement and utility bills. Weatherization helps low-income households as well as those people in poverty save money, reduce home energy bills, and live healthier and safer lives. It does this by installing energy-efficient measures in homes. The first step taken by Interlocal Community Action Agency is to perform a home inspection that includes all combustion appliances. What will be inspected includes furnaces, heating stoves, gas ranges, and hot water heaters. If a combustion appliances is found to be faulty or dangerous by the Weatherization Program Inspector, that unit could even be replaced or repaired. In addition, the team from the non-profit agency may insulate and air-seal a home to reduce utility usage and improve the comfort. Taking action on larger areas of heat loss take first priority. Free Weatherization measures will usually last many years, are done for free, and provide further savings. Amounts saved depend upon the condition of the home as well as when the work is performed.

Free medical or dental care from ICAP

Medical assistance is arranged for women. ICAP collaborates with Henry County Hospital, the Health Department, and Susan G. Komen for the Cure in sponsoring the Women’s Clinic. The address is 615 State Road 38W, in New Castle. The low cost clinic stresses the importance of regular screenings and exams, which serve the purpose of identifying symptoms and evidence of diseases as early as possible. This is a key time as they are easier to treat. The medical center as well as dental clinics operates according to scientific recommendations made by health experts in regard to testing for several conditions, including high blood pressure. In addition to check ups and basic screening, the Women’s Clinic’s nurse practitioner provides health examinations for both insured and uninsured women in Rush County.

Social services

The

Senior Center

for Delaware and Henry County is a large part of Interlocal Community Actions commitment to providing a variety of quality programs to the elderly population. Senior Center programming is available to adults 55 years of age and up, and includes recreation, nutrition information, hot meals, tips of saving money or comparing prices when grocery shopping, and even opportunities to socialize. Budgeting for seniors is always stressed. Spouses are welcome to use the site too or to take part in learn how to unit price for grocery shopping or other ICAP services. Offered in Hancock, Delaware, Henry, or Rush, Head Start is

  • federal preschool program for children from working poor families. The goal is to help all children succeed, including those with disabilities. Also, parental involvement is highly encouraged as a crucial component of Head Start programming, with parents contributing by volunteering in a classroom, serving on a committee, riding on the bus, or participating in educational activities arranged by ICAP. Nutritious meals are available for the students as well as daily programming for the children.

Applying for assistance from Interlocal Community Action Agency

To learn more, Interlocal CAP, Inc. has a few offices in the region. Families or individuals need to call the office in their county for emergency financial help or other social services. They are as follows. 615 W. State Rd. 38 W, New Castle, IN 47362, dial 765-529-4403. Rush County center is at 525 W. 7th St., Rushville, Indiana 46173, telephone 765-932-2863. Hancock County ICAP center - 141 Green Meadows Dr., Greenfield, IN 46140, phone 317-462-2557. Delaware County address is 407 W. Main St., Muncie, Indiana 47305, 765-288-8732 By