Voucher System for Emergency Assistance

Inter-Church Ministries Programs — VSEA

Voucher System for Emergency Assistance (VSEA)

Congregation and agency staff are approached by people asking for groceries, gasoline, and other urgent needs.  With daily living costs increasing, families are finding themselves financially unable to meet their needs.

Congregation and agency leaders are faced with a challenge:  to be good stewards of God’s gifts, yet be compassionate and caring for all God’s children.

In 1994, Inter-Church Ministries of Erie County developed the Voucher System, for Emergency Assistance.  It than aided pastors and congregations in their ministry to families with emergency needs.

Now, with the addition of social service agencies as VSEA participants, this program has expanded further into the communities. Through a central database, significantly updated in 2021, the VSEA program enables participating members to respond to client needs and with some assurance, the VSEA resources being issued to the recipient are not misused.

These resources come from individual donations, community and religious organizations as well as grants.

ICM provides and is responsible for the administration of the program and disbursement of funds to the vendor.

Any agency or congregation wishing to participate in the VSEA should contact the ICM office to schedule training in the participant’s administration and use of the system at their facility.

Community Participants

To participate in the VSEA program, there is a nominal annual administrative fee.

The VSEA Program provides:

• A collaborative means for serving individuals with emergency needs;
• A means of giving aid through the use of vouchers redeemable at various local merchants;
• A system that discourages the misuse of resources and promotes good stewardship;
• 24/7 online assistance, through an encrypted and secured central database for the issuing of vouchers.