Note: This program has expired.

July 24, 2003 - The Alaska Housing Finance Corp. board has approved a pilot program to make home ownership more accessible to low-income Alaskans with disabilities. The Anchorage-based state housing agency manages more than 4,000 Housing Choice Vouchers statewide that help low-income Alaskans with their rent. The pilot program allocates 10 rental vouchers instead to the agency's HCV Homeownership program, letting people with special housing needs due to disabilities use the voucher payments as mortgage payments, AHFC said.

Note: This program has expired.

The Alaska Senior Assistance Program (AKSAP) is a new needs-based benefit program available to all Alaskan seniors age 65 or older that meet certain eligibility requirements.

Our first star is a resident of Anchorage. He has worked for our agency for 20 years, in numerous positions and many different offices. Regarded by friends and co-workers as someone you can always count on, upbeat, respectful and courteous. Co-workers have described him as the "heart" of his unit. Accuracy is an important element to this star's work and he is described as someone who is up to the challenge with policy knowledge that is exemplary and a work ethic that is thorough and diligent. He is very family and community oriented and enjoys fundraising. Can you guess who this star is?

Strong Child Care Services continue as department restructures: Mary Lorence named DHSS Childcare Manager

The Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) today announced $5,290,514 in child care grants to communities and organizations throughout Alaska that provide services to children. The awards are administered by the Child Care Assistance Program, which recently moved from the Department of Education and Early Development to the Division of Public Assistance as part of a large DHSS reorganization for efficiency and better customer service.

Elderly Alaskans on very low incomes should find it easy to collect $120 a month through a new program. The aid is intended to ease the pain of Gov. Frank Murkowski's elimination of the immensely popular Longevity Bonus Program.

The ease of applying for the money carries a potential cost. The program won't be fraud-proof, state officials say.

No interview is required. No documentation of income. No visit to the welfare office. The program will operate in part on trust.