Welfare and Other Help

    Welfare...oops, I mean Social Services. Social Services is what they call it today. If you qualify (which I didnt with 4 kids on $12,000. per yr), they offer lots of services and help. Some of these things they dont even tell you about...but I will *wink*

    Most people are ignorant to the facts of welfare and just how messed up it really is.

    *NOTE-In NJ: if your ex is not sending Child Support, and you are forced to apply/recieve welfare, YOUR EX WILL OWE IT TO WELFARE (it is to be paid back by him/her). Welfare will then go after them. Just a little FYI.

    Money

    If you are NOT getting any child support, you may qualify for a certain amount, depending upon the size of your family (they have a guideline/chart). Call your local Social Services to find out.

    That is what I was forced to do when I did not recieve any child support for long periods of time; apply for help. A family of my size (1 adult and 4 children) qualified for $552. per month.

    Short version:
    In my family its every man for himself. Where I live, apartment complex’s wont take me, for I have “too many children”. Apartments here are approximately $600 for a 1 bedroom, $700 or so for a 2 bedroom and $800 for a three bedroom. Since I have four children, I have to have 3 bedrooms (or else child protective services step into your life). So my only option is to rent house; the house was very old, falling apart but was only $750 per month…not including any utilities.

    Was my rent always late? ABSOLUTELY. And where I live, THAT’S GROUNDS FOR EVICTION.

    Anyway, this cash amount from welfare didn’t begin to cover the bills. All of the hurdles for single parents are interlinked; that is where all of this other stuff helped collectively for our survival. I had to do, what I had to...and learned A LOT along the way.

    Food Stamps

    These things are no longer the paper things; they are now a hard credit card looking thing that works much in the same way a debt card is used. When you go grocery shopping, you can use coupons (and please do! It will save you a small fortune). When they total the order, you simply swipe your card, enter your pin number and it is auto deducted from your account with social services.

    *Please note: if you cant EAT it, food stamps will not pay for it. This includes toilet paper, soap, laundry det, diapers, light bulbs, Tylenol, cold medicine, etc. etc.

    I have no idea what amount of food stamps you or your family will be given. Call and make an appointment to find out.

    Shush Program

    The “shush program” is a program available at most Social Service Offices, they just don’t tell you about it. You HAVE TO ASK FOR IT. I don’t know the abbreviation for it, but that is how it is pronounced. They can, one time, per year, help with electric shut off notices. They will try to give a minimum amount, for they need all the funds they can get to help other families in need as well. When I specifically requested it, by name, the worker looked surprised, and said "how did you know about the shush program?" "someone told me about it and I would like to apply for it" was my response. I wouldn’t tell them who, for it was none of their business and not relevant anyway.

    Bring in any suspension notices you have (we all have tons of those) to see if they can help.

    They may steer you toward the ‘emergency assistance’ dept there, which is fine. Do what you have to do.

    *Note-if you do not receive any cash assistance, you will NOT qualify for emergency assistance.

    If going to be evicted

    When I was sent yet another eviction notice, I didn’t know what to do. In New Jersey, if your rent is late, its grounds for eviction. Oh, by the way, most judges are landlords…so how do you think most of them rule? Yup.

    First things first, I went to the Social Services building (yuck), yet again asking for help with this eviction notice. They told me to see the emergency department. The emergency department told me there was nothing they could do, for I didn’t receive or qualify for cash assistance…and it is ONLY them they can offer emergency assistance to.

    Drat, yet another brick wall.

    They referred me to the homeless prevention program in the phone book. So I went home and called them. Sure they could help; I had to fill out a form and application, for it’s a loan. Oh by the way, you have to have good credit to get this loan. Well, my credit is trashed from the divorce, so that left me out.

    Yet another brick wall.

    So then I thought to myself “surely there must be someone who can help…I haven’t survived all of this crap and made it this far to be homeless”. So, as a last ditch effort, I went to my local Assemblymans office and explained my situation. He sent me home to wait for his phone call. He called with a name and number of a woman down at social services.

    Hmmm...I tried that route already, but ok. I went back down to Social Services again, requested her personally and told them whom referred me. In the end; They gave me a one time shot of help to pay my rent up to date.

    Seems they could have helped me in the first place, and chose not to, allowing yet another family to be homeless. Nice, real nice.

    Lesson learned.

    Electric

    As far as I know, they will not help with the expense of electric. Yes, I know we all need it and personally, I pity those whom don’t have it. I've been there, done that.

    Maybe they do help those whom medically require electric; again, I don’t know. Call your Social Services office and specifically ask.

    They will help with a partial amount on a suspension notices with the shush program. See the ‘shush program’ section here. For any remaining amount, try the Catholic Social Services. Sometimes they can help. If the ELECTRIC COMPANY still insists upon shutting you off, despite an effort being made and partial payment being done, report it to the Board of Public Utilities of your state. I have the whole states listings here on my website.

    The electric company still denied me turning my electric back on, even with the amount of payments from Social Services and Catholic services. Catholic Social Services reported it to the Board of Public Utilities and my electric services was restored immediately. The electric company then called me, willing to make payments now, even though I tried to call them for arrangements in the first place.

    I told them “yeah, now your willing to...since Catholic Social Services reported you”. They take advantage of ignorance don’t they? Nice, real nice.

    Again, lesson learned; REPORT IT.

    Phone

    They will NOT help you with the expense of a telephone. It is considered a luxury, not a necessity. I know, you have children and need it, but there it is. Maybe your state does it differently, I don't know, you will have to call them to find out.

    It is my understanding that if you are disabled, you get a break on your telephone fee's. Call your phone company and inquire; if you dont like the answers you get from reps, ask to speak to a supervisor.

    Heating

    I know, I know, more crap to go through...but your family needs heat, so just do it.

    Heating Assistance is available at most Social Services. If you qualify for cash assistance and full AFDC, you will qualify for heating assistance. Where I live, the checks are sent directly to you, about February (long after you started using your heater), and is made out directly to the heating provider. You sign it and they sign it and deposit it to their company account. If there is an excess amount left over, it will give you credit with that particular heating company.

    To be on the safe side, specifically request heating assistance.

    *NOTE- If you do NOT qualify for at least one dollar of AFDC, you will need to apply separately for this assistance check. If your heat is not in your name, you will not qualify either.

    Call your local Social Services office to see if they offer heating assistance.

    More

    Obviously, there are more stories of my adventures, but my point is this: There is more they can do for you then they are willing to admit or try. That is what they are paid/taught to do, deter, deter, deter...and who cares who suffers in the process.


    Check my other pages to see if there is anything else that may help.
CLICK HERE to go back to the main page
at www.angelfire.com/nj4/njcomputerchick
CLICK HERE TO GO BACK TO THE MAIN PAGE





Site hosted by Angelfire.com: Build your free website today!