I have worked for the Family and Social Services now for 26 years in Indiana. I work with people applying for Food Stamps and Tanf and Medicaid. I realize that we have a new level of people out there needing help. So I thought I would share some information about agencies that may be able to help those that do have a job but still need aditional help. Keep in mind the names of these agencies are Indiana names and may be named something else in the state you live in. Also keep in mind that each agency have their own income standards. So it will depend on the income you make a month and the amount of money they have available to help.
Help with utilities:
Community and Family Services-
Project Safe takes applications 2 times a year to help with utilities. Once starting in January for winter heating assistance with utilities and in the summer for cooling assistance. The cooling assistance is like a one time $50 or a fan if you meet the income qualifications.
United Way
If they have funds available they can help pay on utilities or rent one time a year. I beleive you may have to have a disconnect notice before they can help and you have to have not been eligible with Community and Family Services.
Help with child care:
Community and Family Services has a daycare program that can help pay on child care. This program is first available to people on Tanf but also for non Tanf if they have slots available. There may be waiting lists but it is best to get your name on the list.
Help with diapers and clothes for kids:
Family Centered Services occasionally will have diapers available in their closet place. They also have children's clothing. (at least in Bluffton they did not sure about other counties)
Help with prescriptions:
rxforindiana.org is a website that you can enter your income information and the prescriptions you take to see if you qualify for free prescriptions or reduced prescriptions from the pharmacuticals that make the medications.
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We just got our "we are sorry but you are over income" letter from community and family services for childcare help. I don't understand, we are making bare minimum, and if people are making less than us, do they have jobs?! It's extremely frustrating.
ReplyDeleteI explained our situation for August when I will be in Indy and shane will be here with the kids, hoping there would be some sort of short term financial assistance we could get while I'm not working but the kids have to be in daycare due to my hospital stay with Joshua, once again, no such luck. I'm hoping after I'm not working between surgeries and the kids are all home with me, that we will MAYBE qualify for food stamps on just Shane's income. That however will not pay the mortgage, utilities, and bills. I'm not sure how we are going to survive all of this without me working, but I won't have a choice.
Sorry...that was kind of a dump on you. I'm trying not to stress about all of it, and I know God will provide exactly what we need, but it's frustrating not having any help available to us even though we are working and trying our hardest to make ends meet.
Is there an appeal process? I think they take a yearly income look right? Or maybe that is the utility program that does that, I can't remember. I know they look at gross which is not what you live on. But that is why it seems strange to you that you make too much money. I encourage you to apply for SSI as soon as the baby is born. That will take several months to process but you need to get started as soon as possible. Have you checked into daycare assistance thru kids campus? Don't know if it is the same assistance or not. But by August you will have to count the rental income for your house plus Shane's income. But you will also be adding another person so that will help for the food stamps. The baby will also change your income standard for the child care so reapply when the baby is born. Do you qualify for WIC? That's another option. You might call the utility companies and ask if they have any assistance programs thru their companies.
ReplyDeleteI am currently on WIC which has been great. I'm planning on applying for SSI as soon as Joshua is born. I have met someone who lives in Indy and her baby just went through the same thing and they are looking at getting close to $700/mo. through SSI. Even if we got half that amount I would be happy!
ReplyDeleteKids Campus we have applied for and of course we make too much money for any sort of scholarships, plus since I won't be working and not in full time school, we don't qualify. It doesn't matter that I will be in and out of a NICU for a month and can't have the kids with me.
Just found your blog site. New to this aspect of the internet, etc. You are so great. Daughter applied for medicaid but have heard nothing since asked for more information in January/February. Any ideas?
ReplyDeletePSB,
ReplyDeleteDoes she live in Indiana? When you say "asked for informatioin" does that mean she asked for information or we asked for more information? Either way,she needs to call the 800 number and ask for status. If they say pending then have her ask for the 800 number for the Governor complaint line. Call that number and explain that she applied months ago and has not heard anything. Sorry I don't have the number memorized.