Seniors, people with disabilities, low-income individuals and their families are entitled to societal support through government aid.
Government financial assistance is there for you when you need it. Our resourceful guide helps you find the assistance you need to improve your living situation and support your family.
Here is our guide to government aid resources:
Food Assistance
No one should have to go hungry. Take advantage of these benefits afforded to those looking for assistance to feed themselves and their family.
- SNAP stands for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. You will qualify if you meet resource and income limits. These limits are set by each state agency.
- WIC stands for Women, Infants and Children. WIC offers access to healthy foods for women and their children. You will qualify if you’ve given birth in the last 6 months, if you’re pregnant or if you are currently breastfeeding. WIC also offers nutrition counseling and referrals to health, wellfare, and social services.
- School Meals through the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program will ensure your child can eat despite economic hardship. Kids from qualified low-income houses will get health meals for free, even over the summer through the Summer Food Services Program.
- Supplemental Food for Seniors programs are based on your area of residency and income. You must be over 60 years of age and your income must be at 185% of the poverty level in order to qualify for most programs. The poverty level is determined by the size of your household and your income. Click here to review the federal poverty levels.
Affordable Rent
Shelter and finding a safe place to rest is necessary for everyone. There are programs available to help you find an affordable place to live or keep the home you’ve already found.
- Subsidized Housing is affordable rental housing that is paid for by the government. In other words, the government pays landlords a certain amount to provide low-rent apartments.
- Housing Vouchers are subsidies provided by the government that supplement housing costs while allowing you to find your own rental housing. The government provides a voucher amount based on your family size and income. You pay the difference, if any.
- Public Housing Programs are rental properties owned by the government. The government determines your eligibility based on your income and current reputation as a tenant.
- Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (or LIHEAP) helps low-income households pay for the cost of heating or cooling their homes. In times of extreme weather, these services can be essential. Avoid another sweltering summer or bone-chilling winter with LIHEAP. This program even offers low-cost home improvements to help further reduce these costs long-term.
Medical Care Expenses
- Medicaid provides free or low-cost medical benefits for eligible people in need. Those who qualify include: those that meet a low-income threshold; those that are pregnant; children; those that are over the age of 65; and those that have a disability.
- CHIP, or Children’s Health Insurance Program, is for kids whose parents can’t afford private coverage but make too much to qualify for Medicaid. This ensures your child receives medical care regardless of your financial situation.
General Financial Assistance
- EBT stands for “electronic benefits assistance.” This is the official name for the government welfare debit card. This handy card will automatically allow you to receive your government benefits. You can transfer these funds to your personal account or simply use this card for making payments.
- Unemployment benefits are entitled to people who’ve lost their jobs for reasons outside of their control. Being laid off is a common cause, as companies go out of business or undergo restructuring. If you’ve worked in the last year and met the minimum wage requirement, you will qualify for unemployment. To receive benefits, you will certify each week that you looked for employment and were unable to find any.
Governments Loans
You may be able to get a government loan to help with school, housing and business-related costs. Keep in mind that these loans will need to be repaid, typically with interest.
- Student Loans from the government, called Federal Student Loans (FSA’s), come in four types. Undergraduate students can find subsidized and unsubsidized loans, which are based on financial need. Graduate students can apply for Direct PLUS loans, and pre-existing student loan debt can be consolidated into a single government loan.
- Housing Loans can help you repair damage after a natural disaster or for home improvement projects, like installing solar panels.
- Small Business Loans help you finance your business.
Financial assistance is available to you if you need it. If you think you may qualify and benefit from one of these programs, you can find more detailed information and online applications directly online on www.usa.gov.
