Where to turn when you're desperate

By Liz Pulliam Weston

Every day, people fall off the bottom rung of the economic ladder. They lose their jobs or their homes, or both, and have too little savings to cushion the blow.

Lately, though, it seems more people tumbling off the ladder are those who've never needed help before. Food banks and housing counselors report an influx of formerly middle-class and even upper-middle-class people who have little idea of what resources may be available to them.

A network of federal, state, local government and nonprofit agencies provide aid to low-income folks who need help paying for, among other things:

• Food.

• Shelter.

• Utilities.

• Transportation.

• Medical and dental care.

Many states and some nonprofits also provide cash grants or loans to needy individuals and families. If you're trying to cope with little or no income and ballooning expenses, read on for details of various programs and when you should consider applying.

If you don't need the information right now, consider bookmarking this column anyway. You never know when you or someone you love might need a hand.

Guides to benefits

GovBenefits.gov should be your first stop. This federal government site has an interactive tool that can help you identify the aid programs you might be eligible for, along with links that can connect you to state resources.

Other places to check: Dialing 211 in some areas will link you to an operator who can help you find services you might qualify for (through a United Way-sponsored program). Also, try your state human-services agency's Web site.

Bottom line: These resources will give you an overview of an array of government programs you might qualify for, and you don't necessarily have to be broke to benefit. If you're eligible and need the help offered, you should apply; your tax dollars paid for these programs while you were working.

Government food programs

About 28 million low-income Americans get help buying groceries every month, thanks to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Stamp Program.

A family of four with a monthly gross income of $2,238 or less could qualify for food stamps worth $542 a month. The family typically must have less than $2,000 in "countable" assets, such as money in bank accounts. The value of a vehicle worth more than $4,650 may be considered as well. The calculations for eligibility are pretty complicated and vary somewhat by state, so use the eligibility calculator at the Food Stamp Program home page.

If you're pregnant or breast-feeding, or have children younger than 5, you may qualify for WIC (Women, Infants and Children) aid, which includes nutritional assistance to at-risk mothers and children.

Bottom line: If you qualify, use the aid in good conscience. The programs were set up to help the most-at-risk individuals and families avoid hunger.

Food banks

Food stamps might not be enough, or you may not qualify for help. If that's the case, America's Second Harvest is a food bank network that provides a food bank locator you can search by ZIP code or state.

Food banks currently are experiencing heavy demand, and donations haven't kept up. The federal government has dramatically reduced food contributions in recent years, and dollars contributed by other sources don't go as far with both demand and food prices rising.

Bottom line: If you need this resource, by all means, use it. But since there's not enough to go around, use food banks only as a last resort.

Housing resources

If you're facing foreclosure, you should contact a housing counselor approved by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, which also has information about avoiding foreclosure and foreclosure scams on its site.

If you need rental assistance, HUD is the place to start as well. Rental-assistance vouchers (known as Section 8) allow you to choose your own apartment or house, but the waiting list is years long. Public housing or private subsidized housing may be a better bet. HUD also has links to state rental-assistance programs for people with low incomes and disabilities.

Bottom line: These resources are available to try to prevent people from losing their homes and/or becoming homeless. If you qualify for help, consider applying.

Utilities

Most utilities, including phone and energy companies, have "lifeline" accounts that offer basic or discounted service to low-income customers.

Continued: Federal assistance

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