Question about assistance - for a friend.

mckayleesmom wrote: I was talking to my friend today. She is about to be evicted. She has 2 little girls and a couple months ago her boyfriend of 8 years just up and moved in with some other woman. He hasn't been paying child support. The apartment manager knows what is going on and has been lenient with her, but she has a feeling its not going to last long. She owes about 800 dollars. She already recieves help with grocerys through state aide and stuff. She does work, but its a nursing facility where the hours are not guaranteed. She hasn't been getting alot of hours.

Anyways....she is trying to find out if there is some kind of emergency assistance she can look into. Im trying to help her, but I can't think of any. I know our old town has a food bank to help people out with food and some small stuff like toilet paper and shampoo....

Anybody have any suggestions for her to call or look into?

MyBrownEyedBoy replied: Her church if she belongs to one. Also, call the welfare department, they may have emergency assistance programs.

Crystalina replied: Oh man. I hate storys like this. I was raised with a scumbag stepfather so mom and us kids have seen it all and this is one of them. So sorry for your friend. Can she call any welfare agency for emergancy housing?

TheOaf66 replied: I am sure there is an agency that would help with her because she doesn't work full time hours. She could get state aid for that reason, I know a couple parents that do that (single moms)

flirtycuddle replied: Since she is recieving aid from the state that is the first place she should look. I was about to be evicted and was recieving food assitance and medical and they had a program that you had to ask about for emergency rental assistance and it paid up to 1500. I don't know if all states have that or not. Also their were community crisis centers that helped that were called family assistance or something like that. We also looked into local churches helping out and one was going to once we got our eviction notice but we got the state assistance befoer the eviction came.

Jamison'smama replied: There are emergency programs but they vary from state to state as do the requirements. She could call any social service agency--preferably one in her zip code and find out it either they offer assistance or know who does.

WHat city and state is she in--maybe I can find where to call.

mom2my2cuties replied: She should DEFINATELY file for AFDC (Aid For Dependant Children) it is through the state and through that - it will FORCE him to pay childsupport. But there are also places such as the Salvation Army and things that offer grants for similar situations I believe.

mckayleesmom replied: I believe she is in Silvis Illinois.......but its a small town and Im not sure if it even has a welfare office...so its probably under Moline Illinois.

mom2my2cuties replied: Small towns usually get help through county agencies.

kit_kats_mom replied: Have her do a search on subsidized housing or housing assistance in her state. I know that Florida has "section 8" housing where the state basicially pics up 70% of your rent each month. Tallahassee even has 3 or 4 new apartment complexes that were built for the program. They are nice 3 bedroom places for like $500/mo and you have to make less than whatever amount they say to qualify. It also pays for some other rental properties like houses too. I'm sure there is something out there for her, she just needs to know where to start.

Boo&BugsMom replied:
Every state is different, but here in WI we have several programs to check out for things like this. One is housing assistance. This is where the gov. pays a certain percentage of your rent. They will not pay anything if you own because they consider owning a house a luxary, which is understandable. Another is utility assistance, where they pay for a portion/percentage of your heat and electric bills. Usually you have to go down to the county's Health and Human Services department and ask to speak to someone for these types of programs. I've never been on any of them, but I have taken care of families who have been on assistance programs like these.

Also, she needs to press charges on the dad to sqeeze child suport out of him or he can get his butt thrown in jail. Someone should be able to help her with this. Dead beat dads need to pay up!!!

holley79 replied: maybe she can contact the state she lives in and see if they have emergency housing placement. Also maybe look into subsidized housing. They base the rent on your income. Best of luck to her.