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Survival Tips
Greater Boston Legal Services
...can help you get benefits
If you are having trouble getting the benefits to which you are entitled, contact Greater Boston Legal Services at (617) 371-1234. They can give you advice or representation to deal with the Department of Transitional Assistance (welfare) or a Housing Authority. GBLS provides either a bilingual advocate or uses interpreters to communicate with non-English-speaking clients.
Education and Training can now count toward the TAFDC work requirement. TAFDC recipients can count at least twelve months of education (including in an associateıs degree program, but not in a 4 year college program) and/or training toward their work requirement. If you are already in an education or training program that was approved by DTA before September 8, 2003, it can count toward the work requirement even if the program takes longer than a year.
Housing Search for people in emergency shelter also counts toward the work requirement. For families who are in shelter, DTA must treat them as in full compliance with the work requirement as long as they are in compliance with any EA or shelter housing search requirements, regardless of how many hours of housing search they are doing
DTA is not supposed to lower or stop your benefits for not meeting the work requirement (or the terms of your Employment Development Plan) if you have "good cause" such as:
o lack appropriate and available child care;
o lack affordable and reliable transportation;
o need to do housing search;
o lack an available and appropriate community service site identified by DTA;
o have a family member who has an illness or disability;
o need to care for a family member who has an illness or disability;
o have a family crisis, an emergency or other compelling circumstance beyond your
control that you must attend during hours you would otherwise be doing required
activities;
o have a job or were offered a job that: violated minimum wage laws; discriminated on the basis of age, sex, race, religion, ethnic origin, or physical or mental disability; violated health and safety standards; or was available due to a strike or lockout.
DTA is not supposed to lower or stop your benefits without first reviewing all the above good cause reasons with the family to see if any apply. If you think DTA made a mistake in reducing or taking away your benefits, quickly file an appeal and contact your local Legal Services Office for help.
Get money back from Earned Income Tax Credit
Many people donıt know that they can get money back from the government. Workers with more than one child in 2003 who had a family income of less than $33,692 (or $34,692 for married workers) can get up to $4,204. Workers who were raising one child in their home in 2003 and had a family income of less than $29,666 (or $30,666 for married workers) $2,547. Workers who are not raising children in their home, were between ages 25 and 64 on December 31, 2003, and had income below $11,230 (or $12,230 for married workers), can get up to $382.
If you would like to get an estimate of how much you might be entitled to get back, go to the EITC web site at http://www.cbpp.org/eic2004/index.html
You can get EITC Advance Payments in your paychecks. To get EIC Advance payments, give a W-5 form to your employer. You can get the W-5 from your employer, or by calling the IRS at 1-800-TAX-FORM (1-800-829-3676). If you have a checking account, you can have your EITC refund deposited directly.
Some people pay money to a private tax company like H&R Block to get help in filing their tax form or to get the money right away. Rather than do that, try to get free advice. Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) is a free, IRS-sponsored program to help low-income workers fill out their tax forms. To find the location of a VITA site near you, call 1-800-829-1040. Ask for the procedures department.
If you live in Boston, you can get free help in applying for the EITC and free financial counseling. Call 617-918-5275 or visit www.bostontaxhelp.org
A familyıs earned income tax credit payments do not count as income in determining eligibility or benefit levels for TAFDC, Medicaid, food stamps, SSI, work experience activities (such as community service), or public housing. Work-study students can file for EITC.
To figure your EITC, use a special worksheet included as part of the EITC instructions in form 1040, 1040A, or 1040EZ. Instructions in these forms require some taxpayers to use a worksheet in Publication 596 instead of the worksheet in the tax package.
Massachusetts worker get an extra state credit worth 15% of their federal credit. You can order a tax form and get more information by calling 617-887-6367 or1-800-392-6089.
$150 clothing allowance may make you eligible
for TAFDC in September even if you werenıt
eligible any other month
We arenıt sure yet whether the clothing allowance will be available again this year, but as of this writing the House Ways and Means Committee has approved it, so there is a good chance that it will be available.
If you were told that your income was too high to receive TAFDC (welfare for your family), you might be eligible in September. The standard by which the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) figures eligibility is called the Need Standard. The Need Standard goes up by $150 per child in September when the $150 clothing allowance is paid, so it might be worth your while to apply for TAFDC in September.
A note about the Need Standard: It doesnıt have anything to do with how much a person really needs to live. The "self-sufficiency standard" that Wider Opportunities for Women developed to show how much it really costs to live in Boston said that a 3-person family needed to earn over $51,284 in 2003 in order to meet expenses. The DTA Need Standard for a 3-person family that is exempt from the work requirement and living in unsubsidized housing is $7,116 a year.
$150 clothing allowance may make you eligible
for TAFDC in September even if you weren't
eligible any other month
We arenıt sure yet whether the clothing allowance will be available again this year, but as of this writing the House Ways and Means Committee has approved it, so there is a good chance that it will be available.
If you were told that your income was too high to receive TAFDC (welfare for your family), you might be eligible in September. The standard by which the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) figures eligibility is called the Need Standard. The Need Standard goes up by $150 per child in September when the $150 clothing allowance is paid, so it might be worth your while to apply for TAFDC in September.
A note about the Need Standard: It doesnıt have anything to do with how much a person really needs to live. The "self-sufficiency standard" that Wider Opportunities for Women developed to show how much it really costs to live in Boston said that a 3-person family needed to earn over $51,284 in 2003 in order to meet expenses. The DTA Need Standard for a 3-person family that is exempt from the work requirement and living in unsubsidized housing is $7,116 a year.
WHO GIVES HELP?
Where can you go for help with rent, food, money, utilities or fuel assistance when your welfare or SSI money runs out, or when you have been kicked off of welfare because of time limits?
The United Way First Call for Help is a good place to begin looking. They have up-to-date information on who gives help and can give you information and a referral. Call your local United Way. In the Greater Boston area, the number is 1-800-231-4377. They have interpreter services for up to 140 different languages. If you don't know the number of your local United Way in Massachusetts, they can tell you.
The United Way also has a Substance Abuse Help Line, 1-800-327-5050.
Catholic Charities gives emergency assistance, when funds are available, to income eligible households in the Boston area for back rent if you have an eviction notice, and to pay utility bills if you have a notice that the utility will be shut off. This help is for one time only. They also have a food pantry in Dorchester, and at El Centro del Cardenal, for which you need a referral from the Hunger Hot Line, 1-800-645-8333.
Call your local Catholic Charities. In Dorchester the number is 617-287-1150. Telephone numbers for other offices are: El Centro del Cardenal, 617-542-9292; Haitian Center, 617-436-2848; Laboure Center (South Boston), 617-268-9670; Somerville, 617-625-1920; Catholic Charities North, 781-593-2312; Merrimack Valley (Lowell), 978-452-1421; Brockton, 508-587-0815; Natick, 508-647-5638; Milford, 508-478-9632.
ABCD in Boston may give start-up money for the first month rent for security or rental arrearage funds for eligible homeless individuals and homeless and at-risk families who are living in shelters, if funds are available. They help people find housing and get subsidized housing. They help women or families who need help to relocate because of domestic violence. They also help prevent homelessness by providing eviction prevention services such as landlord/tenant mediation and negotiation, legal information and referral, and fund raising. Their number is 617-357-6000, ext. 6647.
Traveler's Aid Family Services has a limited program to provide short term emergency shelter to Boston families in crisis. As a last resort, they will put a family up in a hotel until other arrangements can be made. They give transportation help for victims of domestic violence. Call them during the day at 617-542-7286. Spanish translation is available.
The Salvation Army Good Neighbor Energy Fund helps people out with utilities and oil expenses if their income is 200% - 275% above the poverty level ($24,980 - $34,348 for a family of two; $31,340 - $43,093 for a family of three; $37,700 - $51,838 for a family of four), if they have the funds. Most people at that income level are not eligible for fuel assistance from anti-poverty agencies.
Heating oil is given on a case-by-case basis. They can sometimes help with food.
Contact your local Salvation Army. In Roxbury, Dorchester, and Jamaica Plain, the number is 617-427-6700. In Revere, E. Boston, and Chelsea, the number is 617-884-0260. In all other neighborhoods, call 617-236-7233. The Brockton number is 508-583-1896. The number for eastern Massachusetts is 1-800-334-3047. The number for western Massachusetts is 1-800-262-1230.
Roxbury Multi-service Center gives funds for back rent (and sometimes a security deposit), back electricity and gas bills (sometimes for current bills), and emergency food, depending on availability of funds. They help with fuel assistance, but you need to apply to ABCD first. They sometimes help with mortgage payments. Call 617-427-4470, ext. 435.
Howard Benevolence Society gives money for crisis intervention. Their first priority is to prevent homelessness. They can sometimes help with back rent and the first monthıs rent to help a family move into a permanent residence. Sometimes they can help with utilities and fuel assistance. They serve families and the elderly in Boston. They do some oil deliveries. If funds are available when people call, they will consider the request. Their number is 617-742-2952.
Local towns: Some organizations operate on a town by town basis. Their numbers can be found in the phone book, or by dialing 411. These include local churches and civic clubs, including: Kiwanis, Elks, Lions, Knights of Columbus, Rotary, Quota, Jaycees, The Masons. Veterans can get some help at their local Veteran's Services.
HELP IN THE BROCKTON AREA:
Southeastern Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation (SMLAC), 508-586-2110, deals with housing, special education, immigration, domestic violence, elders, tenant rights, Title 3, long term care, and benefits (including TAFDC, EA, EAEDC. Food stamps, Social Security, SSI, Mass Health, and Medicare). They have offices in Brockton, Fall River, and New Bedford. They are at 231 Main Street, Suite 201.
United Way Help Line, 508-584-4357, gives information about services in the Brockton area.
Self Help, 508-588-6602, gives fuel assistance and sometimes helps with back utilities, if they have the funds.
Salvation Army, 508-583-1896, can help with back rent if they have the funds. They may help with fuel and utilities if Self-Help denies help. Call and leave your name and number and they will call back. They have dollar bags on Monday and a food pantry Tuesday and Friday, 1:00 - 3:00. Their address is 216 Center Street, Brockton, MA 02303.
Catholic Charities Initial Response, 508-587-0815, has a limited amount of money to help with a variety of things including back rent, utilities, and fuel assistance. They can take food stamp applications. They have a food pantry from Monday through Friday, 10:00 - 1:00. They are at 686 North Main Street, Brockton, MA 02301.
HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS
Help with back rent and other expenses,
to prevent homelessness
The Residential Assistance for Families in Transition Program (RAFT) is available for eligible families who are at risk of becoming homeless because they cannot afford housing costs without financial assistance. The familyıs total annual income must be at or below 130 percent of the Federal Poverty Level ($20,917 for a family of 3; $25,155 for a family of 4). The maximum benefit is $3,000 per family per year. Eligible families can access program funds more than once, but cannot exceed the $3,000 cap within a 12 month period. The program will begin July 1, 2005. Help is given on a first-come-first-serve basis. Last year the money ran out after six months.
The money can be used for: security deposits; first and/or last monthıs rent; utility arrearages; rent arrearages; other housing-related expenses such as furniture, refrigerator, household equipment; transportation-related expenses if necessary for employment; and mortgage payment arrearages (to be considered on a case-by-case basis).
The program is administered by the Department of Housing and Community Development. Applicants should apply at one of the nine Housing Consumer Education Centers operated by regional nonprofit agencies. In the Boston area, apply at Metropolitan Boston Housing Partnership, Inc., 125 Lincoln Street, Boston, MA 02111; phone 617-425-6700 or 800-272-0990.
Up to $1,000 available for homeless families
moving into an apartment
Families who are homeless and find an apartment can get relocation benefits to help them move into the apartment from the Department of Transitional Assistance (welfare department) up to $1,000. This is available to people who receive TAFDC (Transitional Assistance to Families with Dependent Children) and EAEDC if they have been in a temporary emergency shelter or a shelter for victims of domestic violence for 60 days or more. It is also available to teen parents, 18 or 19 years old, in a teen structured living program for 60 days or more who meet the DTA conditions for living independently.
The relocation benefit is for expenses including (but not limited to): advance rent, security deposit, rent arrearage, utility arrearages or deposit, basic furniture, storage, and/or moving expenses. A signed statement from the landlord or company indicating the amount(s) due is required. The relocation benefit is not given directly to the family, but to the person or company that provides the service. People may not receive the relocation benefit more than once in a 12-month period.
You can apply for relocation benefits through your welfare worker. If you have trouble getting them, contact Greater Boston Legal Services at (617) 371-1234.
Mass. Coalition for the Homeless, 781-595-7570, gives information and advocacy, and lobbies for better policies for the homeless. They have published several booklets which give advice on dealing with eviction, getting a Section 8 voucher, finding affordable housing, access to shelter, and knowing your housing rights. These are free.
The Mass. Coalition for the Homeless is located at 15 Bubier Street, Lynn, MA 01901.
City Life/Vida Urbana organizes community residents to get more affordable housing, to prevent evictions, and to tell people about their rights to housing. They have published a very helpful booklet, Tenantsı Rights Manual, available in both English and Spanish, which costs $3. They are one of the leaders in the community stabilization campaign to get rents stabilized in Boston. For information, call City Life/Vida Urbana, 617-524-3541. They are located at 3313 Washington Street, Boston, MA, and their mailing address is P.O. Box 117, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130. Their web site is www.clvu.org, fax 617-524-3555.
Boston residents who are homeless after 5:00 and on weekends, can call the Boston Mayorıs Hotline at 617-635-4500. During week day hours, call the Emergency Shelter Commission at 617-635-4507. Translators are available for Spanish. Pregnant women and families with children can apply for EA shelter through the DTA office at 90 Washington Street, Dorchester.
FREE FURNITURE/HOUSEHOLD GOODS
The Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless runs a furniture bank for families and individuals who are moving to permanent housing. People are eligible if they have been homeless within the past 90 days. The furniture bank also provides blankets, when available. To apply, you need to be referred by an agency. In Boston, call the Donations Assistance Program at 781-595-7570.
A staff person loads the furniture on to a truck, but the organization does not provide a truck.
HELP WITH CHILDREN'S CLOTHING
The Childrenıs Clothing Exchange, a program of Solutions at Work, is at the Roosevelt Towers Housing Complex, 391 Everteze Way, Cambridge, MA 02141. Phone (617) 576-0039. Open Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursday: 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
You can obtain clothing for newborns through age 14. They have professional clothing for women and men who are entering a job, by appointment only. They also have shoes and some clothing for older children. You can exchange clean, ready-to-wear clothing that your children have outgrown, or you can donate your time to work in the Exchange. No money is needed. Families in crisis donıt need to exchange on their first visit. Free children's books and toys and baby strollers and car seats are available.
HELP FOR PARENTS UNDER STRESS
The Parental Stress Line is a toll free hotline to give support to parents who are under stress. It is available for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call 1-800-632-8188.
HIGHER EDUCATION
Educational Opportunity Centers can help you find scholarships, choose a college, complete admission and financial aid applications, get your college admission fee waived, and get advice on paying for college. You can talk with an advisor, use their computers to find scholarships, and look through their resource books all free of charge.
There are 6 Educational Opportunity Centers throughout Massachusetts. They are in: Boston, phone 617- 536-0200 (in the Concourse level of the Boston Public Library), open 9-9 Monday-Thursday and 9-5 Friday and Saturday. Open 1-5 on Sunday from October to May; New Bedford, 589 South First Street, phone 508-996-3147; Worcester, Denham Building, 484 Main St., Suite 500, Website: www.cowc.org. This center also focuses on getting your GED or vocational training, phone 508-754-6829; Pittsfield, phone 413-499-9531; Lynn, phone 781-477-2114; Springfield, phone 413-612-0206. It is at the Career Center in Brockton, 508-513-3405.
EMERGENCY BIRTH CONTROL
If you have had unprotected sex or think your birth control method has failed, you can use the "morning-after-pill" to prevent pregnancy. This is not the abortion pill RU-486. The pill is called Preven and Plan B and is 75 to 89 percent effective at preventing pregnancy if taken within 72 hours of unprotected sex. If you are sexually active, it is good to have it on hand just in case. If your doctor or hospital refuses to give you a prescription, call the Emergency Contraceptive Hotline, 888-not-2-lat (888-668-2528), to get the name of a provider near you.
MORE USEFUL INFORMATION
The DTA Recipient Services Office is very helpful in giving information about policy and what you are entitled to. Call 617-348-5502 or 1-800-445-6004.
DTA regulations are available on the Web: www.state.ma.us/dta
Child care benefits regulations and other information are available on the Web at www.QualityChildCare.org, which is the website for the state Office of Child Care Services.
The Massachusetts Alliance on Teen Pregnancy Benefits Access Line, for teen parents and people who work with them. They answer questions about welfare, food stamps, housing, child care or other services in your area that teen and their children might be eligible for. 1-800-645-3750 ext. 115.
Jane Doe, Inc. A hot line, sponsored by the Mass. Coalition Against Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence, helps people who are sexually assaulted or fleeing from domestic violence (617) 248-0922.
Free Car Seats. If you are enrolled in the BMC HealthNet plan, you are entitled to a free car seat for your baby. Contact your insurance plan and request the car seat.
Thanks to Melanie Malherbe of Greater Boston Legal Services for checking the accuracy of welfare related information.
Note: We have checked this information carefully and believe that it is correct at the time of writing, May 2005. However, things sometimes change. Agencies sometimes use up their money or change their policies. We will check the information again before we print another issue, so subscribe to Survival News for the latest survival tips!
Betty Reid Mandell
Survivors, Inc., (617) 298-7311
Last Modified 5/2007 info..at..cqs.com
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FOOD PROGRAMS
Project Bread can give you information about food stamps, and can tell you what food pantries and food kitchens are near you. They have translators in several languages. Call their FoodSource Hotline, 1-800-645-8333; TTY: 1-800-377-1292.
Everyone has the right to apply for Food Stamps at their local DTA office on their first visit to the office or to call to have an application form sent by mail and then to mail it to DTA. If you are eligible based on the information DTA asks about your family and financial situation and you have little or no income at the time, DTA is supposed to get Food Stamp benefits to you within 7 days after you apply, without waiting for you to get all the documentation. (You do have to get the documentation in eventually, in order to keep getting benefits.)
Serve New England
Serve New England is a program in which people can buy a family meal package of food for $20.00 in cash or food stamps plus 2 hours of service to the community. (There may be an additional charge of 50 cents to $1 to cover the cost of transportation.) This program saves you 30% to 50% on food, compared to grocery store prices. The family package contains four meals for four people (a total of 16 meals). The cost is $1.12 a meal.
The food is fresh, not donated. There are no income eligibility requirements. They distribute only once a month. The package of food is a standard package with no choices, although it varies from month to month. Contact SERVE toll-free at 1-888-742-7363 to find out the nearest distribution point to your home.
HELP WITH ELECTRIC AND GAS BILLS
You may qualify for a 25% discount from the basic electric rate with NSTAR if you receive Medicaid, food stamps, SSI, TAFDC, fuel assistance, national school lunch/breakfast program, or Massachusetts Veteran Service benefits. Call 1-800-566-2080 to ask for an application form.
While only electric companies are required by law to give discounts, most gas companies also give them, including K-Span (formerly Boston Gas) and NSTAR Gas (formerly Com Gas).
You can get electricity restored in the case of a serious illness or financial hardship. You need verification (i.e. doctor's letter and income verification from DTA). The information can be faxed to the NSTAR Electric Support Team at 781-441-3686. The doctor's note must state serious illness and the nature of illness, and should state the name and address of the person. It has to be renewed every 90 days in the case of chronic illness; 30 days in the case of a serious illness; once a year for medical equipment. Note: The definition of "serious illness" can include depression, PTSD, anxiety, severe ADHD of a child, and other psychological impairments.
If you cannot resolve a dispute about gas or electricity cut-off with your utility company, you can appeal through the DTE (Department of Telecommunications and Energy.) You have the right to file a complaint with DTEıs Consumer Division, 1 South Station, Boston, MA 02110, phone 1-800-392-6066, or 617-305-3531. If you cannot resolve it over the phone, a hearing may be possible after the DTE investigates.
HELP WITH THE TELEPHONE BILL
You can save on your telephone bill with the telephone company's Lifeline program. You can also save half the cost of installing new service or moving your service. Anyone on Mass Health, SSI, food stamps, TAFDC, fuel assistance, or EAEDC is eligible. Call Verizon at 1-800-980-9999 to ask for an application form, or get a form from the worker at your program. The DTA or the Office of Fuel Assistance needs to verify that you are on one of those programs.
This information is only for Massachusetts; other states may have different regulations.
HEALTH CARE
The Free Care Pool is a program that offers free care at hospitals and health centers to eligible residents of Massachusetts who earn up to 200% of the poverty guidelines ($31,340 for a family of 3) and reduced-fee care for families up to 400% of the poverty guidelines ($62,680 for a family of 3). Call your community health center or hospital for more information or for an application.
Health care for the homeless
Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program provides health care for the homeless at clinics, Boston shelters, Boston Medical Center, and Mass General Hospital. They have a Respite Homes Program for homeless people after a hospital stay. Call 617-414-7779. Be sure to say you are calling about the respite homes program.
Medical equipment available
Pass it On gives medical equipment, such as wheel chairs or related items
to low-income people. They deliver to eastern Massachusetts as far as
Worcester County. While the equipment is free, they ask for help in paying
for transporting the equipment. They do not have bathroom equipment. Call
508-477-6966 or 1-800-267-6768
FREE AND LOW-COST LEGAL HELP
The Massachusetts Bar Association gives free legal help through their Dial-a-Lawyer program on the first Wednesday of every month, from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. Call 617-338-0610. They give advice on anything. They also have a referral service at 1-800-392-6164.
Hale and Dorr Legal Services Cente has a clinic at 122 Boylston Street, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130, phone (617) 522-3003. Call to find out their hours. Their Community Enterprise Project is for people who want to buy a home. The clinic deals with housing, SSI appeals and benefits, unemployment and unpaid wages, HIV related issues, child guardianship , and child support.
Harvard Legal Aid Burea, 617-495-4408, provides legal services to low income people on housing issues, domestic violence, or benefits. Their services are free to recipients of TAFDC, EAEDC, SSI, or SSDI. They serve anybody in Middlesex or Suffolk counties. They are located at 1587 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138. They are open from 9 to 5 Monday through Friday. Call for an appointment.
The National Lawyer's Guild provides legal assistance to low or moderate income people through their referral service. They handle all kinds of legal problems, including immigration. Fees are generally negotiated on a sliding scale basis. Spanish is spoken. Their hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 - 3:00. Call 617-227-7008.
HELP AVAILABLE FOR IMMIGRANTS
Greater Boston Legal Services at 617-371-1234 represents immigrants.
The Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA) provides trainings, advocacy, and information to groups. Call 617-350-5480.
The Irish Immigration Center has an Immigration/Citizenship Assistance Program that offers a range of services to all immigrants (not just Irish people) including information and referral, immigration services, employment assistance, and a cross cultural program. They are accredited by the Department of Justice and can represent people in interviews with the Department. They are located at 59 Temple Pl., Suite 1010, Boston, MA 02111, phone 617-542-7654.
Catholic Charities Refugee and Immigration Office, 617-451-7979, helps refugees, asylees, and Cuban and Haitian parolees (people who have been detained by the U.S. Department of Justice and are now on parole). Their services include: cash assistance, employment assistance, case management, English classes, and social service referrals. Asylees can receive services within the first month after getting asylum status and during that month are eligible for more services such as cash assistance and employment services. They are located at 75 Kneeland Street, Boston, MA 02111.
The Pair Project, 617-742-9296, provides free legal assistance to low- and no-income asylum seekers. They also provide assistance to immigration detainees.
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