Subcategories

• Welfare

  What is “Welfare”?
  
  To some people, welfare means cash assistance only.  In the following articles about welfare we talk about cash assistance and other benefits provided by your county Department of Social Services (“DSS”), including:

  
  

  • Family Assistance (also called TANF)
  • Safety Net Assistance, cash and non-cash
  • Emergency Assistance
  • HEAP and Emergency HEAP
  • Child care assistance

  
  

  The following articles will tell you how to apply for these benefits, about the eligibility requirements for these benefits, and what to do if your application is denied.  
  
  Medicaid and Food Stamps are other benefits that are provided by DSS.  They are covered in separate sections.  (link)
  
  Some other benefits are provided by other agencies and are covered in separate articles:  

  
  

  - Unemployment Insurance Benefits are provided by the New York State Department of Labor (link)

  -  Social Security Disability Benefits and SSI are provided by the federal Social Security Administration (link)

  -  Section 8 Housing Assistance is provided by local public housing authorities and funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (link)

  -  Veteran’s benefits are provided through the federal Veteran’s Administration (link)

  Article Count:

  12

• Food Stamps

  The Food Stamp program can help you buy food, if you qualify.  The Food Stamp program has higher income limits than some other programs, so you may want to consider applying for Food Stamps even if you are denied other help from DSS.
  
  LawNY has special help available in Wayne and Monroe counties to help you get food stamps.  If you live in Wayne County, call our Geneva office at 315-781-1465.  If you live in Monroe County, call our Rochester office at 585-295-5624. 
  
  If you believe you need food stamps, the only way for any legal services office to figure out whether you were properly denied is to see the written denial from DSS.  Apply and ask for a copy of the denial.

  Article Count:

  3

• SSI

  Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a Federal program that is designed to help people who have little or no income and are aged, blind, or disabled. SSI provides cash to meet basic needs for food, clothing, and shelter. 
  

  Article Count:

  3

• SSD
  Social Security Disability Insurance pays benefits to you and certain members of your family if you are "insured," meaning that you worked long enough and paid Social Security taxes.

  Article Count:

  1