Hi everyone!
My husband lost his job and we have two kids. Six and 17mos. We both are frantically looking for a job, but right now we have applied for assistance until we get back on our feet. It's been a couple of weeks and now we're down to the nitty gritty financially wise. How long did it take for you to receive your benefits? Seems like everytime we turn around we're getting letters from the office wanting us to answer more and more questions.
Thank you all for listening/reading. :-)
Rachel K: The post I did on Jan 13th stated he "lost his job a few days before". He wasn't 'loosing' his job. Yes we started the process a couple of weeks ago, and yes we got everything they have asked for. DES backed up? Oye....well that is just great. But I guess it's expected with a lot of people losing their jobs.
Someone mentioned that we can call our case worker? Well, nope we can't. We talked with our case worker one time and that was it. He said that we won't talk to him again, nor see him unless there is something unusual about our case. Other than that, it's more less a waiting game. Everytime we call to see about our status, it sends us to this one number and then tells us to call back because they are busy and it automatically hangs up on you. You can't even leave a message. We can't checke status on the internet because apparently they're backed up on inputing data.
DES is really backed up right now. I was told it could take up to 2 months. Good luck, we are waiting too.
welcome to the world of government bureaucracy! Paperwork can take almost two months for them to process and approve before they begin to determine funding needs. Unemployment is usually the fastest office and they are even slow right now (it took my boyfriend almost two months before he heard anything about his application when he went on it a while ago). Food stamps and other welfare programs will take a while unless you are a currently pregnant mother or in what is considered an emergency state (i.e. you have no cash at all). As far as your caseworker, I believe that he said that. They have hundreds of cases at one time that they are having to research and approve, all while monitor their already hundreds of cases to make sure they aren't frauding the system. It is a giant mess of a system. Good luck though!
They have to verify all of your info. You may be able to get emergency food stamps but that is only if you have no money in the bank and your income is less then your mortgage/rent. Also on your Jan 13 post you said he was loosing his job so you couldn't have applied more then 2 weeks ago. Try to relax. They require a lot of info to process your applications such as utility bills to prove you live where you claim you do, birth certificates for everyone, social security cards for everyone, bank statements, proof he has actually been terminated, etc as they process your application and verify your info it may come up that they need something else from you. In the meantime call your utility companies and ask for a payment plan, call your mortgage company and talk to them, if you have car loans call and talk to them. Cut back everything you can cancel your Internet and cable those are not a basic necessities, go to widener will tell you immediately if you qualify, go to local food banks. You'll make it. Call your case worker and ask them where they are with your application.
I know that you are still waiting for the welfare/foodstamps part of assistance, but in the mean time have you thought about getting WIC? Really only the 19 month old would be eligible, but you would still get an ok supply of milk,cheese, juice, cereal and some other healthy food to help make ends meet. Not only that, but you get the vouchers for the food at the appointment and would be able to go and get food items that day. Also try to locate your local food shelf they will be able to help fill in the gaps as well with food and nessesities.
I've never been in this situation, however, I do know that it usually takes several months. All of your documentation and claims need to be verified. This takes time.
How long has he been unemployed? Has he applied for unemployment, you usually start collecting within 3 weeks. This should cover you for a few months.
Have you eaten any meals at local soup kitchens or contacted your local food bank for food assitance? Have you applied for WIC for your 17 mo?
You need to call the worked and ask her. Each worker has different approaches to how long it will take, she/he may have 200 applications sitting on their desk waiting on income verification or social security cards from every member. You can't possibly know how long it is going to take unless you ask them. I know it is frustrating and stressful, just know that if you qualify it will come, you can all around and see if there are any food banks or free evening meals. We go M-Th each week to a church that offers free meals to anyone who shows up. They are usually pretty good food and lots of families go, there is even a kids area to do crafts or play with toys in one corner. The food banks are usually once a month but have cereal, sometimes frozen meat or fresh fruit and veggies. The funding keeps getting cut and the boxes get smaller but still, food is food.
The same thing happened to us when I was 5 months pregnant so I feel your pain. There is an additional benifit called TANF or temporary aid to needy families. It is cash for things like food and bills and you just have to show proof you are looking for work each week to get it (I think it was twice a month payment of $140 or so). This is in addition to food stamps so call DES and see if you can ask specifically about that. Also, food banks have discounted or free food boxes and yes get on WIC - it is a much simpler process than DES benefits. Good luck!
I think it really depends on your situation, and your location. I applied when I was pregnant for the same reasons, but I didn't need to give them alot of info and the benefits started pretty quickly if I remember right.
It might help to call their assistance number and explain that you need to know exactly what to do in order to get the ball rolling, because you really need that assistance. They will also probably require you both to do full time job search (minimum of 35 hours a week looking for a job, or doing related activities) but they will explain more of that to you when it becomes necessary. I definitely would see what I could do about it. Good luck...I understand the whole financial straits issue.
