LOCO Day 3

1. LOCO Day 3 DRFC video Benefits System Other Resources Best Practices

2. Department of Social Services (DSS) on 2501 Homestead Rd. • SSI • Food Stamps • Medicaid • Low Income Home Energy Assistance (LIHEAP) • Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) • Crisis Intervention Program (CIP) • Work First • Federal Public Housing Assistance/ Section 8

3. Supplemental Security Income (SSI) • It provides cash to meet basic needs for food, clothing, and shelter. • Eligiblity: • Anyone who is: • Aged (age 65 or older) • Blind • Disabled (has a medically determinable mental or physical impairment which results in the inability to do any substantial gainful activity, can be expected to result in death, has lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months) • And who: • Has limited income • Income includes: money from work, other benefits, free shelter or food • And has limited resources • Resources include: cash, bank accounts, land, vehicles, property, anything convertible into cash

4. Food Stamps • Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) helps low-income people and families buy the food they need for good health. You apply for benefits by completing a State application form. Benefits are provided on an electronic card that is used like an ATM card and accepted at most grocery stores. • Usually around $200 a month • Eligibility: • Pre-Screening Tool: http://www.snap-step1.usda.gov/fns/ • Complicated income and resources calculation tool • To apply: Go to the local SNAP office • Local Office: Southern Human Services Center Complex, 2501 Homestead Rd. • Cool fact: Certain vendors at Carrboro Farmers’ Market accept SNAP

5. Low Income Home Energy Assistance (LIHEAP) • LIHEAP provides for a one-time cash payment to help eligible families pay their heating bills. This payment is usually received in February of each year, and is offered as one-time assistance.

6. Federal Public Housing Assistance/Section 8 • a Federal housing program which provides housing assistance to low-income renters and homeowners. This assistance comes in the form of rental subsidies, limiting the monthly rent payment of the assistance recipient. • Qualify as a low-income person (below 50% area median income) • Apply with local public housing authority: Town of Chapel Hill - 317 Caldwell St. Ext. • Voucher will pay anything above 30% of monthly income, up to the Fair Market Rent value • Landlords are not required to accept Section 8 vouchers, though most do; housing option must also be inspected by housing authority • Waiting list sometimes up to several years long, but can be fast-tracked in the case that can be listed as “homeless” or in otherwise potentially strong need

7. Temporary Assistance to Needy Families • The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program provides temporary financial assistance for pregnant women and families with one or more dependent children. TANF provides financial assistance to help pay for food, shelter, utilities, and expenses other than medical. • In North Carolina, TANF is administered through the Work First Family Assistance (WFFA) program.

8. Emergency Assistance • Families who are experiencing a financial emergency may be eligible for financial help to pay for housing, utilities, food, gas, and/or medicine.  There is a limit in Orange County of $150 per six-month period.  People needing assistance more than once a year are required to attend financial counseling. http://www.co.orange.nc.us/socsvcs/emergency_assistance.asp • Up to $150 • Once every 6 months Bring with: • Identification • Cut-off notice, eviction letter, etc.

9. Work First • Work First is North Carolina’s TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) plan to help families move off of welfare and into jobs. To help families, Work First provides employment services; supportive services and time limited cash assistance to families with children under age 18 who meet income and resources guidelines. • At Skills Development Center on Franklin St.

10. Skills Development Center • Agencies located at the center: • Chapel Hill-Carrboro Schools/ Job Ready • Durham Tech • NC Employment Security Commission • Good Work • Joint Orange Chatham Community Action Agency (JOCCA) • NC Division of Vocational Rehabilitation • Work First • Orange County Literacy Council

11. Best Practices when contacting DSS or other organizations • Call before going • Borrower calls or Loan Officer calls (not in borrower’s presence) • State what you are looking for and when you need it by 4) Ask what documents are needed and by what date

12. Other Resources • NGOs • UNC • Churches Our database: • http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0An91XjiLBW0tdEZtOGxPdW55ZUU0aHhxTVU5b3dlMkE&hl=en

13. TO DO: • 1) Update database • 2) Make contacts with these resources

14. HOPE Gardens • Where? 2200 Homestead Rd. • Contact: David Baron: dbaron@email.unc.edu

16. vegetable garden (in development) • herb garden (future) • fruit orchard (future) • flower meadow (future) • 14 acres

17. Fundraising • 25 plots leased to community members ($100/year) for fundraising purposes which will fund supplies and wages for the homeless participants • Borrowers could lease these plots for discounted rate

18. Presently, borrowers can… use it as a “Vocational Rehabilitation Opportunity” - sweat equity - can build skills - use us a reference - small business opportunity (some rows available for cultivation) Workdays are generally Saturday, 10-4

19. The Student Health Action Coalition (SHAC) • UNC student-run health clinic (free) School of Medicine. Students are from: • School of Nursing • School of Pharmacy • School of Dentistry • School of Public Health • School of Social Work • School of Physical Therapy • 301 Lloyd St, Carrboro, NC 27510, USA • http://www.med.unc.edu/shac • (919) 843-6841 SHAC Appointments • Wednesday nights with appointments only being made between 5:30 and 8 p.m. 

20. The SHAC Wednesday night clinics DO NOT provide emergency medical care, continuous care for chronic conditions, x-rays, or medical procedures. • SHAC provides the following services: • • Physical Examinations for school, work, and camp• Acute care for minor medical problems• Childhood vaccinations• Tetanus, measles, mumps, and rubella vaccinations• Comprehensive laboratory services• Women's health examinations and counseling • • Men's health examinations and counseling• Sexual health examinations and counseling• HIV screening and counseling• Physical Therapy assessment and counseling• Social Work assessment and counseling• Pharmacy medication consultation and counseling

21. SHAC Dental Clinic • The clinic is located at the Orange County Health Department's Dental Clinic on the 2nd floor of Carr Mill Mall in Carrboro. 2009 ScheduleAug: 25, 26Sept: 1, 2, 8, 9, 15, 16, 22, 23, 30Oct: 7, 20, 21, 27, 28Nov: 3, 4, 10, 11, 18Dec: 1 • Hygiene NightsSee the posted Thursday nightsHours:6:00PM to 9:00PMNo additional patients are admitted after 8:00PM.Dental SHAC does not admit patients as First Come First Serve, but rather by lottery draw of all patients present at 6:00PM.

22. Durham Regional Financial Center • www.drfcenter.org • 315 E. Chapel Hill St, Durham NC 27701 http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&tab=wl • Contact: Robin Arcus

23. Consumer Credit Counseling Services • Established in 1990 to foster financially stable families and individuals. Program services include: • Financial Education • Budget Counseling • Credit Counseling • Debt Management Plans

24. Durham Regional Community Development Group • Established in 1998 to promote community development and economic development among communities and their residents. Program services include: • Rental Counseling • Homebuyer Education • Pre-Purchase Homeownership Counseling • Down Payment Assistance • Post Purchase Homeownership Counseling • Pre-Foreclosure Counseling • Loss Mitigation • Reverse Mortgage Counseling • Research and Development

25. Useful for…. Useful only for borrowers those that have transportation to Durham $25 one-time fee for lifelong access to counseling CEF could pay one-time $25 fee for financial counseling and go to Durham on behalf of borrowers.

26. St. Thomas More • Good Work

27. SIGN UPS • Making Contacts and Getting to Know our Local Resources • read their website • set up an appointment • explain who we are, that we are trying to connect our borrowers with resources or strengthen our program through collaboration • how can they help us and how can we help them? • would they be willing to come to speak to borrowers or staff?

29. FIRST STEPS 1) North Carolina I.D. (takes 3 weeks) 2) e-mail address 3) Safelink phone (2 weeks) https://www.safelinkwireless.com/EnrollmentPublic/home.aspx

30. What does “connecting” them to resources mean?

31. Do: • Give them the phone number and the website.

32. Extra Support • sit down with them to make phone call • surf the net with them to look for jobs • meet them at DSS or walk with them around town to look for work • if they are starting a business, make flyers or business cards with them • write resumes with them

33. DO NOT: • Give them emergency money out of your pocket • Give them rides to work, meetings, interviews • Use your house/friend’s house as a storage space • Connect them to resources (housing and jobs) that are too close to you or others and that could create a conflict of interest • Let them stay at your house • Hire them

34. Grey Area • On-line purchase needs credit card and they don’t have one. Do you use yours? • Safelink phone needs address and they don’t have one. Do you use yours? • Application to Tar Heel Temps needs to be submitted but borrower is at work 9-5- do you drop it off for them? Policy: Don’t offer these kind of services. If they ask, say no, but then bring it to your group, the general meeting or allocations.

35. Considerations 1) is this safe? 2) is this legal? 3) worst case scenario- what could possibly go wrong? 3) weigh benefit to borrower vs. benefit to program 4) is this helping the borrower help himself or herself?

36. Policies • NO RIDES. We have the Campus Y van. • NO PERSONAL PHONE NUMBERS. CEF phone: 240-8440 • Meet in public places, or at the shelters- not in your home or at borrower’s home. • Buddy system: always have the other loan officer or another CEF volunteer with you. ALWAYS.