Gloucester County public assistance programs.
Help is available for the working poor, very low income, and unemployed in Gloucester. The county, using both state and federal government funds, administers a wide range of programs for families that are struggling with providing food, housing, and basic needs. While more information on the services are below, they range from cash assistance to vouchers for buying food as part of SNAP.
What many people may have called welfare was renamed as TANF in the state of New Jersey. This is the primary resource administered by Gloucester County Division of Social Services that pays out so called grants for certain living expenses. The aid is only for very low income families that participate in work or job training type programs.
For those that qualify, the TANF program can provide short term support while families gain stability. There may be public aid for paying for heating bills, prescriptions, clothing, and even shelter or rent. The support will only be available for a few years per client, and participants should use this time to work with a social worker from Gloucester County Human Services to achieve self-sufficiency.
Too many people in Woodbury and throughout the county are struggling with providing a meal for their family. So there are public benefits that can help, and the food assistance ranges from WIC to food stamps, or SNAP. There are also resources focused on the elderly or children in the community as well.
These solutions are available across the county, however they are created by the federal government and help low income and working poor families buy the food and groceries they need. There is help for the elderly, children, pregnant mothers in Gloucester County from WIC, and others. The county can even help children enroll into free school lunches or refer residents to food pantries.
Job training and the Diversionary Work Program focuses on people on TANF, but others may enroll as well. The Human Services Department can help the unemployed and those considered underemployed find a job and gain an income. So the goal is to get people off of welfare or cash assistance. A social worker will put goals and plans into place to ensure all conditions are met.
General Assistance may be available, often to single parents. It will offer, to those that qualify and as funding allows, onetime cash grants and disbursements for people facing poverty that have no other options available to them. Some of what is provided from GA is done from other government resources, such as Medicaid.
In some cases, the county DHS may have referrals to other sources of emergency financial aid. This may be available from non-profits in the region, or maybe from government funds as part of Emergency Solutions Grant. While resources are very limited, there may be financial support for expenses such as food, rent if it were to stop an eviction or life threatening medications that may be needed.
Social services has information on various emergency food pantries located across Gloucester County. This will often have volunteers on site that can provide groceries to people on public assistance or the homeless. Really, any family that is struggling can receive sup[port from a pantry, and some will also offer other aid such as clothing or household supplies.
Low income parents with children can apply for subsidies from the state of New Jersey Child Care Assistance Program. Public funds can help families pay for these bills, if they are working or in job training. It addition, there is information on quality day care providers that operate in Gloucester County.
When applying for help from the Division of Social Services, various qualifications need to be met and there is usually a waiting list in place. In most cases, the family will be enrolled into a Sliding Fee program, meaning they pay a portion of the cost that factors in their total household income.
Medicaid was set up as a state and federal government subsidized health insurance program for low income, the disabled and working poor residents of Gloucester County. There is aid for those who do not have access to affordable private health care coverage and who can’t afford to pay medical bills on their own. There are premiums due from patients, and they need to incur a portion of their medical costs on their own.
Workability in New Jersey is for residents of the county with a disability. The applicant needs to be under the age of 65 and have some form of income, and if some, some additional medical care benefits may be offered.
Similar to above, but focused on senior citizens, is Medicare. This is for older residents of the county, and it will cover their expenses such as medications, checks ups, and similar items. Federal funds are used to offer this service in the state.
The main office for social services is at 400 Hollydell Drive Sewell , NJ 08080. Residents can also dial 856-582-9200 for more details.
|
