We’ve uncovered new ways to get help this week! From Facebook claim payouts to new executive orders to free pet food, you don’t want to miss these new low income resources!
Nationwide
There’s been both good and bad news nationwide this week! Let’s talk about how it affects you.
Facebook Settlement
Facebook agreed to pay $725 million in a settlement over user data. Anyone who had an account at any time between May 2007 and December 2022 is eligible to apply.
The amount of money you receive will depend on how many people apply. Currently, anyone who does not fill out a form will not receive a payment. The amount of the settlement will be divided between those who do claim that payment.
You can claim yours through facebookuserprivacysettlement.com.
New Executive Orders
In Nationwide news, President Biden signed an executive order on Tuesday ordering federal agencies to find ways to make child care more affordable. The order includes 50 directives, aimed at different federal agencies, with the overall goal of making both child care and long-term care more accessible to low income families.
President Biden has also announced that he will direct his administration to allow undocumented people in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (or DACA) program to enroll in Medicaid or private insurance under the Affordable Care Act. The White House has announced that a proposed rule sheet will be available by the end of the month.
Poverty Study
A new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association declared that poverty is America’s fourth-leading cause of death.
The study reports that 183,000 Americans ages 15 and over died in 2019 as a result of poverty-related conditions like hunger, malnutrition, lack of access to life-saving medications and negative environmental exposures. To quote the study, “Poverty kills as much as dementia, accidents, stroke, Alzheimer’s, diabetes. Poverty silently killed 10 times as many people as all the homicides in 2019.”
This is obviously very disturbing news but hopefully it will convince our lawmakers to take poverty in America more seriously.
Local News
Now we’re going to talk about some local news. We’ve got information for a lot of states today, including some that usually don’t make the list.
Alabama
In Alabama, grants have been distributed to help low income families and seniors with home weatherization. The funds were distributed to several Community Action Agencies throughout the state, so you’ll need to contact them to get assistance.
Arizona
In Arizona, free pool fences are available to families in Maricopa County through the Pool Fence Safety Program. Applications are open now but will close on May 26. In order to qualify, you must live with a child who is 6 years old or younger, you must own your home, reside within Maricopa County, and meet income limits. If you receive food stamps, Medicaid, WIC, energy assistance or unemployment, you automatically meet those limits. You can apply on the Child Crisis Arizona website.
In Tucson, Arizona, a new pilot program has launched that helps low income homeowners improve their accessory dwelling units – these are small apartments or secondary units build on the property. In order to be eligible, you must be a Tucson homeowner with an income that is equal to or less than 80% of the Area Median Income. That’s about $54,900 per year for a family of four. The goal is to improve the affordable housing options in Tucson by helping those who want to rent out those ADUs to others.
Arkansas
In Arkansas, the Fayetteville City Council recently voted against a project that would create eight low-income housing units in the city. One of the city council members who voted against the proposal said that the city wanted to use those funds “more smartly,” but there’s no word yet on how those funds will be spent.
California
In California, applications are being accepted for a new affordable senior development in Santa Ynez. In order to be eligible, you must be a low income person who is at least 62 years old. The development is called Harry’s House and offers 60 studio apartments with limited kitchen facilities. Applications are being accepted by the Housing Authority of the County of Santa Barbara until May 17th at 4:30pm, so it’s important to apply right away. You can apply by clicking on the Applicant Portal on their website or you can call 805-329-4666 to request an application by mail.
A new affordable housing complex is also coming to San Diego as well. Community HousingWorks is developing a property for low income seniors, which is expected to open November 30th, 2023. You should contact that organization if you’re interested in applying, since applications typically open before the building is ready.
Colorado
In Colorado, officials are urging low income residents to apply for the Low Income Energy Assistance program before the May 1st deadline. This program provides an average of $441 toward your utility bills.
You must meet income guidelines, but the guidelines are pretty generous – up to $66,468 a year for a family of four. You must have at least one legal citizen living in the household, and you must pay home heating costs.
You can apply online at cdhs.colorado.gov/LEAP.
Florida
In Florida, I have bad news. Both LIHEAP and LIHWAP (the water program) have run out of funding. These programs are expected to get more funds on July 1, according to an article in Florida Politics.
These funds are always distributed on a first-come, first-served basis, so it’s important to apply right away.
Hawaii
In Hawaii, there have been some weird things happening at a state-owned affordable apartment property owned by Locations Hawaii’s property management division.
One senior was threatened with eviction over a 50 cent debt. Another resident received an eviction warning over a $37 bill. Meanwhile, residents are complaining about black mold, faulty appliances, and even a dead resident that was not checked on until the other tenants made repeated complaints about the smell coming from the apartment.
The tenants are holding town hall meetings to try to raise awareness of these issues, so I wanted to share them here to get more publicity to this issue.
Kentucky
In Kentucky, a new program in Henderson called Feed Seniors Now has been making food deliveries throughout the western part of the state. This program appears to be run by the Henderson branch of the Independence Bank.
It’s not clear if or when the next distribution will occur, but I would recommend contacting the bank if you’re interested in being included in the future.
Maryland
In Maryland, Giant Food has announced a plan to offer a $15 promo code to families who shop with SNAP food benefits. The promo code can be redeemed 12 times in 6 months, for a total savings of $180.
It appears that you have to purchase fruits and vegetables with that promo code, but it was not immediately clear if you could buy other things as well.
The promo code is available through the Giant Delivers and Giant Pickup programs at nine Baltimore locations:
- Store 145- 5150 Sinclair Lane, Baltimore, MD 21206
- Store 159- 3757 Old Court Rd, Pikesville, MD 21208
- Store 23060 1020 W 41st Street, Baltimore, MD 21211
- Store 108- 6340-50 York Rd, Baltimore, MD 21212
- Store 337- 6620 Reisterstown Road, Baltimore, MD 21215
- Store 303- 601 East 33rd St, Baltimore, MD 21218
- Store 363- 1400 Merrit Boulevard, Dundalk, MD 21222
- Store 317- 46254 Edmondson Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21229
- Store 2333- 857 East Fort Avenue, Baltimore City, MD 21230
Montana
In Montana, the Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office is hosting a low-cost spay and neuter clinic this weekend. They are also hoping to offer free vaccinations and microchipping for pets that belong to low income owners. The event will happen today and tomorrow, starting at 8am inside MetraPark.
Nevada
In Nevada, the Catholic Charities of Northern Nevada has received a state grant to offer home repairs and modifications to low income seniors.
The program will help people fix unsafe or unsanitary housing by providing one-time free home repairs or modifications. They can help with many things, including window replacement, washer and dryer replacement, toilet modifications, grab bars, wheelchair amps, fire extinguishers, and even new refrigerators or ranges.
Assistance will be available in every Nevada county except for Clark County. You must be at least 60 years old or an adult with a disability in order to qualify. You will need to visit their website for details and application instructions.
Nevada
Also in Nevada, the Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation hosted a dental outreach event last week that served over 100 patients. Although that event has passed, News 3 Las Vegas reports that this organization hosts many of these events every year.
If you need dental help in Las Vegas, you should follow their organization for news on when the next event will be, since we often don’t hear about these things until after the event has taken place.
New York
In New York, New York City offers a Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption that can stop rental increases for eligible seniors who are at least 62 years old.
In order to be eligible, you must live in a rent-regulated apartment and pay more than one-third of your monthly income toward your rent. If you qualify, your landlord will receive a property tax credit to offset the unpaid rent.
You can apply online on the New York City government website.
Oregon
In Oregon, low income families in Klamath County may be able to receive a free car seat from a new nonprofit called Forever5. The organization is run predominantly through Facebook.
You can email them at [email protected] or you can find more information online from the local news provider Herald and News.
Tennessee
In Tennessee, the Knoxville-Knox County Community Action Committee has launched a Feed-a-Pet program. This program is gathering dry dog and cat food to distribute to those who cannot afford it.
Texas
In Texas, the University of Texas in Austin has announced that they will help pay for housing for low income students. The program will provide up to $1,800 per academic year toward on-campus university housing.
Washington
In Washington, the Working Families Tax Credit offers up to $1,200 to low income individuals and families. However, you have to apply at workingfamiliescredit.wa.gov in order to receive it. As of this week, only 38% of eligible people have applied. Anyone who made less than $60,000 in 2022 is eligible for a refund, as long as they lived in Washington for most of the year. According to the Seattle Times, undocumented immigrants are also eligible for this as well.
Also in Washington, the Seattle Police Department is giving away steering wheel locks to anyone who owns or leases a Kia or Hyundai vehicle. The next giveaways will occur between 12pm and 2pm on April 27 at the South Precinct, or on April 29 between 10am and 12pm at the North Precinct, South Precinct, East Precinct, and at Hing Hay Park.
Low income families in the Olympia area may be able to get free diapers and wipes from Dry Tikes and Wet Wipes, a nonprofit organization that helps low income families. The agency has locations in Yelm and Olympia, but Yelm Online reports that they will assist anyone in Thurston, Lewis, Mason or Grays Harbor County.
Summary
This week’s low-income news roundup covers a range of topics from nationwide to local news. The highlights include Facebook’s settlement payout of $725 million for user data breach, President Biden’s executive order aimed at making childcare more affordable for low-income families, a new study stating poverty as America’s fourth-leading cause of death, and various programs for low-income families including grants for weatherization, free pool fences for families in Arizona, and spay and neuter clinics for pets in Montana. Other resources covered include home repairs and modifications for low-income seniors in Nevada and a Feed-a-Pet program in Tennessee. Make sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you never miss another low income news update!
Nicole Thelin
Nicole is the founder and lead researcher of Low Income Relief. After a personal experience with poverty and homelessness following her husband's sudden medical discharge from the U.S. Army, Nicole discovered the life-changing impact of community resources. This experience ignited her passion for empowering others to navigate similar crises. Nicole launched her writing career at age 16, working for various newspapers and publications. Her commitment to in-depth research and accessible content has been recognized by Google for Publishers and other industry leaders. For over 20 years, she has applied her investigative skills to uncover the most helpful, up-to-date information on benefits programs and community resources, ensuring Low Income Relief maintains the most extensive resource databases available.