Emergency Assistance?

[Stayseeliz]

DH is going to have knee surgery two weeks from Thursday and we have to figure out how to get some extra funds quick!! He'll get a whopping $135 a week for the 4 weeks he's going to be out and we have to come up with another $1100 to survive on for the month.

Any ideas? Is there such a thing as temporary food stamps or other temporary assistance? I'd love other ideas!

I'm willing to get a job if need be but I'm going to have to take care of DH and the kids during the day, do all the housework and yardwork and then work at night...Ugh..

Thanks for any help!!

[wonderwahine]

yes there is, theres emergency food stamps, which last for 3mths. you can get it approved in less than 48hrs.

[Stayseeliz]

I just called DSS and they count the last four weeks of income so we won't qualify until DH has been out of work for 4 weeks which won't help us. I'm at the end of my rope here. I don't know what to do!!

[wonderwahine]

that sucks, ours didnt............it must be different state to state.

do you know of any food pantrys in your area..........the salvation army usually always has one, and they should be able to tell you of others, along with clothing closets and some other assistance programs.

[LEAW]

Call any/all local churches. Most offer at least one time a month of groceries/meals - even in the super affluent areas, the churches run a pantry for local families.

[RiverSky]

You could try http://www.modestneeds.com/ . They might be able to help with a bill or two, perhaps your rent, for instance.

Try selling any extra stuff you have in a garage sale, through your local newspaper (our paper offers free classifieds ads for up to $99 items and I have sold tons of stuff on there, anything from $10 on up), through the Trading Post on MDC, via the Craigslist in your area, or perhaps even eBay, etc.

You might consider sending an email out to everyone you know and offering short term babysitting or childcare for the next month or six weeks, in your home. I've even seen offers of babysitting put onto Freecycle or other local yahoo groups, so that might be one way to advertise and ask for those types of at-home jobs. You could offer yourself up for other types of work, perhaps paperwork, or bookkeeping, if you have some of those skills, as well. Childcare tends to be regularly needed though, especially if you offer something like "sick child" care, I would think there'd be a great need for that and you could ask a premium price for it.

I think you should apply for the emergency food stamps, anyway, once you are able, to help catch up with any extra expenses you have accumulated during your DH's off-time.

Originally Posted by Stayseeliz

He'll get a whopping $135 a week for the 4 weeks

May I ask, why is it so little? Can't he get disability or social security or anything? Excuse my ignorance...a few years back, my DH had a knee injury at work and he got much more than that from disability (perhaps $425 per week, if I recall correctly?), but perhaps that had something to do with his injury happening during work.

Definitely try any food banks in your area, every little bit should count, I would think.

Good luck!

[Free Thinker]

I would second asking the area churches, even if you aer not a member. Often they will pay the acutal bill instead of giving money. I would also check for any food pantry in teh area, and let them know you need a bit of assistance. I don't know about watching other kids in the home if your DH iss upposed to be recouperating? That might not be the best environment for recovery with kids running around all day!

[Stayseeliz]

Thanks for the link the modestneeds. I submitted a request with them so we'll see.

DH will only get $135 a week because it's not work related. That's the standard pay for short-term disability. Not much but at least it's something.

I can't do any babysitting from home as DH will be recuperating and I need to get him well as fast as possible!!

Trying to come up with things to sell right now.

We're members of a local church but we're a tiny church plant with only about 30 members so we'll see. Going to do food pantries and see what else I can come up with. I have to have at least $700 for bills so that's what I'm most worried about I think.

[Eman'smom]

Can you call "the bills" and explain what happened, often CC/electric, ect, will float a bill for a month or two in situations like this.

That doesn't help the lack of cash, but it removes the deadline.