myBenefits is the fast and easy way to find out about many health and human services programs and how to apply for them, anytime and anywhere. The site is aimed at helping low income working families and individuals make ends meet. Programs include: food stamps, home energy assistance, earned income tax credits, child and dependent care credits, Medicaid, Family Health Plus, Child Health Plus and school lunch programs, among others.
An excellent resource for social service workers, you can request additional copies of New York State Office of Temporary Disability Assistance (OTDA) publications free of charge. Publications span a wide variety of topics, including WorkPays New York (Work Supports), child support, food stamps, tax credits, electronic benefits transfers, home energy and heating assistance and refugee and immigrant assistance.
File a complaint with the New York State Office of the Attorney General here. The Attorney General’s office handles complaints on a wide variety of issues, from Lemon Law violations with automobiles to discrimination to more general consumer complaints. Explore this page to best determine how to move forward with your complaint.
If you or someone you know is homeless in the Rochester area, Project ReDirect (a service of The Salvation Army) may be able to help. Project ReDirect helps individuals find a place to live and offers vocational counseling and employment training to help people maintain a steady job and keep their homes. Learn more about Project ReDirect’s support services, job placement services, employment preparation training, GED learning and support groups here.
The Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) may help you pay for electricity, propane, natural gas, wood, oil, kerosene, coal or any other heating fuel so that you can reduce your energy expenses and keep your heat on when needed during winter months.
New York State agencies and departments have many resources available to help working families make ends meet. This portal offers a gateway into information on: work support programs that you may be eligible for, food stamps, nutrition programs, home energy assistance, weatherization assistance, child support, tax credits, job placement, social security, unemployment assistance, housing, student loans, education assistance and much, much more.
Natalie is a consultant and a single mother who formally worked for two major phone companies. She got frustrated with the job market and decided to take the leap into self-employment in March of 2009, after being laid off during the middle of the recession. With an office in her home, her commute is now non-existent, but taking the step into the world of self-employment was originally a nerve-racking prospect.
Natalie says: ‘It was like jumping off a cliff without a safety net.’ | • Watch Video
Rebecca formerly worked as a marketing manager, selling home loan packages to large banks. When she lost her job, it was very difficult on her and her family, but now she is carving out a new path that may offer greater stability in the future. Rebecca, who lives in New York’s Capital Region with her husband and children, has decided to leave the cubicle for nursing school. At the same time, she continues to work, finding spare moments to study for her nursing courses during work breaks. It is a grueling schedule, but one that Rebecca believes will ultimately pay off.
Rebecca says: ‘You have to roll with the punches. You have to roll with the times, and you have to see what jobs are in demand.’ | • Watch Video
