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Resources
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There are many resources available in our area for assistance, some of which are set forth below as a starting point.
There are several resources available to assist you if you are struggling to pay your rent. Listed below are the most notable ones. They have qualifying conditions and their assistance is subject to the availability of funds.
Family Success. Family Success Centers provide rent/mortgage and utility assistance. Residents may qualify for emergency assistance if they have recently experienced the following in the past three months: loss of employment; reduction in household income or unexpected expenses; received eviction notice or mortgage default letter; received past due utility, final or shut-off notice.
The Family Success office that serves our area is the
NORTH FAMILY SUCCESS CENTER – ANNIE L. WEAVER HEALTH CENTER
10077 N.W. 29th St. Coral Springs, FL 33065.
Broward County Transit Bus Route: 88 with a 1/3 mile walk.
Hours: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday: 8AM to 5PM; Tuesday: 8AM to 6:30PM
Phone: 954-357-5000 and Fax: 954-357-6452.
Salvation Army. Salvation Army emergency assistance programs can help Broward County families meet a variety of basic needs. A number of their services and resources are focused on homeless prevention and include rental and utility assistance as well as case management. Other services will help provide for basic needs, such as a food pantry and holiday/Christmas assistance. Their office is located at 95 Broward Blvd., Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, telephone number (954) 524-6991.
Gateway Community Outreach. Gateway offers rental and mortgage assistance to those experiencing an economic crisis in Broward County. They also offer assistance in paying a water bill, as well assistance with clothing and food. Please contact Gateway Community Outreach Inc. at 291 S.E. 1st Terrace, Deerfield Beach, FL 33441. Office Hours Monday-Friday 8:30am-4:30pm, Email: [email protected], telephone: (954) 725-8434.
Goodman Jewish Family Services (JFS). JFS provides financial assistance to individuals and families in crisis. Examples of the kinds of assistance it provides include: eyeglasses, hearing aids, maintenance fees, medical supplies, mortgage/rent, prescriptions, and utilities. They can be contacted at 5890 S. Pine Island Road, Suite 201, Davie, FL 33328, telephone (954) 370-2140, or visit Financial Assistance | Goodman Jewish Family Services of Broward County (jfsbroward.org) for more information.
Florida Department of Children and Families. This organization has a program entitled “Temporary Cash Assitance (TCA),” which provides cash assistance to families with children under the age of 18, or under age 19 if full time secondary school students, that meet the technical, income, and asset requirements. Please visit myflfamilies.com for more information, or call (866) 762-2237.
Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies. This organization helps Broward County residents with $125 for past due rent after a three day eviction notice is received; $75 for utilities (water and electricity); food cards; gas cards; and bus passes. There is no need to have children. They also have a program called “Cribs for Kids” that gives a Pack ‘N Play to mothers of children 12 months and younger, and to pregnant women. They can be reached at telephone number (954) 765-0550.Low Cost Housing:
The Broward County Housing Authority helps local families meet their housing needs and is a starting point for applying for Section 8 housing assistance. Please visit http://www.bchafl.org/.
Low Income Housing provides a list of affordable housing in Broward County. Please visit them at http://www.lowincomehousing.us/cty/fl-broward.
ShelterListings.org, which can be found at http://www.shelterlistings.org/county/fl-broward-county.html, has a list of shelters and services in Broward County, Florida. This list has homeless shelters, halfway houses, affordable housing, etc. The database consists of emergency shelters, homeless shelters, day shelters, transitional housing, shared housing, residential drug alcohol rehabilitation programs and permanent affordable housing.Homeless:
If you are homeless, call Broward County's Homeless Coordinated Entry and Assessment Screening Information and Referral Helpline ("CEASIR"), which is operated by Homeless Helpline, telephone number (954) 563-HELP (4357). The helpline provides 24-hour crisis/suicide intervention, empathetic listening, and information and referral service. The Homeless Helpline can also provide information on the current location of the Taskforce For Ending Homelessness, which is a not-for-profit agency that provides street outreach, education, and advocacy to the homeless population of Broward County. Team members can be found at many of the feeding locations throughout the county.
Broward's Housing Options Program Family Reunification provides homeless residents a one-way ticket anywhere Greyhound Lines travels to reunify customers with their family or supportive friend. Services can only be utilized once in a life time. The program does not import or bring people to Broward County. Conditions apply. For more information, please visit http://www.broward.org/HumanServices/FamilySuccess/Pages/FamilyReunification.aspx
Catholic Charities Housing 954-630-9793
For homeless / shelters – call 954-563-4357
For rental assistance – call back First and third Tues day of each month between 10 and 11
For all other calls – office hours are 8-4:30 Mon-Fri
Help With Your FPL Bill*:
Are you looking for information on energy-assistance programs? FPL’s advocacy partners assist FPL in securing federal funding to help low-income customers receive financial assistance with their electric bills. Various social-service organizations work to distribute the funds. These are some of the federally-funded energy-assistance programs that are offered in our service area:
Request a Payment Extension - FPL will review the status of your FPL account to determine if a temporary payment extension can be granted. If your account is eligible, it will offer you an extended date to pay your bill. Conditions apply.
Low-Income Home Energy Assistance - The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is a federally-funded program that helps low-income households with their home energy bills. The federal government does not provide energy assistance directly to the public. Instead, the funding is distributed by local community agencies that have the ability to make a payment directly to FPL on your behalf. There are household income guidelines and other criteria that need to be met to qualify for assistance. The local agency will help you determine if you're eligible. . [In our area, that agency is the Community Action Agency at the NORTH FAMILY SUCCESS CENTER – ANNIE L. WEAVER HEALTH CENTER, 10077 N.W. 29th St., Coral Springs, FL 33065. Broward County Transit Bus Route: 88 with a 1/3 mile walk. Hours: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday: 8AM to 5PM; Tuesday: 8AM to 6:30PM. Phone: 954-357-5000 and Fax: 954-357-6452]
Elderly Home Energy Assistance - Florida's Emergency Home Energy Assistance for the Elderly Program (EHEAP) helps low-income households, with at least one person age 60 and older, when the households are experiencing a home energy emergency and are unable to pay their FPL bill. Households can receive this type financial assistance a maximum of twice a year – once during the heating season (October - March) and again during the cooling season (April - September). Eligibility for this program is determined by a local community agency designated by the Florida Department of Elder Affairs. [In our area, that agency is the Areawide Council on Aging of Broward County, Inc., 5300 Hiatus Road, Sunrise, FL, 33351, telephone: (954) 745-9779.]
FPL Care To Share® - FPL employees, shareholders and caring customers all contribute to this program to help customers in crisis keep their lights on when they need it most. Your household may be eligible to receive up to $500 during a 12-month period to help pay the FPL bill. Please be aware that the need for assistance far exceeds the funding available, so many households may not receive assistance. Additionally, households with seniors, children under 10 or those with disabled persons may be given priority consideration. Funding from the Care To Share program is administered by our local nonprofit and government agency partners. Contact FPL Customer Service for the assistance agency nearest you. [That agency is the Community Action Agency, supra.]
*This information is from the FPL website, https://www.fpl.com/help/payment-assistance.html.Help With Employment:
Attached is a list of companies that offer day labor employment. [pdf].
Attached is a list of companies that offer work from home opportunities for those who have internet/computer skills. [pdf]
Assistance With Financing:
Ways to Work Car Loans offers financing for those who are employed to purchase a car. [pdf]
Low Cost Internet Programs:
Internet providers have programs for low cost Internet so school age children can do
their homework. A comprehensive list of providers and their cost can be found at
http://www.cheapinternet.com/low-income-internet.
Help With Applying for Benefits:People with disabilities have a no-cost online option for assessing their potential eligibility for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits. Allsup is the first dual purpose online tool for Social Security disability benefits, including return-to-work assistance for those who eventually medically recover. To qualify for SSDI benefits, individuals must have paid FICA payroll taxes, typically worked five out of the last 10 years, and have a severe physical or mental disability that is expected to last for more than 12 months or is terminal. They must be unable to work and under full retirement age (65-67). For more information, visit https://www.allsup.com/.
Eligibility.com advertises that it is a free service available to help a person determine whether he/she is eligible for over 30 programs, to include Medicare and Medicaid, Unemployment, Disability, SSI, Food Stamps, and Section 8. [No reviews of this company are available at this writing.]Social Service Agencies:
The Florida Department of Children and Families has a program called ACCESS Florida
that provides information on assistance programs. Please visit http://www.myflfamilies.com/service-programs/access-florida-food-medical-assistance-cash. Through a search of its Community Partner Network, a client can find many other resources that offer assistance.
Also, attached is a list of helpful agencies in the Broward County area that may provide assistance. [pdf].
Chrysalis Health has a list of community resources for South Florida, which can be found at http://www.chrysalishealth.com/community-resources.html
Food:
Need Help Paying Bills has information on assistance programs, charity organizations, and other resources that will provide you help with paying bills, mortgage and debt expenses. Among other things, it lists food banks in Broward County, which can be found at http://www.needhelppayingbills.com/html/broward_county_food_banks.html.
Meals in North Broward are served at:
Our Father's House Soup Kitchen, 2380 Martin Luther King Blvd., Pompano Beach, FL, telephone number (954) 968-7550. Bag meals and a food pantry, Monday - Friday lunch from 11:30 AM - 12:55 PM.
St. Laurence Chapel, 1698 Blount Road, Pompano Beach, FL, telephone number (954) 972-2958. Breakfast 8:30 AM - 9:00 AM, lunch 12:30 PM - 1:00 PM.
Clothing:
All Saints Catholic Mission, 3350 Powerline Road, Oakland Park, FL, telephone number (954) 801-8283. Clothes, shoes, and toiletries daily from 2:00 PM - 4:15 PM.
St. Laurence Chapel, 1698 Blount Road, Pompano Beach, FL, telephone number (954) 972-2958. Monday - Friday 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM.
HEALTH CARE:
Cancer Resourse
178-helping_hand.pdf (cancercare.org)
Free or Low Cost Clinics
There are websites available that list free or low cost clinics in our area and they are simple to navigate. Here are a few:
Freeclinics.com: https://www.freeclinics.com/co/fl-broward
Free or Low Cost Clinics:
https://www.needhelppayingbills.com/html/broward_county_community_clini.html
Free Clinic Directory:
https://freeclinicdirectory.org/florida_care/broward_fl_county.html
Light of the World Free Clinic - Oakland Park
https://www.lightoftheworldclinic.orgOrganizations Offering Financial Resources:
Attached is a list of organizations that provide information on financial assistance to those needing medical care. Included in this list are organizations that assist patients who must travel for care with such things as discounted temporary housing and also lists of private air carriers who make their services available. [pdf]
Joe's House, https://www.joeshouse.org/. Joe’s House is not an actual house, but a nonprofit organization that helps cancer patients and their families find a place to stay when traveling away from home for medical treatment. It also has a list of resources that may help with transportation for treatment, financial help, cancer organizations, and other services.
The American Brain Tumor Association (ABTA), has a comprehensive list of organizations that provide financial assistance to patients with brain tumors, as well as victims of other types of cancer. Please visit http://www.abta.org/brain-tumor-treatment/brain-tumor-support/financial-medical-assistance.html.
Cancercare has published "A Helping Hand; The 2018 Resource Guide for People With Cancer." pdf. This publication, among other things, lists and describes helpful organizations and services available, and provides information on financial assistance.Help With Prescription Medicine:
If you can’t afford the prescription drugs you need, you may be eligible for assistance programs offered by pharmaceutical companies, nonprofit groups, or state governments. Manufacturers such as Merck, Pfizer, and Lilly offer assistance programs for those in need. The groups listed below are a starting point for researching whether assistance is available for the medicine you need.
Partnership for Prescription Assistance: A program sponsored by drug companies, doctors, patient advocacy organizations, and civic groups. It helps low-income, uninsured patients get free or low-cost, brand-name medications.
Together Rx Access: With Together Rx Access®, individuals and families without prescription drug coverage can gain access to immediate savings on hundreds of brand-name and generic prescription products at their neighborhood pharmacies.
NeedyMeds: A non-profit organization that maintains an extensive database of information about patient assistance programs, state assistance, drug discount programs, and free or low-cost medical care. You can search their database for free on their web site. The site also has information on thousands of programs to help consumers through the application process.
RxAssist: An online database of drug company programs that provide free or affordable drugs and co-pay assistance.
Center for Benefits: Provided by the National Council on Aging, this shares information about assistance programs for low-income seniors and young people with disabilities.
RxHope: A web-based resource where you can search by medication to locate assistance programs. They also offer help with the application process.
RxOutreach: A mail-order pharmacy for people with little to no health insurance coverage.
Patient Access Network (PAN) Foundation: This is a national 501 (c)(3) organization dedicated to helping federally and commercially insured people living with life-threatening, chronic and rare diseases with the out-of-pocket costs for their prescribed medications.Help With Copays:
The National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD), is a 501 (c)(3) foundation that provides assistance for those with certain rare diseases. The assistance may include medication, financial assistance with insurance premiums and co-pays, diagnostic testing assistance, and travel assistance for clinical trials or consultation with disease specialists. NORD's site also has many helpful links to other resources. Please visit NORD at https://rarediseases.org/.
Patient Services Inc. (PSI), is a 501(c)(3) foundation that provides premium and copayment financial assistance and guidance for qualified patients with specific, rare chronic diseases. It subsidizes the costs of health insurance premiums and out of pocket costs (copayments/coinsurance) and offers a variety of legal services free of charge through the PSI-A.C.C.E.S.S. Program for specific rare disease communities. Please visit it at https://www.patientservicesinc.org/.Vision:
The Broward County Eye Foundation, Inc., has a program at the Vision Clinic at McFatter Technical Center, 6500 Nova Drive, Davie, FL, 33317, through which a person in need can get a free eye examination and a free pair of glasses. Please contact your local Lions Club to obtain a voucher for these services.
Hearing Aids:
Hearing Charities of America can provide information to those who are deaf or hard of hearing. Please contact them at hearingcharities.org.
Medical Devices:Clinics Can Help, 2560 Westgate Avenue, West Palm Beach, Florida, 33409, telephone number (561) 640-2995, website clinicscanhelp.org, is a 501(c)3 organization that accepts gently used and new durable medical equipment and makes it available to children and adults who may not otherwise be able to afford it. Please call them if you have durable medical equipment, such as a hospital bed or wheelchair, to donate or are in need of it.
Help With Transportation:
Tops Paratransit, telephone number (954) 357-8400. They provide ride assists for medically needy anywhere in the county. The cost is $3.50 for each leg of the trip. It crosses over with other counties for another fee & exemption.
Logisticare Solutions, telephone number (866) 252-1566. They provide Medicaid transport to doctor appointments ONLY. Free. They go across county lines. Transportation is arranged through the individual's insurance company.
Humana Transport, telephone number 1 (866) 779-0565.
FAMILIES:
Diapers
We Care at Mary Help We Care at Mary Help | Facebook
Ft Lauderdale Diaper Bank GET DIAPERS | Ftl Diaper Bank
Women's Health:
Since 2011, Holy Cross Hospital's Partners in Breast Health (PIBH) Program has provided outreach education, clinical breast exams, screening mammograms and diagnostic procedures to uninsured, lower income and minority women age 40 and older who lack access to healthcare services. Partners in Breast Health clients receive screenings and diagnostics at the Holy Cross Dorothy Mangurian Comprenshive Women's Center in Fort Lauderdale, FL and at the Holy Cross Urgent Care and Imaging Center in east Boca Raton. For more information, please call 954-294-0582.
Pregnancy:
The Respect Life Ministry of the Archdiocese of Miami, faithful to the teaching of the Catholic Church, exists to uphold the sanctity and dignity of all human life from conception to natural death. Please visit http://www.respectlifemiami.org/ if you or someone you love is pregnant and needs assistance.
The Respect Life Pregnancy Help Center that serves this geographic area is located at 5115 Coconut Creek Parkway, Margate, Florida, 33063, with telephone number 954-977-7769. The center provides pregnancy testing, ultrasound to confirm pregnancy, confidential counseling, referrals and assistance, and post-abortion counseling. It continues to assist after birth, helping children up to the age of two. The center will provide gently used baby items to be used for infants and children up to the age of two. Those wishing to donate such items can leave them at the center.
The Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition of Broward County, Inc., 5546 West Oakland Park Boulevard, Suite 201, Lauderhill, FL, 33313, telephone number (954) 765-0550, website hmhbbroward.org, is dedicated to reducing infant deaths by strengthening families through a comprehensive approach to prenatal care, parenting, education, and support services. In addition to their education programs, their Cribs for Kids program provides Graco Pack 'n Play cribs to families who cannot otherwise a safe place for their baby to sleep. Their Teen Parent Program provides counseling to at-risk teenage girls during their pregnancy and up to their child's second birthday. Their Forget Me Not Program provides bereavement support to families who have lost a baby.
The Project Rachel Ministry offers post-abortion counseling and a reconciliation program open to anyone who is experiencing the negative effects of an abortion. The program is free of charge, and all information is kept strictly confidential. Please visit http://hopeafterabortion.com/.
Assistance With Child Care:Florida’s School Readiness Program offers financial assistance to eligible low-income families for early education and care so they can become financially self-sufficient and their young children can be successful in school in the future. Services vary based on individual needs and range from extended day care to after-school and school-age care in some instances. Please visit https://familyservices.floridaearlylearning.com/ for more information.
Domestic Violence:
Nova Southeastern University has a guide to provide contact information for local, state, and national services designed to assist those affected by domestic violence as well as recommended library resources. It can be found at http://nova.campusguides.com/domesticviolence.
Women In Distress is the only nationally accredited, state-certified, full service domestic violence center serving Broward County, Florida. It provides a 24 hour crises line, emergency shelter program, individual counseling, support groups and professional training free of charge to victims of domestic violence no matter their race, sex, age, religion, mental or physical disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran or military status, immigration status or language spoken. Please visit http://www.womenindistress.org/.
Legal Aid:
Legal Aid Service of Broward County provides free civil legal advice, representation and education to economically disadvantaged people living in Broward County. Please visit it at http://www.broward.org/intergovernmental/pages/legalaidservicecoasttocoast.aspx. Here is a link to a page that concerns immigration legal assistance that it provides: https://www.immigrationadvocates.org/nonprofit/legaldirectory/organization.392793-Legal_Aid_Service_of_Broward_County.
Catholic Legal Services, Archdiocese of Miami, Inc., provides professional immigration services to the South Florida refugee and immigrant community, particularly to low-income clients. Please visit it at http://www.cclsmiami.org/index.html. The telephone number of its office in Broward County (Miramar) is 954-306-9537.
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