The New Hanover County human service department can help families in need access the public benefits they need for short and long term support. There are many resources available for people who are working poor and residents who are facing poverty. Social workers from the county can provide advice and applications.
There is assistance available for paying energy bills. This will focus on low-income households, in particular a home with a senior citizen, disabled person, or young child. You can apply for LIHEAP anytime during the year, but if you want to be considered for benefits during the fall, you need to apply during the fall enrollment period.
If you’re in New Hanover or Wilmington and you’re having a heating or cooling emergency, you can turn to the Crisis Intervention Program (CIP) for help. The county also partners with local community action agencies to help administer the LIHEAP program.
Families can use public money from LIHEAP to pay for electricity, heating, and repairs for fans and furnaces. This means that the household must make less than 1.5 times the poverty level set by the government, which changes each year.
The New Hanover organization makes sure that provided funding by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is only given to those who are eligible for public aid. This means that the grants are given to the families who need them the most and who qualify for them.
There are certain times when it is appropriate to use this. The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is a federally funded program that helps low-income families pay their heating and cooling bills. Each year, the program begins accepting applications in October or November from elderly and disabled individuals. Applications from all other individuals are accepted beginning in December. This means that you will always need to provide proof of income and other information.
The Gingerbread Christmas assistance program is for children who are in DSS programs. These agencies offer free gifts, toys, and small presents to those who qualify.
The Food Stamp program can help families who are struggling with poverty or unemployment by providing them with food. This program provides people with Electronic Benefit Transfer cards, which can be used to buy food or groceries at certain stores. The aid will be given to applicants anywhere from 7 to 30 days.
The Faith Community Fund is a collection of donations from individuals and businesses within the county. There is not a lot of money available, but there may be some money for things like school supplies or food. There may also be financial aid for expenses related to foster children, such as summer camp expenses and other emergency expenses.
The focus is on helping residents who would be in a crisis without assistance. This means that volunteers and the Faith Fund will focus on giving money to seniors through grants. This resource also provides food or housing to households with young children, including single parents. Churches in Wilmington are important in providing this service.
The Work First Employment Services is a public benefits program that helps people find employment. This allows clients to become independent through job training, part-time employment, work experience, and supportive casework. If you want to receive cash assistance from New Hanover social services, you must be willing to work, and most recipients only have two years to receive assistance.
Work First is a state and federal program that requires parents to support themselves and their children financially. Although this program provides various forms of assistance to help families become financially independent, it is ultimately up to the clients to achieve self-sufficiency.
There are government programs that help low-income parents pay for childcare while they are working or going to school. Families in New Hanover County who receive financial assistance can select a childcare program from a list of approved providers.
Medicaid is a government-run health insurance program for low-income and needy individuals. This resource will be funded and will offer care for children who are under 19 years of age, the disabled, and low income families. Other than the already mentioned benefit, children may also be qualified for Health Choice which provides free or low-cost health insurance. There is also Medicaid for Pregnant Women available.
This other option, Medicaid for Adults, is for people whose income is lower than what the federal government has set. Medicaid for the Aged, Blind and Disabled provides coverage for individuals who are over 65 years of age, blind, or disabled and have an income that meets or exceeds the poverty level. Public assistance can also help pay for medically necessary nursing homes or other facilities for people with developmental disabilities.
Apply for DSS public assistance in New Hanover County
The DSS is located at the County Government Complex on Government Center Drive in North Carolina. To get information, call 910-798-7311.