Debt
Counseling and Repayment Programs:
The
National Foundation for Credit Counseling sponsors
a
nationwide network of local non-profit organizations
that
provides consumer credit education, confidential
budget
and debt counseling, and debt repayment programs
to
families and individuals debt free. Find a local
consumer
credit counselor at http://www.debtadvice.org
or
call 1-800-388-2227.
Emergency
Financial Assistance and Other Resources
Pegasus:
This not-for-profit charitable organization
was
created to assist AFA members coping with a critical,
life-threatening
or disabling illness or injury. Pegasus
offers
short-term emergency grants for members who
have
been qualified through an application process.
The
application and eligibility criteria can be downloaded
at
www.afanet.org/pegasusproject
.
AFL-CIO
Community Services: AFA's affiliation with
the
AFL-CIO affords members access to a nationwide
network
of 200 full-time labor liaisons skilled in
providing
union members and their families with referrals
to
local community resources and services when individual
and/or
family resources are slim. Find your local community
service
liaison at www.aflcio.org/communitypartners/peoplehelp/
under
the People Who Help Handbook or call 703-683-7833.
Union
Community Fund: Many local union communities
have
created charitable funds to assist members when
times
get tough. Find out if your area has one by linking
to
http://www.unioncommunityfund.org/contacts.asp
Catholic
Charities: A national organization with local
chapters
offering emergency cash assistance, legal,
and
counseling services. Refer to your local phone
book
or go to http://www.catholiccharitiesusa.org/states/
211:
2-1-1 is a new national telephone number for access
to
local human services. It is free, easy to remember
and
takes the confusion out of where to call to give
or
receive help. Not all states have it up and running,
but
most will in the near future.
When
the Paycheck Stops: This is a resource guide for
union
members who have or may face interruption in
employment.
Specific resources include suggestions
for
keeping a roof over your head, dealing with creditors,
staying
insured, etc. Link to http://www.aflcio.org/yourjobeconomy/help/index.cfm\
Hospitals/Health
Clinics: Low Cost/No Cost
Hill
Burton Facilities: Free or reduced health care
may
be available at your local hospital or nearby health
clinic
if they are a Hill Burton facility. Contact
the
admission or finance department to identify if
it
is a designated Hill Burton facility and to obtain
their
eligibility requirements. A directory of all
current
Hill Burton health care facilities by states
and
cities is available at
http://www.mccapny.org/guide/chap10d.htm#hillburton
Health
Insurance for Children: No Cost and Low Cost
SCHIP
is available in almost every state for America's
children
through the State Children's Health Insurance
Program
(SCHIP). The program is designed to ensure
that
children are not denied health care because their
parents
do not have health insurance coverage. The
program
is federally funded but implemented by each
state.
You can learn about how to qualify for the SCHIP
program
and find information about its availability
in
your state at the Insure Kids Now web site (www.insurekidsnow.gov)
or
at 1-877-543-7669.
LEGAL
ASSISTANCE: Free or Reduced Cost
Union
Privilege offers AFA members access to a network
of
attorneys for a free telephonic or in-person 30
minute
consultation and reduced fee if the attorneys
services
are retained. Call 1-800-452-9425 or go to
www.unionprivilege.org
.
Legal
Services Corporation promotes equal access to
the
courts by providing funds for civil legal assistance
to
those who would otherwise be unable to afford legal
counsel.
Local programs can be identified at www.lsc.gov/fundprog.htm
or
by calling 202-336-8800
Prescriptions:
Low Cost/No Cost
Prescription
drug assistance programs provide needy
patients
with medications they might not otherwise
be
able to afford. Pharmaceutical companies provide
select
medications free of charge to physicians for
qualified
patients. To make it easier for physicians
to
identify the growing number of programs available,
member
companies of the Pharmaceutical Research and
Manufacturers
of America (PhRMA) created the Directory
of
Prescription Drug Patient Assistance Programs. Information
about
covered medications, eligibility and how to apply
is
provided. The directory is available at www.phrma.org/patients
.
Rx
Assist: Volunteers in health care developed RxAssist
to
help physicians identify programs offering free
medications
for their eligible patients. The on-line
program
is designed to save physicians time and frustration
by
making it easier to identify appropriate programs
for
their patients, and submit application which conforms
to
the companys requirements. Talk to your doctor about
contacting
RxAssist at 877-844-8442 or www.volunteersinhealthcare.org/rxsoft.htm
Unemployment
Benefits:
Connect
to your states unemployment web site to apply
for
unemployment and to calculate benefits. Link to
http://www.aflcio.org/familyfunresources/crisis/unemployment.cfm#unemployment_benefits
Utility
Bills Assistance:
Low
Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
offers
assistance with paying for your home's heating
and/or
cooling costs. In addition, there may be other
programs
operated by your local utility company or
local
United Way organization to help pay for utility
bills.
Contact your local utility company or your local
AFL-CIO
community service liaison for more information.
You
can locate your local community service liaison
at
http://www.aflcio.org/communitypartners/peoplehelp/
Worklife
Resources
Child
Care/Eldercare: Resources and Nationwide Referrals
ChildCare
Connector: This service will provide parent(s)
with
information to evaluate and find childcare in
their
local community. Contact 1-800-424-2246 or http://www.childcareaware.org
Dependent
Care Services: Does your carrier offer you
a
Worklife/Dependent Care Service through a vendor?
United
flight attendants can contact this service at
http://lifecare.com/
Educational/Growth
Opportunities
AFA
Scholarship Fund: Dependents of AFA members who
will
be attending a college or university can apply
for
a financial need based scholarship. Link to http://www.afanet.org/scholarship.asp
Online
Help for College Costs: This AFL-CIO sponsored
site
offers links to scholarships, loans, useful financial
aid
information and budget calculators. Click on http://www.aflcio.org/familyfunresources/collegecosts/links.cfm
National
Labor College: Labor's own college at the
George
Meany Center for Labor Studies in Silver Spring
MD
offers nationally accredited degree programs. AFA
members
can complete their degree using their life
and
AFA experiences towards college credits. For more
information
go to www.georgemeany.org
