Economic Hardship Resource List - Family Care Network

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Economic Hardship Resource List

Updated 9/24/2013

General Information

Contact numbers for support and community resources (Volunteers of America North Sound): Call 2-1-1 or go online to access their searchable database: . Emergency shelters and housing, food banks, rental assistance, job training and education programs, after-school programs, Head Start, support groups, etc.

Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS): Application for benefits: dshs.pdf/ms/forms/14_001.pdf. Bellingham: 360-714-4000. Mt. Vernon: 1-800-735-7038. Food stamps, housing assistance, health insurance, and more.

Hard Times Resource Guide, compiled by the Washington State Library system to help navigate a tough economy. Information and resources for help with finances and money management, job seeking, health and sustenance, housing and homelessness: sos.library/hardtimes/Default.aspx.

Opportunity Council Community Resource Directory: . Resources in Whatcom, Island, and San Juan counties. You can do a search for specific categories if desired: Children, Education, Food, Health, Housing, Jobs, Other, Utilities.

Job Hunting

WorkSource Northwest: Job searching, unemployment insurance, career planning, education and training, community resources. . Mt. Vernon: 360-416-3600. Oak Harbor: 360675-5966. Bellingham: 360-676-1521. Help with r?sum?s and getting your next job. Financial assistance may be available for occupational training, relocation, or other employment-based needs. Training may be on-the-job or classroom-based for people who are out of work (also for those receiving public assistance, low-income veterans, low-income foster families, or homeless). Free job search and computer classes as well as free internet and software for job search activities.

For information on unemployment benefits in WA:

Community Jobs Program. Provides skill development and training as an avenue to permanent jobs for welfare recipients. Opportunity Council: Whatcom County: 360-734-5121. Island County: 360-6796577. San Juan County: 1-800-649-5121.

Clothing for job interviews: Catholic Community Services: Bellingham: 360-676-2164. Burlington: 360856-3054. (a Seattle-based website. For Whatcom County, go to "quick links" and click on "family centers" and Whatcom County.) Salvation Army: Vouchers for clothing from their thrift store. Also available: food bank listings, toiletries, bedding, and furniture for those in need. Bellingham: 360733-1350. Mt. Vernon: 1-800-958-7825. Anacortes: 360-293-6682. YWCA Bellingham: Back to Work Boutique, free quality clothing to low income Whatcom County women. 360-734-4820, . Laurel Community Baptist Church in Bellingham: Good clothing for kids and adults, free, Thursdays from 10 am ? 3 pm, 360-398-1761.

Community Voice Mail, a voice mail service for people who don't have a phone. A national network that provides free 24-hour voice mail to help link individuals to jobs, housing, safety, and stability. . Whatcom County: 360-734-5121, x233. Island County: 360-679-6577 or 1-800-317-5427.

If you are receiving support from DSHS, you may qualify for the Washington Telephone Assistance Program, which offers discounts on telephone connection fees, deposits, and/or your monthly telephone service. See listing for DSHS in "General Information" above.

Tips for new college graduates: 1) Consider working as an intern rather than as a full-time hire. 2) Network. Tap into alumni. 3) If you have to settle for your second choice, make it something that will give

800 E. Chestnut St., Suite 3-E Bellingham, WA 98225-5241 (360) 788-6565 1-800-244-6142 FAX (360) 788-6567 whatcom/eap

you skills to make you a strong applicant for your first choice a year from now. 4) Check out AmeriCorps programs at .

Interested in starting your own business? If you are on unemployment, you may qualify to attend training through the Self-Employment Assistance Program (SEAP) before starting your own business. Contact WorkSource Northwest (see above) or . Additionally, information and support is available for anyone interested in starting small businesses through these resources: In Whatcom County: WWU's College of Business and Economics Small Business Development Center: 360-778-1762 or cbe.wwu.edu/sbdc. Northwest Economic Council, 360-676-4255 or . In Skagit County: Economic Development Association of Skagit County: 360-336-6114 or index.php. For some excellent information and resources, check out and the Washington State Small Business Guide at .

Job-hunting sites for older workers (retired but want to return to work, laid off, or looking for a second career): ; ; ; .

Health Insurance and Prescription Options

WAHA: Whatcom Alliance for Health Advancement (Whatcom County residents only): 360-788-6594.

With Health Care Reform, more people will be eligible for free (Medicaid) or affordable health insurance. Beginning October 1, 2013, you may sign up. Coverage will begin January 1, 2014. People who want to buy private plans have only between October 1, 2013 and March 23, 2014 to sign up. After that time, they have to wait until October 1, 2014 for the next opportunity. . If you need help you can call WA Healthplanfinder directly at: 360-688-7700. Toll-free customer-support center, open M ? F from 7:30 am ? 8 pm: 1-855-923-4633. You can also contact a broker listed on the website, or you can call a local office to help you.

Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner, SHIBA (Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors): . Toll-free hot line, staffed by volunteers who can assist with finding affordable health care coverage. Bilingual help available. 1-800-562-6900.

Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS): Application for benefits: dshs.pdf/ms/forms/14_001.pdf. Bellingham: 360-714-4000. Mt. Vernon: 1-800-735-7038.

Talk to your Human Resources Department about the federal COBRA program. For basic COBRA information in a Q & A format: .

Basic Health: basichealth.hca. or 1-800-826-2444. The Basic Health program ends on December 31, 2013.

Free FamilyWize prescription drug discount cards are available to consumers who have no health insurance, are underinsured, or who have health care plans but need medication not covered by their insurance. There are no enrollment or eligibility requirements. To get a card: Print a card on ; you can also use this site to find a list of participating pharmacies and to look up drug prices. Alternately, many participating pharmacies will have cards available for customers and the public, or call United Way to learn where to get a card. United Way, Whatcom County: 360-733-8670; Skagit County: 360-755-9521; Island County: 360-675-1778.

Whatcom and Skagit Counties have launched a discount card program to help consumers cope with the high price of prescriptions. The counties are making free Prescription Drug Discount Cards available under a program sponsored by the National Association of Counties. It offers average savings of 22% off the retail price of commonly prescribed drugs: naco or .

Food

Food Stamps: See DSHS listing above or contact the Opportunity Council for help in obtaining food stamps. Opportunity Council in Whatcom County: 360-734-5121, x233. Island County: 360-679-6577 or 1-800-317-5427.

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 Food banks: Call 2-1-1 for resources in your area. Call each food bank to confirm hours of operation and what kind of food is available. Salvation Army also has lists of food bank days, times, and locations. Salvation Army in Bellingham: 360-733-1350. Mt. Vernon: 1-800-958-7825. Anacortes: 360-293-6682.

For your kids: Ask your school about reduced-price breakfast and lunch programs.

Assistance with basic critical needs, especially food, rent and utility assistance to low-income families: Catholic Community Services (CCS). Bellingham: CCS Whatcom Family Center, 360-676-2164. Burlington/Mt. Vernon: Skagit Family Center, 360-856-3054 or 360-416-7546.

Free pet food for pet owners in need. Whatcom Voice of the Animals (650-0556) distributes pet food outside the Bellingham Food Bank, 1824 Ellis Street at noon on the third Friday of each month. The Whatcom Humane Society (WHS) distributes free pet food on a first come first serve basis from Tuesday through Saturday at 3710 Williamson Way and 1661 Baker Creek Place, 733-2080 or . Call ahead to check food availability and program rules. Low-Cost Spay/Neuter help: WHS, 733-2080; Alternative Humane Society, 671-7445.

Help with Utilities

Opportunity Council. Energy Assistance Program. . Whatcom County: 360255-2192. Island County: 360-679-6577. San Juan County: 1-888-586-7293.

Skagit County Community Action Agency (SCCAA). . 360-416-7585.

Assistance with utilities to low-income families: Catholic Community Services (CCS). Bellingham: CCS

Whatcom Family Center, 360-676-2164. Burlington/Mt. Vernon: Skagit Family Center, 360-856-3054 or 360-416-7546.

Financial Counseling and Education

Non-profit credit counseling organizations advise you on managing your debts, help you develop a budget, and offer free educational materials and workshops. Counselors discuss your entire financial situation and can help you develop a debt management plan to pay off creditors and/or learn about bankruptcy and other options. Two resources: 1) Consumer Credit Counseling Services: or 1-800-244-1183 or 1-800-355-2227. 2) ClearPoint Financial Solutions: or 1-877-877-1995 or 1877-422-9045 (offices in Everett and Seattle). Services often cost $35/month or less.

Washington Bankruptcy Law: faq.html.

Check out the following website for educational modules on money management, credit reports, the basics of investing, financial planning, buying a home, finances for college students: partners/wecu/index.html.

If you can't pay your bills, contact your creditors now and explain your situation. Creditors are often more willing to work with you before your account becomes delinquent. They may be able to reduce your interest rates, adjust your payments, or eliminate late fees. If you contact them by phone, follow up with a letter so you both have a written record of your agreement. Don't make promises you can't keep.

Negotiate with collection agencies: Everything is negotiable (within reason); collection agencies can make settlement offers and/or payment arrangements but can also demand the payment in full. Familiarize yourself with the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act of 1978 at . Stay calm, proactive, and positive, and whatever you negotiate, put it in writing for later proof of the agreement. Send any correspondence (especially payments) certified mail with a return receipt. Write down the name, employee number, company, and telephone number of anyone you speak with. NEVER agree to a settlement or payment arrangement you cannot keep. Be prepared to pay taxes on the debt forgiven, and expect your credit score to drop because you altered what you originally agreed to pay.

If you are a member (anyone can become a member) of WECU (Whatcom Educational Credit Union), contact their BALANCE Financial Fitness Program to access free and low-cost financial counseling and education, including money management and foreclosure prevention counseling, debt management plans, identity theft solutions, and a credit report review to make sure you know your rights: 1-888-456-2227 or .

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 Access calculators that can help estimate auto loans, real estate loans, budgeting, savings and investments: calculators.

Debt in Focus is a free and anonymous online service provided by our nation's credit unions. By answering questions online about your current income and debts, a simple financial analysis is generated that provides information on debt to income ratios, debt payment schedules, and strategies to help keep your finances moving forward.

"Reaching Dreams through Financial Literacy" is the goal of The Whatcom Dream, a community-based organization that offers 12-week classes (free childcare available) on financial literacy: . Courses cover the following topics: Values, Budgeting, Goal Setting, Banking, Debt Reduction, Credit Repair, Consumerism, Insurance, Transportation, Home Ownership, Retirement, and Investing. Call 360-319-3759 to register for classes.

Resources for college students to help manage money and keep costs down while attending school. This site features extensive money saving tips for students: student-living/savemoney.htm. Go to this site for 31 concise tips to save money while in college: college-money/save-money-college.php.

If your credit card company raises your interest rates and it looks like you can't make your payments at the higher interest rate, check to see if you can cancel your card and continue to pay off the balance at the previous interest rate. Call your credit card company to see if this is a possibility.

Budget Boot Camp is a self-help program providing individualized budget counseling to community members. Its goal is to help people with financial difficulties gain control over their money rather than feeling controlled by money. This program is sponsored by Love INC (Love in the Name of Christ), a nonprofit consortium of churches. Classes are offered in Lynden and Bellingham. Classes are free but participants must commit to the 12-week class. Childcare provided. Whatcom County Love INC: 360671-6201 or .

Free Financial Literacy and Renter Education (F.L.A.R.E.) classes, offered by Opportunity Council and open to all, are designed to increase adults' knowledge of how to save, spend, and invest money so they can work toward their financial goals. The class also helps prospective renters find housing, sign a lease, and be good tenants. Childcare provided. Opportunity Council (Whatcom Co.): 360-734-5121 or .

Turning Point: Whatcom Life Transition Program is offered by Whatcom Community College to help people who were dependent on the income of another person (but are no longer receiving that support) become self-sufficient. This program offers assistance with tuition-free/for-credit classes on career/life planning; workshops on self-esteem and communication; and support for those "taking the next step" by providing information and referral services. Classes offered September through June. Call 360-383-3135 or e-mail rbailey@whatcom.ctc.edu. Website:

Mortgage Refinancing, Foreclosure, Short-term Housing

For information and links from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development on avoiding foreclosure: .

Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America (NACA). Nonprofit group that finds ways to help atrisk homeowners lower their mortgage payments. Helps with negotiations with lenders who have signed agreements with NACA. 1-888-302-NACA. E-mail: services@.

Solid Ground, a non-profit agency offering foreclosure counseling: 1-866-297-4300.

Washington Homeownership Information Hotline: dfi.consumers/homeownership or 1-877894-HOME.

There are two types of federal help for homeowners struggling to meet their mortgage payments. Over 9 million homeowners qualify for one or the other. 1) The Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP) is a possibility for people who are current in their payments but having trouble keeping up, and also for those who are already behind and facing foreclosure. The government will back refinanced loans at lower rates if the loan is owned by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac (this covers about half the loans that banks issue). Even if you write your monthly check to the bank that originally financed your mortgage, call the loanservicing department to see if the mortgage is owned by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac or go to or . The property must be your personal residence and you

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will have to show that your financial situation allows you to continue making prompt payments. You cannot qualify for HARP if your first mortgage exceeds 25% of your home's current value. (For example, you're eligible for the refinancing plan if your house is worth $200,000 and you owe $250,000 or less. But if you owe more than $250,000, you'll have to look elsewhere for help.) 2) The Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP) is geared toward owners who have already fallen behind on their payments or may do so soon. HAMP allows lenders to lower interest rates (as low as 2%) and stretch the loan-repayment schedule to 40 years. This is not limited to loans owned by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, but the loan amount cannot exceed $729,750 and the first mortgage must have been issued on or before 1/1/2009. You'll have to show documentation that the payment on your first mortgage exceeds 31% of your gross (pre-tax) monthly income. There is a 3-month "trial modification" if you meet initial criteria. During this time, the lender will gather more financial information and make the changes permanent if you make the payments promptly and the further research proves that you qualify for the program. For more information: or 888-995-4673. The website also includes a list of HUD-approved mortgage counselors, and offers information from the federal government on obtaining lower mortgage payments; providing assistance to those who have lost a job; second mortgage modification; relocation assistance for people in the process of foreclosure; and refinancing for borrowers with negative equity (there are criteria that the homeowner needs to meet to qualify for each of these programs).

Beware of unknown companies that are promising easy refinancing. Stay away from anyone who says that they will save your home for money upfront. Call 1-888-995-HOPE if you suspect a scam. One source recommends staying with websites with ".gov" as part of the address to ensure you're dealing with a government-backed program.

Short-term and transitional housing: Contact Opportunity Council. Whatcom County: 360-734-5121, x370. Island County: 360-679-6577 or 1-800-317-5427.

Homeowners with a limited income may be able to defer paying property taxes. For more information: Go to dor.docs/pubs/prop_tax/limitedincomedef.pdf or call the Department of Revenue/Property Tax office at 360-570-5900 (in Whatcom County, you can also call the Whatcom County Assessor's Office at 676-6790).

Assistance with rent to low-income families: Catholic Community Services (CCS). Bellingham: CCS

Whatcom Family Center, 360-676-2164. Burlington/Mt. Vernon: Skagit Family Center, 360-856-3054 or 360-416-7546.

The Foreclosure Fairness Act of 2011 gives homeowners the option of face-to-face mediation with the

lending institution servicing their mortgage. Meeting with a housing counselor or attorney is the first step prior to doing mediation; the Whatcom Dispute Resolution Center is compiling a list of contacts for this purpose. In Whatcom County as of July 2011, mediation will be offered at the Whatcom Dispute Resolution Center: 360-676-0122.

Counseling Resources (career counseling, coaching, mental health and substance abuse)

Health Promotion Northwest Employee Assistance Program (EAP). whatcom/eap. If your employer is contracted with HPN EAP, it offers short-term counseling for you and/or anyone living in your household, paid for by your employer. This benefit is also available up to one month after a layoff or termination. We can help you develop a plan of action and access needed resources. Offices in Bellingham and Burlington. 360-788-6565 or 1-800-244-6142.

Low-cost counseling. Freedman & Associates has developed an internship program to contribute to the community's efforts to provide low-cost counseling in Bellingham and the surrounding areas. Their WWU master's level intern will offer counseling for a maximum fee of $30/hour. To make an appointment, call the intake specialist at (360) 734-2664, x10.

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