Jacara Goodmond

Dr. Tiffany Welch

Child Welfare

6 July 2021

Welfare Research Project

Monthly Budget For Family

Total: $588/mo

Rent: 350/mo

https://reading.craigslist.org/apa/d/philadelphia-1br-bedroom-plus-living/7346855229.html

Food/ Formula: SNAP benefits covers food cost (SNAPS qualified for $782) ; WIC covers

most for formula but for a few more cans of formula ($40 out of pocket )

https://justharvest.org/get-help/snap-food-stamps/

Diapers: $8.99 ( Non-Profit Organization “MOMS” [ Moms Offering Moms Support]

https://www.eastonmoms.org/need-help

Toiletries: $5.49
Medical: $0.00 ( CHIP Health Insurance)

https://www.healthcare.gov/medicaid-chip/childrens-health-insurance-program/

Child Care: $50 Early Learning Resource Center (subsidized child care)

https://caplanc.org/our-programs/household-stability/early-learning-resource-center/

Clothing: $25.00 ( Non-Profit Organization “MOMS” [ Moms Offering Moms Support]

Transportation: $91.00 ( Monthly Septa Transpass) https://www.septa.org/fares/pass/key.html

Entertainment: 9.99/mo ( Xfinity Internet Essentials [cable and internet ] )

https://www.internetessentials.com , cell phone $0.00 QLink, Free Government cell phone )

https://qlinkwireless.com

Total: $540.47 remaining balance is $47.53

 List of Available Resources for low income family

1.) The Pennsylvania-Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program is

designed to help needy families achieve self-sufficiency. States receive grants to design

and operate programs that accomplish one of the purposes of the TANF program. The

four purposes of the TANF program are to provide assistance to needy families so that

children can be cared for in their own homes, reduce the dependency of needy parents by

promoting job preparation, work and marriage, prevent and reduce the incidence of

out-of-wedlock pregnancies, and encourage the formation and maintenance of two-parent

families. To be eligible for Pennsylvania Family Assistance, you must be a resident of

Pennsylvania, and a U.S. citizen, legal alien or qualified alien, must be unemployed or

underemployed and have low or very low income, must also be one of the following have

a child 18 years of age or younger, or be pregnant, or 18 years of age or younger and the

head of your household. [ https://www.benefits.gov/benefit/1168 ]

2.) Philabundance is a non-profit food bank, is a proud member of Feeding America, a

nationwide network of food banks leading the fight against hunger in the United

States.Philabundance not only runs numerous programs to alleviate hunger today, but

also launched in spring 2019 Ending Hunger. For Good. Through that program,

Philabundance partners with critical service providers to offer food coupled with other
 services to help break the cycle of poverty and end hunger for good. [

https://www.philabundance.org/about/ ]

3.) The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is the largest federal nutrition

assistance program. SNAP provides benefits to eligible low-income individuals and

families via an Electronic Benefits Transfer card. This card can be

used like a debit card to purchase eligible food in authorized retail food stores. To be

eligible for this benefit program, applicants must live in the state in which they apply and

meet certain bank balance limits. A household with an elderly (over 60) or disabled

household member may have a higher bank balance limit. Visit SNAP's eligibility page to

find out more about eligibility requirements and how benefits are computed. [

https://www.benefits.gov/benefit/361 ]

4.) CHIP offers free or low-cost medical and dental care to uninsured kids up to age 19

whose family income is above Medicaid’s limit but below their state’s CHIP limit. In

addition to Medicaid, six million children received additional benefits from CHIP. It

covers hospital care, medical supplies, and tests. It also provides preventive care, such as

eye exams, dental care, and regular check-ups. CHIP is also administered through CMS

in the Department of Health and Human Services. [

https://www.chipcoverspakids.com/Pages/default.aspx ]
5.) Subsidized Housing, Housing Vouchers, and Public Housing Programs Housing

Assistance helps low-income families, seniors, and people with disabilities get into

affordable private or government-owned rental housing. The Housing Choice Voucher

Program gives certificates to rent approved units. The subsidy allows recipients to pay no

more than 30 percent of their income. It provides 1.2 million units of public housing and

local agencies administer it to 2.2 million renters. This is the old Section 8 program. The

Public Housing Agency also allows some families to use the voucher to purchase a

modest home.There is also the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program

(LIHEAP), providing energy assistance and weatherization programs. It provides $3.4

billion in block grants to the states. [

http://www.pha.phila.gov/housing/public-housing.aspx ] [ https://www.liheap.org ]

6.) Welfare or TANF is administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

(HHS), TANF programs provide cash for a limited time to low-income families working

toward self-sufficiency. TANF may also offer non-cash benefits such as child care or job

training.In 2017, 2.5 million recipients received income from TANF. Of these, 1.9

million were children. On average, a three-person family received $447 a month. Despite

this help, they still live below the poverty line. Families who receive TANF must get a

job within two years and can only receive this benefit for five years or less in some states.

In addition, if they have another child and do not own more than $2,000 in total assets,

they may not be eligible for more income. [ https://www.usa.gov/benefits ]

7.) Head Start is a free or reduced cost program that provides comprehensive early childhood

education, health nutrition, and parent involvement services. This program is offered to

low-income children, from birth to 5 years old, and their families. In 2016 the program

serviced nearly 1 million children and 1.4 million child care programs. Head Start is also

administered by the Department of Health and Human Services. [

https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ohs ]
 Reflecting Reaction Paper

After completing this Welfare Research Project I can honestly say it did make me want

to work harder to reach my goals and become successful in life. This project has also

opened my eyes to how stressful this can become in order to get the assistance you need

to make a living on a minimum wage; as well as getting the essentials you need for

everyday life for being a single mother of three kids. While doing this project I had to

thank my mom for what she had done to provide for me when I was an infant before she

met my younger sister and brother, got married, and became a housewife. When my

mom had me unfortunately my biological father walked out of both of our lives which

meant my mom had to buckle up and start working overtime. It is a good thing that back

when I was born in 1999 things were not as expensive such as income, food,

childcare,clothes,etc as it is today. I couldn't imagine my mom working at a minimum

wage and trying to provide for one child ( me) at the time, as well as taking care of both

of our needs.

On the other hand, I noticed doing this project of a single mother with three kids that is

making minimum wage of $7.35 most likely won’t be able to live in Philadelphia.

Furthermore, looking for assistance in Philadelphia is not that difficult , what is difficult

is applying for these assistance and making sure you get approved for it right away. When

applying for these assistance there are documents you have to send in such as your

monthly/yearly pay, the amount of people in your household in order to get qualified,

sometimes you could be one cent over for the requirement to be eligible and won't be

qualified for that assistance. Me putting myself as if I was a mother with three kids, the
only thing I thought about while making the family budget was my children, I noticed I

didn't think about my needs as much as I thought about my kids needs, ( sometimes that

can factor into a bad habit because a mother should take care of herself first at times so

she can be the best mother she can be to her kids). Meaning shoes,clothes,nails,and hair

done are necessities that aren't important but making sure that I am healthy and getting

the nutrition that I need is what matters most. Overall, doing this project showed me so

many resources that are out there for people to get the assistance they need, even if you

don't get qualified for public assistance which is not likely. There are many non-profit

organizations that are willing to give a helping hand to those who are in need, as a person

who lives in poverty and is making minimum wage they are going to have to stay self

encouraged, consistent and don't give up! Even though trying to survive off of public

assistance is very overwhelming, time consuming, and a lot of responsibilities.