Job Loss Help

With all the job loss and changes going on I thought it would be good to create a page that can help people when this happens. I have been fired once and had to quit a job in the middle of COVID without a job lined up and had to use some of these resources.  This will also cover govt benefits etc... I have a page about free and  money saving things  as well as healthcare and food page 

Unemployment or SSI SSDI

This looks like the main page for the site https://workforce.iowa.gov/unemployment The 1st thing after you get fired or no longer have your job apply here so you can at least see if you can get some money for some of the time. 

If you can not return to work then you can look at SSI or SSDI for long trem income options  based on this link it looks like the mim SS income is $886 a month https://www.ncoa.org/article/ssi-vs-ssdi-what-are-these-benefits-how-they-differ 

Health Care 

Since Healthcare is tied into the job market for the most part.  Go on to https://www.healthcare.gov/ and sign up there this is a central clearing house for a lot of things I know when COVID was big in the early 2020's you could get on Medicaid fairly easy I was on it for most of 2021.  But you start at the above website then it kicks it over to the state.

Food & Food Stamps

SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) is administered by the USDA to provide nutrition assistance to low-income individuals and families I have more info on Free food and other stuff here 

  https://www.hacap.org/findfood 

More info about food and health care my page on it

Rent Assistance

Its better to help someone stay housed then have them be evicted and have to start over Here are some links with more info https://www.waypointservices.org/what-we-do/housing-homeless-services  Homeless Diversion/Eviction Prevention is something that they work on WayPoint is the main hub in Cedar Rapids 

You can call them up but this looks like their main clearing house https://iowahousinghelp.com/ 

Are you experiencing homelessness or housing instability? Contact our Housing Services team at 319-366-7999  https://www.iowalegalaid.org/resource/eviction-diversion-help-desks


 The Housing Services Office serves as the recognized public housing authority (PHA) for the Cedar Rapids/Marion area, Linn and Benton counties. getting on section 8 Link 

on that program Your rent is based on 30% of your income. No income =$0 rent. $750 a month= $250

So the above are the real big core ones food housing healthcare some money etc I am going to put some more info below 

Low-Income Home Energy Assistance (LIHEAP) & Weatherization program 

This program can help keep the lights and the heat on they can also help keep your services from being cut off and keep your bill cut lower  https://www.hacap.org/energy  I have a low income page that covers Weatherization  programs 



Internet 

lifeline and acp program if your provider is in this program then you can get your cost cut for either cellphone service or home internet  You can look you providers  https://affordableconnectivity.gov/ if its still around but a lot of the big providers still have discount plans for low income. 

Transportation

If you are 65+ years old or have low income or disability you can ride the Cedar Rapids City Bus for Free link 

other options 

https://horizonsfamily.org/nts/ after hours service $6 a ride. 


https://www.linncounty.org/142/LIFTS county and disability service. 


https://www.380express.com/  bus that goes from downtown Cedar Rapids to Downtown Iowa City. 

maybe best to sell off car since the cost to keep one running and going is really high at least over the long term. 

Tools  taining and more 

See what you can do with your time and your life 

try to learn new skills get better every day etc...

Kirkwood 

KPACE stands for Kirkwood Pathways for Academic Career Education and Employment  https://www.kirkwood.edu/lastdollarscholarship 

Kibbie Grant (Iowa Skilled Workforce Shortage Tuition Grant)


Trade unions libraries and more 

trade unions really need people right now https://builtbypros.com/# 

https://www.matthew-25.org/housing/tool-library/  where you can rent some tools to fix things up mow a yard etc

More Govt Benefits 

https://www.benefits.gov/ this is a main clearing house for gov benifits 

Out of Work? Consider These Five Resources for Assistance

https://www.benefits.gov/news/article/320 

Linn County  https://www.linncountyiowa.gov/143/General-Assistance

 Rent or Mortgage Interest Utility bills Water Electricity  Gas