Michael Swayze's Community Resources

Blog

  • LIHEAP Deadline Extended to May 31

    The following information was published by NJ 2-1-1 which operates the Home Energy Assistance Hotline. The hotline can be reached by calling 800-510-3102.

    The deadline to apply for utility assistance through LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program) has been extended to May 31. As the Home Energy Assistance Hotline for the State of New Jersey, NJ 2-1-1 is the place to call if you are struggling to pay your gas, oil or electric heating bills. This assistance is available to eligible residents regardless of whether they rent or own their home. Emergency assistance is also available through May 31 for those who have already been approved for LIHEAP benefits AND have received a shut-off notice.

    Callers to NJ 2-1-1 can check on the status of their application, receive information on the location of their application agency and a list of documents that must be submitted with their application. Required documentation includes a copy of the rental lease/property tax bill (if you own your home); utility bill; proof of income for anyone in your home above the age of 18; social security card for everyone in the household and a drivers license or state issued picture ID.

    Source: NJ 2-1-1 website and NJ 2-1-1 email.

  • Resources For Parents

    Looking for resources for a child or adolescent with behavioral or mental health challenges? There is a network of agencies and online resources in all twenty-one counties that offer a wide range of information about resources, services and support systems for families and children.

    Each county has a Case Management Organization (CMO) in partnership with the New Jersey Children’s System of Care. Their goal is to help families or caregivers create a stable and healthy environment for children by address barriers, including behavioral health issues, developmental disabilities, substance abuse, etc.

    Don’t know what resources are available to meet a child’s needs? In combination with each CMO there is an online ResourceNet. Families can find information on community services, health services or community events and organizations.

    There are fifteen ResourceNets in the state of New Jersey. Read the brochure for links to them. They are: Bergen, Burlington, Camden, Cape Atlantic, Cumberland, Gloucester, Salem (CGS), Essex, Hudson, Hunterdon, Somerset, Warren (TriCounty) Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris Sussex, Ocean, Passaic, Union.

    For assistance in finding help for your child, visit the NJ Children’s System of Care website or call 877-652-7624.

  • The Monopoly Menace

    The recent issue (Volume 306, Number 7, March 12, 2018) of The Nation contains an article, “The Monopoly Menace”. It is worth reading. Here is an excerpt:

    “Today, a few corporations once again dominate sectors of our economy. In an interview with The Nation’s George Zornick, Senator Elizabeth Warren points out that two companies sell 70 percent of the beer in the country; four companies produce 85 percent of American beef; and four airlines account for 80 percent of domestic seats. With monopolies squeezing out the competition and underpaying workers, profits are funneled to a tiny elite. It’s no coincidence that the three richest American’s – Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, Microsoft’s Bill Gates, and Berkshire Hathaway’s Warren Buffett – are together worth slightly more than the bottom half of the entire US population.”

    The first way to fight back is by becoming informed. That’s why I became a subscriber to The Nation last year. Another way is to buy local, craft beer and to buy local food. We do in our household.