Michael Swayze's Community Resources

Category: Community Resources

  • Apps For Veterans

    This being Veteran’s Day it seems only fitting and right to take time to thank all our veterans. The information below is my small way of giving tribute to the fine men and women who have served in our Armed Forces. The following are resources I found while surfing the Web.

    A number of smartphone apps have been developed for veterans. They include: 1) Position Report (POS REP) an application that connects veterans via GPS to an interactive social network. To download the app visit the POS REP website at http://pos-rep.com. (Source: September 9, 2013 article in military.com.) 2) Hiring Our Heroes. Featured last month in the U.S. Veterans magazine and U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation webpage. 3) A White House blog article from 2012 details a number of “Apps for Heroes”. For details see the White House blog article and a link to VA Blue Button apps. 4) PTSD Coach. See National Center for PTSD for details. 5) Claims Coach, provided by the American Legion giving guidance through the process of filing for VA benefits.

    Military and Veterans Benefits Insider’s Guide, includes 2013 Veteran’s Day discounts and free meals for veterans and their families. MilitaryBenefits.info is a non-government website.

    Traditional websites for veterans are: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. A successful nonprofit serving a number of counties in New Jersey offering supportive and housing services for veterans is Community Hope, located in Parsippany. For more information call 855-483-8466. Other nonprofits offering outreach to New Jersey veterans and their families are Soldier On, 866-406-8449; and Volunteers of America Delaware Valley, 856-854-4660.

  • Sandy Homeowner and Renter Assistance Program

    Yesterday, Governor Christie announced the launch of the Sandy Homeowner and Renter Assistance Program (SHRAP), a temporary relief program to assist individuals and families experiencing a housing crisis resulting from Hurricane Sandy. Affected households could qualify for up to six months of payment vouchers (no more than $15,000 in total assistance) to cover select home appliances and current past due payments on rent, mortgages and/or utility bills. Payment vouchers will be offered only for subsidies, benefits, or services that have not been or will not be covered by FEMA, home insurance or other government grants and subsidies.

    To be eligible for the program, an individual or family unit must:

    • Have a financial distress directly related to housing which is a direct result of Superstorm Sandy;
    • Be a U.S. citizen or eligible alien;
    • Not currently be receiving Work First New Jersey (WFNJ) benefits or be eligible for WFNJ/SSI Emergency Assistance; and
    • Be legally or blood-related. (If two unrelated families/individuals are sharing a home/apartment, each can apply separately.)

    Other details are available by reading the official press release issued by the Governor’s office on October 22, 2013.

    The state Department of Human Services has provided a list of SHRAP providers on their website. Applicants for SHRAP may apply in the county in which they are currently residing. For additional Sandy relief information visit http://www.state.nj.us/humanservices/dfd/programs/shrap/.

  • How the Marketplace Works

    You have probably heard through various media the Health Insurance Marketplace aka the Exchange will open in a few days. A number of things are probably still unclear. You will need to create an account, enter information, pick a plan, then enroll in a health insurance plan. For coverage to start on January 1, 2014 you must enroll by December 15.

    To help you get started here is a reprint of a September 20 article appearing in the HealthCare Blog, located at https://www.healthcare.gov/blog/. It reads in part:

    You can apply for health coverage, compare all your options, and enroll in a plan in one streamlined application through the Health Insurance Marketplace. When open enrollment begins October 1, 2013, you can fill out your application and see the health coverage options available to you.

    1. Create an account
    First provide some basic information. Then choose a user name, password, and security questions for added protection.

    2. Apply for Marketplace coverage
    Enter information about you and your family, including your income, household size, and more. Use this checklist now to help you gather the information you’ll need.

    3. Pick a plan
    Next you’ll see all the health insurance plans and programs you’re eligible for and compare them side-by-side. You’ll also find out if you can get lower costs on Marketplace coverage.

    4. Enroll
    Choose a health insurance plan that meets your needs and enroll! Coverage starts as soon as January 1, 2014.

    These are the 4 steps to getting covered in the Health Insurance Marketplace. If you need help trained representatives are available by phone 24/7 at 1-800-318-2596. Visit the Health Insurance Blog for more information.

    Navigators will serve as an in-person resource for Americans who want additional assistance in shopping for and enrolling in plans in the Health Insurance Marketplace this fall. Navigators are trained and certified to help you understand your health coverage options and enroll in a plan. Below are the recipients of Navigator grants awarded for New Jersey outreach efforts.

    Center For Family Services, Inc.
    Center For Family Services, Inc. (CFS) is a nonprofit human services agency with 90 years of experience serving individuals and families across the life span. CFS will serve the seven lower southern counties of New Jersey which include: Camden, Burlington, Gloucester, Salem, Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland. The funds will be used to educate and help enroll consumers in the health insurance marketplace.

    Orange ACA Navigator Project
    The Orange ACA Navigator Project (OACANP) will integrate several successfully existing community-based systems to serve as a guide to help uninsured residents and small businesses in underserved and vulnerable populations. OACANP will help consumers learn about insurance options and assist with enrollment in health plans through the competitive health insurance marketplace.

    Urban League of Hudson County
    The Urban League of Hudson County (ULOHC) is a community based organization dedicated to advocating, facilitating, and promoting initiatives that allow local residents to participate in the development of urban neighborhoods. ULOHC will partner with the Urban League for Bergen County, the Urban League of Morris County and the Urban League of Union County to assist consumers in enrolling in the Marketplace.

    Public Health Solutions
    Public Health Solutions (PHS) is one of the largest non-profit organizations in New York City. PHS will partner with four community-based organizations in New Jersey to provide outreach and enrollment assistance in Hudson and Essex Counties.

    FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties, Inc.
    The FoodBank was created in 1984 and today serves over 260 pantries, soup kitchens and other feeding programs with almost 7 million pounds of food distributed annually. With the help of roughly 1,000 volunteers each year, the FoodBank’s programs work to eliminate hunger by providing emergency food, skills training, outreach programs and advocacy for families in need. Their work will help connect uninsured and underinsured individuals with information about their health insurance options.