Help for Hard Times

Need Assistance?  These organizations can help:

United Way:

If you need assistance with your mortgage, heat and/or utilities, food stamps, Medicare or Medicaid services, child support services and more, just dial 2-1-1 for United Way's help line.

Home Energy Assistance Program:

HEAP stands for the Home Energy Assistance Program that is federally funded and offers benefits to familiews earning as much as $57,000 per year to supplement their household's annual energy cost.  HEAP also offers an emergency benefit for households in a heat-related emergency, including a furnace repair or replacement if your equipment does not operate.  If you have an energy-related emergency such as a power termination notice or shutoff contact your local department of social services to find out how to apply for emergency assistance. 

Questions about HEAP should be directed to social services of the NYS HEAP Hotline at 1-800-342-3009.  These numbers can also provide assistance with Food Stamps.

Health Insurance:

For HEALTH INSURANCE questions, there is a Hotline to Albany at 1-800-701-0501, www.hicap.state.ny.us

The MEDICARE Rights center can be reached from Monday thru Thursday from 9AM to 3PM at 1-800-333-4141

Mortgage Assistance:

For homeowners at risk of losing their home, and information about "Keep the Dream" mortgage refinancing program, call State of New York Mortgage Agency
(SONYMA)at 1-800-382-HOME (4663.)

Putnam Family and Community Services  WWW.PFCSINC.ORG

They are a private not-for-profit agency, in their 11th year of helping adults, children and families heal, grow and recover.