I'm so sorry to hear of your difficulties! I have some advice which I hope will help you.
Job: Go to your local state employment agency. Where I am it is called Career Central. They have listings for jobs that you possibly won't see anywhere else. It is free. You may have to take another kind of job but you might find one in their job bank. -- Anybody can go there to look for job listings. They will help you get an appointment for an interview. Don't restrict yourself to only what you have done to make a living -- look at every single listing and ask yourself if you could do it. Look outside the box as they say.
Usually there is a Vocational Rehabilitation office associated with Career Central (or whatever it is called in your state). This entity provides help with training you for another type of work. They work in conjunction with Career Central. It also is free. They will pay for your training and other things associated with being able to work. If you are also applying at the same time for Disability, that's okay because you can still work a minimum number of hours and be on Disability too.
As for paying bills, try the United Way, independent churches, anyplace they give out food (they often help with bill paying too)... I know all these places aren't "Catholic" but they don't require that you profess their beliefs. They give freely. Take the bills with you so they know you are telling the truth. Ask them to just write out a check to the entity due the money (like utility companies; they like to help out with utilities) or give you the money to pay the bill. If you ask them to pay it for you, they will be assured you are telling the truth. They probably will be more likely to help you. Be sure to take bills that say "overdue" or "past due" or "going to collections"....
Call your utility companies and ask for help. If they are willing to lower the bill or give you a special payment plan, then you have cash to spend on the car and whatever else you need to work.
Ask at every food bank you can find for places that help financially. Often these places are not well known. The city park is a good place to strike up a conversation with people to ask about this -- especially during the day when people who have a job are at work. Those in the park are usually looking for work too and have good info. Oh -- Thanksgiving is coming up. Look for places that give free food on Thanksgiving. GO THERE. You will meet others and get good leads. Don't think so much about eating Thanksgiving dinner -- the goal is to go from one place to another to meet people and get leads. Finding the leads is kind of like an underground thing. People are embarrassed/ashamed of being in need so don't usually talk about it. You have to go where they go to find them.
If you take your children with you when you go to places to seek help, be sure you make it clear you CAN provide for them and make sure they are clean and look their best. It's one thing to say "I have four children." It's another to show them.
As for Disability, it's normal to be denied at least twice. This rules out those who are not sincere from those who truly need help. Don't do this on your own. Get a lawyer. You said you have been denied. It's not too late to get a lawyer. I got one after being denied. Better, though, to have one from the very beginning -- things go faster (just a note for others who may be thinking about applying).
Their fee will be deducted from the amount you receive once you are approved -- they will give you back-pay for the past two years provided you have earned enough "quarters" of work to qualify for Disability. -- You can be disabled but if you haven't accuмulated enough work hours (or "quarters") within I think the last 5 years, you can get turned down for Disability. The lawyer's fee is small, a percentage of what you are given in back-pay. No lawyer should take your case if they think you won't win, so no fear of money wasted AND usually the consultation is free.
Be sure you get a lawyer who agrees to be paid from what Social Security gives you in back-pay. Get that in writing (a contract/agreement--the lawyer should provide you with this form) so if you are NOT granted Disability, you won't have to pay the lawyer for time and expenses. The rip-off lawyers and law firms will ask for money up front. Go elsewhere. You can call your state's American Bar Association for referrals for Disability lawyers. Don't trust the phone book. The American Bar recommends only the best lawyers.
A word of caution: Be SURE you want to be on Disability! The amount of money you can earn while on Disability (until you reach retirement age at which point it converts to Social Security) is limited EACH MONTH. They don't allow you to make much because -- no one on Disability is supposed to be able to really "work" or else they wouldn't need Disability. It's a last-resort type of thing. Once you reach retirement age, then you can make as much as you want because you are no longer on Disability.
I'm sorry that I can only help with advice and not financially but hopefully this info will be of use to you and anyone else reading this who needs help. Don't let yourself get angry or feel shame. All this is happening under Divine Providence. I don't know anything about you and I haven't read any of your other posts. All I can say is, applying for Disability is a serious thing. You should only do it if you must and only if you are SURE you will not be able to work again. There are so many people who need immediate help because they are dealing with life-threatening diseases/conditions and need to be on Disability in order to afford medical care because they can't work at all... I hope this is not your situation. But this is why it takes so long and you must keep reapplying.
Social Security is VERY picky about who they help because of the high demand and once you are approved you are stuck in the system. They have a program where you can try to work to see if you can get off Disability (Ticket to Work) but it's complicated. I'd advise you to apply only if you truly need it. If the opportunity for work comes along where you'd make good money and you were able to do it, you might have to turn it down because you're on Disability. Investigate ALL other possibilities and weigh this decision carefully. It's not fun having a restricted income year after year but if you are truly ill, then it is a Godsend. I would not advise anyone to do this unless there is absolutely no other answer. Be sure to talk everything over with your lawyer before you apply again.
FIRST: PRAY!!!! Do NOT do ANY of this without prayer!!! But pray and keep praying as you seek help. Do both together.
You will be in my prayers that you find the help you need and make the right decisions.
Topic: Gone from bad to worse (Read 2345 times)