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Accessing Government Assistance in Greene County

Published September 7, 2021 Submitted by: Aleah

Use this document to locate information about government assistance available to the residents of Greene County and Missouri in the wake of Covid-19. 

 

Provided below: 

 

Missouri Department of Social Services: 

*Resource Centers are currently closed to the public.

The Missouri Department of Social Services is responsible for coordinating programs to provide public assistance, health care coverage, child welfare services, and assistance to troubled youth in Missouri.

 

Missouri Work Assistance Program

The Missouri Work Assistance (MWA) program helps Temporary Assistance (TA) recipients become ready for a job, get real work experience, find employment, and keep a job.

 

 

SNAP: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program/Food Stamp Program

The Food Stamp Program helps low-income individuals buy food. To apply for the Food Stamp Program, you must complete the application for Food Stamp benefits. You can drop off, mail, fax or complete an application at a Family Support Division (FSD) office.

*FSD office is currently closed until further notice.

 

CHIP or Mo Health Network for Kids

The MO HealthNet (Medicaid) for Kids provides medical care for children under 19 years of age whose family income falls within certain guidelines. After your application has been processed, you will receive a letter from the Family Support Division. If you are eligible for services you will be issued a “MO HealthNet Identification Card” and an explanation of the medical services available to you.

 

Childcare

The Child Care Subsidy Program assists eligible Missouri parents and guardians with payments for child care. This program helps families with the cost of child care so that they are able to focus on finding and holding steady work that can support their family's needs.

*Local offices are not available to the public at this time. However applications can be filled out online or via a paper application that can be mailed to the following address:

Family Support Division

615 E 13th St.

Kansas City, MO 64106

 

Early Head Start

Early Head Start (EHS) program provides an early, continuous, intensive, and comprehensive child development program to children under the age of 3 and whose family's incomes are at or below the federal poverty line.

 

Crisis Care Help for Families

Some communities have Crisis Care, which is a free service to families and is designed to alleviate immediate crisis or emergency situations, but is also designed to enhance the family's capability of preventing future crisis or emergency situations from occurring.

 

Contact information for the Department of Social Services 

*Due to Covid-19 not all offices are open at this time. 

 

Unemployment

Missouri Unemployment Insurance

For the most up-to-date information on how COVID-19 is affecting unemployment claims, go to the MO Department of Labor's Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information Page.

You must apply for Unemployment Insurance online. There are no options to file claims in person or by mail.

 

Division of Employment Security

The Division of Employment Security (DES) supports the Department of Labor's vision statement by administering the state's Unemployment Insurance (UI) program.

 

Missouri Job Center

The Job Center’s purpose is to help Missouri residents find work. The Southern Hills Shopping Center location has re-opened to the public, as well as a new North affiliate at The Fairbanks. Both locations have socially-distanced computers available for job search purposes.

 

Housing Assistance

Under the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, Missouri will receive funding for additional resources to help meet emerging needs, including the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program and the Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) program.

 

Moratoriums on Evictions

Under the CARES Act, a moratorium on foreclosures for all federally-backed mortgages, including those covered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Federal Housing Administration, the Department of Veterans Affairs, Fannie Mae, and Freddie Mac was put in place for 60 days starting March 18th. 

 

Under the bill, a borrower with a federally-backed mortgage experiencing a financial hardship due to COVID-19 may also request a forbearance for up to 180 days. The bill also instituted a moratorium on filings for evictions for renters in homes covered by a federally-backed mortgage for 120 days.

 

OACAC Housing Assistance
The Ozarks Area Community Action Corporation offers help with rental payments to low-income residents who meet certain requirements.

 

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