If you are unemployed, you have time to prepare food at home. Go to a food bank for staples, and pack lunch.

You aren't desperate enough to feed your kid school lunch yet.

She lives in Virginia, which has chosen the state option available in SNAP to not count assets as part of the eligibility process. Once qualifies for SNAP her kids will be categorically eligible for free meals at school. She will also be categorically eligible for free summer meals - the money will be added to her EBT card. She will also likely be eligible for LIHEAP which is energy assistance, however that program has limited funding so she may not actually get the help depending on how the State is managing the funds.

Apply for SNAP with Fairfax County and the rest will cascade from there. And use the programs, that is what they are for. It is much easier for your family to recover financially if you do not have to hit absolute bottom. When you are back on your feet, you will pay taxes back into the system to help the next family.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If OP can afford her current home at her typical income level there is no way she should sell it. What a drastic solution to a short term problem!

OP, ignore all the hater who also are just making things up. Most of these programs do NOT look at assets and you are very likely to qualify. There is no shame in it - this is exactly the type of situation they are meant for. I’d much rather children receive temporary food and energy assistance than have to sell their home and move.

I would contact all the linked Fairfax Co agencies today. Good luck.

Yes the look at savings but not house value. Op has plenty of money and could pick up a job.

Don't hate the player hate the game. OP should take advantage of ANY program she qualifies for. She should not forgo a benefit because you the morality police have decided she "shouldn't" qualify for a benefit even if she does qualify.

Anonymous wrote:If OP can afford her current home at her typical income level there is no way she should sell it. What a drastic solution to a short term problem!

OP, ignore all the hater who also are just making things up. Most of these programs do NOT look at assets and you are very likely to qualify. There is no shame in it - this is exactly the type of situation they are meant for. I’d much rather children receive temporary food and energy assistance than have to sell their home and move.

I would contact all the linked Fairfax Co agencies today. Good luck.

Yes the look at savings but not house value. Op has plenty of money and could pick up a job.

Don't sell home especially if interest rate is low.
Rent a room out if needed.
Go to a local food pantry for basic house hold items.

Do odd jobs until you find a FT job.
Don't rule out temp or contractor jobs.Use a head hunter, go to local job center.
Search for local or federal law enforcement, they are still hiring.

*Search usajobs then search under "usms". They are hiring for example.

If OP can afford her current home at her typical income level there is no way she should sell it. What a drastic solution to a short term problem!

OP, ignore all the hater who also are just making things up. Most of these programs do NOT look at assets and you are very likely to qualify. There is no shame in it - this is exactly the type of situation they are meant for. I’d much rather children receive temporary food and energy assistance than have to sell their home and move.

I would contact all the linked Fairfax Co agencies today. Good luck.

You are concentrating on little help here and there instead of taking control of your life and turning the $200k and/or the house into one million. You are talking about a rental, but leaving out how much it would cost you.
If you knew anything about stock market and investing, you'd know that you can turn your investments and the house money into one million really fast like within 3-6 years. Once it is a million, you can make $90k+ nearly tax free forever, use another $200k and try again. Now you have experience and you can do it much faster.
You can get a job in a restaurant tomorrow without much experience and make $4k a months soon after.
I will never know why you would concentrate on unemployment and free meals when you have the money to invest yourself into financial freedom and teach your kids how it's done. I did it on minimum wage. Took me 15 years to get to the $200k and I did it the slow way as I didn't know any better.
The assets and the money you already have is to be used to make more money and not count months how long it lasts. I can last forever when done right. I did it, so not making things up. Also, don't forget taxes and taking advantage of all credits/deductions available to you. Again, heck with the unemployment. Stop wasting your time and energy on it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Assets are not checked when qualifying for benefits. You will qualify for meals for your child. Keep in mind that qualifying for this also qualifies you for free/subsidized field trips, sports, etc. Basically most schools will wave other school expenses if you already qualified for FARM (Free and Reduced Meals.) You will also qualify for heating and cooling ("energy") assistance where they will pay your heating bills in the winter and your cooling bills in the summer. I know because my friend used to work there. They look at income only.

This link includes energy assistance information and other services for low income.

Actually, some are, some aren’t. You don’t want to be dishonest as it can disqualify you when you really need them. Food stamps, energy and other programs are checked. I used to work for them.

You used to work for all the food programs, all the energy programs and all the other programs too?

Anonymous wrote: Free and Reduced meals is based on current income only and also on the number of total people in the household. Yes you would qualify for them, with $0.00 current income.

You should be able to enroll prior to school starting so on the first day of school your school aged children will have the benefits of the meal. For most school districts they can open them up a few weeks prior to the first day of school. You should see an announcement or you can apply directly on the food service website.

Thank you for giving him the correct information he was looking for without any nastiness. You also might be able to get summer food assistance also. I would recommend bringing a filled application to the office. When you talk to an actual agent they can advise you on any other assistance they might have. Maybe with all of the layoffs they might have some new programs to assist in finding a similar job.

OP I pay a lot of taxes and I hope you get whatever assistance you qualify for while you find a new job. That’s what it’s for. Good luck!!

I needed FARMS for my school aged kid when I divorced. We didn’t qualify because of assets —only I couldn’t sell those assets due to the divorce.

Might also qualify for discounted internet service.

Take the benefits you can get and payback to others when you are back on your feet. That’s what it is there for.

Why can’t you use some of that $200k?

I’m your kids’ teacher and my kids qualify for reduced priced meals. With that amount in savings, you won’t qualify.