Finding Benefits and Assistance

If you are looking for information not covered here, please give us a call or Ask a Librarian.

Affordable Care Act (also known as ACA or Obamacare)

Open enrollment is November 1st to January 15th. If you have missed the open enrollment deadline, you can click here to see if you can still get health coverage.

Visit Healthcare.gov to learn more about ACA or sign up for insurance coverage.

If you would like to talk to a person either by phone, in person, or by email, you can find a local insurance broker by clicking here, or you can contact RespondNow, a nonprofit in Chicago Heights that can help you sign up for certain assistance programs.

RespondNow - 708-755-4357 - respondnow.org

Assistance Paying Home Utility Bills

LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program)

See if you qualify and learn how to apply at CEDAORG

or apply in person at local CEDA partner:

The Apostolic Church in Steger

1311 E Steger Rd, Steger, IL 60475

708-833-7031

apostolicliheap@gmail.com

Cash, SNAP (Food Stamps), and Medical Assistance (in Illinois)

Click to apply online, print applications, or find an office.

Credit or Financial Counseling

Money Management International

https://www.moneymanagement.org/locations/illinois/chicago

312-443-1326

Money Management International (MMI) proudly provides nonprofit financial education and counseling to consumers struggling with debt, budgeting, housing, and student loan concerns. MMI’s services are available across the country over the phone, online, and face-to-face in select locations.

Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Northern Illinois

www.illinoiscccs.org

800-815-2227

Offers many different forms of financial counseling for a small fee, although their website says “No one is denied services due to inability to pay a fee.”

Domestic Violence or Sexual Assault Support

Domestic Violence Helpline: free and private services

877-863-6338 (toll free, confidential, 24 hours, multilingual)

National Sexual Assault Hotline: free and confidential

800-656-4673 OR Live Chat @ RAINN.org

Safe2Help

Safe2Help Illinois offers students a safe, confidential way in which to share information that might help prevent suicides, bullying, school violence or other threats to school safety. This program is not intended to suspend, expel, or punish students. Rather, the goal is to get students to "Seek Help Before."

844-472-3345

Text: 72332

Filing for Social Security

Click on an option below to begin the online application process:

Retirement Benefits

Disability Benefits

Supplemental Security Income

Medicare

Speak to a Social Security representative by phone (expect a very long wait):

You can call our National 800 Number at 1-800-772-1213 between 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Wait times to speak to a representative are typically shorter Wednesdays through Fridays or later in the day. We also offer many automated telephone services, available 24 hours a day, so you do not need to speak with a representative.

Finding Housing & Homelessness Prevention

Aunt Martha’s, Suburban Cook County: 877-426-6515; WIll County: 815-722-0722
For families "in immediate danger of eviction, foreclosure or homelessness, or if you are currently homeless."

South Suburban Council on Homelessness – 708-647-3333

Providing treatment and recovery support for independent sober living.

South Suburban Housing Center - 708-957-4674

Housing counseling, preventing foreclosure, down payment assistance, rental referral information.

Public Action to Deliver Services (PADS) South Suburban

414 W Lincoln Hwy, Chicago Heights, IL 60411

Open Monday 9a-1p, Wednesday 9a-5p, Friday 9a-1p.

If you currently live in a house or apartment and are seeking emergency assistance to preserve your current home, please call the Homeless Prevention Assistance call center at 877-426-6515.

If you are currently homeless and seeking emergency shelter or assistance to obtain a home, please call 708-332-7700 and leave a message for the emergency shelter department (option 4) so that a staff member can help.

Catholic Charities of Joliet – 815-723-3405

See available services

CEDA – 312-288-8010, housing1@cedaorg.net

CEDA’s staff of HUD-certified Housing Counselors are available to assist with foreclosure prevention, pre-purchase, post-purchase, rental counseling, and financial counseling. Call or email to schedule a telephone or online counseling session.

Entry Point (Alliance to End Homelessness in Suburban Cook County) - 877-426-6515
Available Monday - Friday from 8:30am - 4:30pm. Assistance for those who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.

Beds-Plus.org

Offers rental assistance for people experiencing homelessness and offers emergency overnight shelter at churches in the southwest suburban Cook County area near Oak Lawn.

Food Pantries

Alicia's House

17 Paulsen Ave., South Chicago Heights, IL 60411

708-946-3002

aliciashousepantry@sbcglobal.net

Community Outreach, located at St. Liborius Catholic Church

3440 Halsted Blvd

Steger, IL 60475

Click here for more details, including dates, times, and eligibility.

Click here to search for local food pantries.

Legal Assistance

Click to visit our page for legal resources and assistance.

Mental Health Crisis & Addiction Hotlines & Support

Emergency Help:

Suicide prevention text hotline: Text 988

Crisis text hotline: Text START to 741741.

Support Help (nonemergency):

Illinois Warm Line (866) 359-7953

If you or one of your family members has mental health and/or substance use challenges and would like to receive support by phone, call the Illinois Warm Line Monday through Saturday between 8am and 8pm.

NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Helpline (800) 950-6264

The NAMI national HelpLine can be reached M - F, 10 am - 6 pm, ET.

Gambling Disorder Support 800-426-2537

Illinois Helpline for Opioids and Other Substances 833-234-6343

Safe2Help

844-472-3345

Text: 72332

Veterans Crisis Line Dial 988 and press 1 at the prompt, or text 838255.