Food assistance grants are available to women who have been laid off in Florida.
Women who are laid off in Florida may be eligible for grants to assist with housing, medical, food and educational costs. The purpose of government grants to assist persons who are laid off is to keep societal and economic stability and to serve the health of the greater community. Florida residency is usually required for state social services.
Unemployment Compensation, Cash Aid and Food Assistance
Temporary cash assistance from the state of Florida is available to women with children or dependents in the home, as well as pregnant or disabled women. There are a number of eligibility requirements, such as drug testing and Florida residency. The Florida Food Assistance Program, also known as food stamps, provides low-income Florida residents with grants to assist with the purchasing of nutritious foods using an Electronic Benefit Transfer card to which benefits are uploaded monthly. Applications for cash aid and food stamps can be submitted through Florida's ACCESS portal online, but follow-up interviews are required.
Women who have been laid off through no fault of their own may qualify for Florida Unemployment Compensation. Applications can be submitted online at the Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation website.
Medical Insurance and Prescription Drug Assistance
Prescription drugs are offered at a lower price to qualified Florida residents.
Medicaid provides medical coverage to eligible low-income Florida residents. Low-income pregnant women, families with children, or women who are over 65 or disabled and don't qualify for Social Security insurance are eligible. Persons who aren't Florida residents but who qualify as low income and are in Florida with a medical emergency are also eligible for Medicaid services. There's also a "medically needy" program that provides cost-sharing for medical bills for Florida residents who qualify. Florida offers the Discount Drug Card Program to assist low-income residents with prescription drug costs as well. Applications for Medicaid can be submitted through the ACCESS portal or at local Department of Children and Families offices.
Housing Assistance Grants
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, or HUD, oversees a number of low-income housing opportunities within Florida. The Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program allows Florida residents to pay a percentage of their income toward rent, with the voucher paying the remainder. Subsidized housing also exists in which renters pay a percentage of their income toward housing; the housing authority covers the rest. The HUD website features a list of all housing authority offices and subsidized housing units in Florida on its website. The Florida Department of Children and Families has a number of grant programs to prevent homelessness. Emergency shelter grants, for example, offer overdue rent and utility payments to participants with eviction and turn-off notices. Although Section 8 programs often have waiting lists, homelessness can move an applicant further up the list due to immediate need.
Training and Educational Grants
Florida offers a number of job retraining and educational grant programs. The Federal Pell Grant can be used for tuition, books, supplies, transportation and housing costs while a student attends a participating Florida college. The Florida Department of Education offers grants such as the Florida Student Assistance Grant, Florida Resident Access Grant, Fund for Minority Teachers, and scholarships for children and spouses of deceased or disabled military veterans. Women can apply for financial aid using the Free Application for Federal Student Aid online. This triggers a Student Aid Report that's sent to the colleges listed on the FAFSA; the college financial aid offices then contact students regarding federal and state grants and awards they're eligible to receive.
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