Upcoming food problem

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Earlier the main problem me and my husband were facing was clean and safe housing for me and my husband. Because we got his SSI we were able to move into a nice apartment but the rent here is kinda high. I figured DHS would help compensate for that by giving us more food stamps. Problem is we only qualified for 89 dollars for the both of us and we went to DHS for an explanation and they said they couldn't do anything about it. With rent and all our other bills we are only left with 200 in cash money. His backpay is already gone, we had to rebuy pretty much everything to get into this place. We keep being told to go to food banks and soup kitchens but even that doesn't cover the gap, and what they pass out is not appropriate for my husband to eat. Plus my husband is facing being crippled. I guess I'll have to find a job at least a part time one but I'm so busy with my husband now and my own inability to handle work that might be a disaster.

I absolutely hate the systems in this country that punish married disabled people. We get a quarter less money on our SSI than two single people would get, food stamps are much lower for a married couple too, and I found out that I would qualify for SSDI because I was disabled as a child but I cannot claim it because I'm married. I would have enough work credits for SSDI... But I had a government job in the past and for some reason those don't pay into disability.

I thought things were finally getting better but they are turning into a disaster again.

I have no answers for you. Your problems are some of the more seriouse problems on this forum so I feel bad for you. At least you have someone to be with on Christmas. Im sure someone from the states will give you some advice. So just hold on.

If you have a social worker, I would speak to him/her. Maybe they can recommend something.

My husband's in home nurse is going to bring in a social worker.

I don't know why I keep spilling my guts here, I get so depressed. Maybe I just keep applying for jobs.

It’s better to “spill your guts” than it is to keep it inside yourself.

Would getting a part-time job cause his SSI to be reduced?

Me getting a job would reduce both our checks. If I got a full time job we would loose both, when figuring SSI they take into account your spouses income.

I figured that. That's the quandary the social services system here in the US puts us in.

I know you would like a job. But you are afraid that it won't work out. That you will have a meltdown that would get you fired.

There's somebody here (Sweetleaf) who is on the "Ticket to Work" program. But she is single--so it might be a little easier for her). With "Ticket to Work," you can keep receiving benefits while trying to get a job and keep a job.

I was in that program when I started working & they still reduced my SSI. The only thing is I stayed in the SSI program even when I made too much to be eligible for any SSI for half a year straight. I started getting my SSI again a couple months after i quit working & they paid me back pay for those months.

I'm thinking about getting in the ticket to work program too.

I got a response back from the zoo job to take this crazy "cultural index" quiz and if they are interested in an interview they will get back with me.

I tried talking about this with the lady doing DBT skills with me today and she sort of had this attitude of "believe everything will work out and it will" and tried to downplay it, but she said it's best to talk to a caseworker about this sort of thing.

Yep. Talk with a caseworker---especially one you have a previous rapport with.

The caseworker ended up saying because of the state of my mental health if I get a job I need a part time one.

But I found one listed today that is actually at a thrift store less than a block from where I live... Advantages is that it's so close I can very easily walk there and it only has a 25 lb lifting limit but I can actually do that and I have a friend that volunteers with the organization that can say good things about me.

However it's only a minimum wage part time job... Really wouldn't be getting rich or any benefits from that one, would put food on the table however.

Are you on SSI? If so, you're covered by Medicaid.

I'll have to do further research to determine if you're on Medicaid if your husband is on SSI, but you're not.

Probably no paid vacation or sick time, though.

But I find the medical benefits most important.

I already asked about stuff like that. If I was making just a little money, what would happen is some of my cash benefits from SSI would be gone but I would keep the money I would make at the job , but yes, there is protection, me and my husband would keep our medical. I have Medicare and Medicaid and he has Medicaid. Also it would decrease or possibly eleminate our food stamps but if we had more cash money that wouldn't matter much.

How many hours a week are you working? Make sure you don't get up to about $1,200 per month.

Sly also works part-time while collecting SSI.

Oh, I don't know with this job. And of course I don't know if I'll get it either.