"ALL EX OFFENDERS WHO WERE RELEASED IN THE PAST YEAR SHOULD READ THIS FORM IT COULD HELP YOU GREATLY" "FREE PROGRAM _ POSSIBLE HELP UPON RELEASE " Ex-offenders Bureau of prisons Benefits available to former inmates (Including those in a halfway house) Social Security Office Welfare Department State Rehabilitation Office What do I do? Who do I talk to? Where do I go? Go immediately to the nearest Social Security Office and ask to speak to a counselor so that you can apply for Social Security Insurance Emergency Supplement Benefits of $1,500.00. Explain that you are emotionally and mentally unprepared to hold a job. Show them your parole or mandatory release papers in order to prove that you are just out of prison. Note: You should receive the check within 72 hours. While at the office, fill out the necessary forms for the $310.00 monthly disability benefit for every month you were incarcerated. Now go to the nearest Welfare Department Office and apply for General Relief. Again, show them your parole or mandatory release papers as proof that you are just out of prison. Tell them you need Financial Assistance Immediately. A check should be issued to you within two (2) hours. It should be for approximately $150.00, do not forget to get your food stamps while you are there. You should receive about $110.00 worth. While you are there, be sure to obtain your Medical Card for Health Protection Benefits. Note: This card can be used at any Doctor’s or Dentist’s Office. DO THIS WITHIN THE NEXT TEN DAYS!!!! Go to the State Rehabilitation Center, where you can apply for various Federally Funded Loans & Grants. If you want to start a small business, make a list of the approximate costs of all the equipment you will need (tools, work-clothes, etc…) and estimate for about how much operating cash you will need to start-up the business until it begins to make a living for you. They may loan up to $50,000.00. If you need to be BONDED for employment by a private employer, you can obtain the bond from any U.S. District Court. Go to the Probation & Parole Department. It should take less than an hour to have the validated forms in your hands. SUPPLEMENTAL SOCIAL INCOME (S.S.I.) can best be described as a form of welfare that is paid through the SOCIAL SECURITY OFFICE. Different from Social Security benefits, there is no need to qualify as far as your past income is concerned. You AUTOMATICALLY QUALIFY for S.S.I. because you are unemployed and considered to be disabled. Be sure that you understand the situation concerning your disability. Federal Legislation, at this time, documents recognition that you are an ex-offender to the fact that you have an emotional problem. Basically, the government has declared that had you not had this emotional problem, you would have been able to conform to; the rules of society, thus preventing your commission of a federal crime. Regardless of whether or not you feel, or accept the fact, that you as an ex-offender do in fact have this emotional problem, it is considered by both Federal and State Rehabilitation Commissions to be a disability. According to the current policies, mental and emotional problems constitute a 100% disability. And you will be considered to have this disability until you have become a "productive member" of society. The whole purpose of Supplemental Social Income (S.S.I.) is to help you as a recently released ex-felon by relieving part of the economic pressure you will be facing as you re-enter society and try to re-establish yourself as a productive member of your communities. After your release, you as a parolee or otherwise, will qualify for assistance of up to $310.00 per month. Although you do qualify, you will only be able to receive your S.S.I. benefits while you are still in prison waiting to be released. You, by law, have only 30 hours after you are released to reach the nearest Social Security Office and submit your application. If it is necessary that you take the required steps before your release date and apply for these benefits or you will lose the opportunity to take advantage of S.S.I. so 90 days prior to your release, send in your application to be processed. You should have a check waiting for you in the amount of $930.00. Supplemental Social Income is covered under United States Law 42 U.S.C. 1383 (c); 20 CFR 416. 305. 1. Ninety (90) days before release, write a letter to the Social Security Office where you live. They will send you a five (5) question application. Fill it out as accurately as possible, and then return it to the Social Security Office nearest you. 2. When your application is processed, you will get a check for three (3) months totaling nine-hundred thirty dollars (930.00) at three-hundred ten dollars (310.00) each. 3. You can also call the Food Stamp Office’s Hot-Line and get $80.00 worth of food stamps when you go to the Department of Social Services. Also, you can apply for a full food Stamp Grant. This will bring the total to $160.00. 4. You are qualified because you are on S.S.I. The Welfare Department will automatically send you $228.00 per month for financial assistance and utilities. S.S.I. is the same in each state. (a) Go to the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation because you are on S.S.I. (b) A convicted felon is a depressed minority. You also qualify for a certain benefit package. The amount of this benefit is $1,900.00 to be used for a down payment on a car. The car must be needed to go back and forth to work. (c) Also, you receive a $300.00 check for clothing for the job. And another $400.00 check for street clothes. And finally, a $400.00 check for tools. These are GRANTS, NOT LOANS, so they do not have to be paid back. 5. S.B.A. has programs for ex-felons. You are qualified to receive a small Business Administration loan of up to $50,000.00. This loan is only given in the case of business pursuits, and it would be called a "starter" loan. Also, the S.B.A. will provide professional assistance to help you plan employment. You must be bonded for this loan. The Federal H.C.W. will bond you free if no other organization will. Because you are an ex-convict, the loan must be repaid to the S.B.A. The annual percentage rates are low, and for two reasons, 1) You are and ex-felon and 2) business loans are less of a risk than conventional loans. Once you have S.S.I., you can qualify for a loan of up to $5,000.00 from any bank in the area. The loan is guaranteed by the Federal Government and must be repaid. S.S.I. 1) $310.00 for three months 2) $228.00 per month 3) $160.00 per month VOCATIONAL 1) $1,900.00 for auto expense 2) $300.00 for work clothes 3) $400.00 for casual clothes 4) $400.00 for needed tools FEDERAL GRANT OR LOW INTEREST LOANS TOLL-FREE NUMBER 1-800-822-2470 1) Send a letter to the Regional Director of Security asking for application for $980.00 under supplemental income (S.S.I.). Tell them that you have just turned in your parole plan and let them know what area you are being paroled to. Have the applications sent to an outside address in case you are transferred. This is covered under RCW-72.02:040. Public Law 93.365.603. You can not get benefits while in prison, but send a letter about two (2) months prior to your release. As soon as you get out, go to the Social Security Office and apply under RCW-74.29.105. As an ex-felon you are classified as a Disadvantaged Minority and Eligible for benefits. You may also want to contact H.U.D. for low cost housing. For info write to: Department of Health and Human Services Social Security Administration P.O. Box 19001 Olympia, WA. 98507 2) Another thing you can get as an ex-felon is vouchers for food, housing and clothing. When you get out, go down to the Dept. of Social and Health Services in your area and apply for $180.00 in immediate food stamps. 3) You can also get money to help you apply to your trade. Go down to the Dept. of Vocational Rehabilitation and tell them about your trade. Go to different stores and price the clothing and equipment that you will need to start your dream or business. You can get a check from them for $1,500.00; this is under RCW-72.02.100 which also covers an extra $100.00 gate money when you are released. 4) Apply for disability with your local Social Security Office. You will be turned down the first three (3) times, but on the fourth time you will not be turned down. A week or two later you will start receiving checks for $310.00 for every month that you were incarcerated and three (3) months before and after that time, not to exceed $4,800.00 per year. 5) The Small Business Administration will loan you up to $24,000.00 to start up any business you want. They will also loan you $500.00 towards any work vehicle. The Federal Government Guarantees your loan, bonding you up to $10,000.00. As an ex-felon you are a minority and are eligible for any and all benefits due to anyone in that category. 6) Targeted job tax credits will give your employer a $3,000.00 tax write-off the first year you work for Him/Her and $1,500.00 the second year. If your employer is training you in a skill, the Federal Government will pay half of your wages for the first year in addition to the tax cut. A few other sources for Small Business Loans and Grants. Grant Administration Division Minority Business Development Washington, D.C. 20230 These people give grants of up to $10,000.00 under the heading, Minority Business Development, Management and Technical Assistance. Their objective is to provide free financial help in starting or operating your own business. You can also get loans from: Direct-Office of Financing Small Business Administration 1441 D Street, NW Washington, D.C. 20416 The SBA helps to put together economic opportunity loans for your small business. Loans range from $1,000.00 all the way up to $315,000.00. These loans are specifically for small business owned by low income or socially or economically disadvantaged persons. If you run into problems go to your local library and copy the section of the law pertaining to the money that you are after. Then go back and show it to the person to whom you spoke to. (Required by 39 U.S.C. 3885).
Posted on: Fri, 23 Aug 2013 12:28:46 +0000
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