Missouri Grants Support Show Me State Public Programs
Large government grants find their way to the state of Missouri through federal appropriations. The state then adds its own sources of revenue to this federal money to provide grant and benefit programs to residents of the show me state. Low-income Missourians can apply for assistance with basic needs such as food, utilities and health care. In several cases, they can even receive temporary cash assistance when out of a job or struggling as a family. Here is a brief rundown of the help available in Missouri and how to apply locally to the programs provided through a mix of state and federal funding.
Food and Nutrition Programs
The biggest program that provides food support is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP offered by the Missouri Department of Social Services. Eligible families receive the Missouri Electronic Benefit Transfer card allowing for the purchase of nutritious foods at area grocery stores. Access to supplemental food supply is also the main focus of the Women, Infants and Children Program or WIC for short. This program is available for women who are expecting or who have small children age 5 or under. For parents with children older than that, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education offers a number of child nutrition programs that feed Missouri school kids during the school year and during the summer months as well. To inquire about or enroll your child, simply visit your child’s school.
Paying Utility Bills and Energy Efficiency Grants
Help paying for utility bills is offered by the Missouri DSS through federally funded LIHEAP services. The program offers annual support for home heating from October to March and special crisis assistance to families that are facing a utility shutoff situation. The same families usually helped by the DSS program can also apply for LIWAP through the Division of Energy to have weatherization completed on their homes. Weatherization is provided through grant funding and usually reduces the annual cost of heating and cooling through insulation and energy efficiency upgrades.
How to Apply for Health Care
The Missouri Department of Social Services has two programs that offer health insurance coverage to individuals, families and their children. MO HealthNet offers coverage to pregnant women, minor children, the disabled and seniors age 65 or older. The second program expands coverage for kids who do not meet eligibility for the HealthNet program but whose parents still cannot afford to provide suitable health care for their children.
Temporary Cash Assistance
Low-income families struggling with making ends meet can apply for and receive temporary cash assistance through Missouri TANF. The program provides funding to families paired with job training and placement in an attempt to make families accepted into the program more self-sufficient. The other type of cash assistance available to Missouri residents is Unemployment Insurance. Anyone finding themselves out of work through no fault of their own can apply for temporary payments while searching for work. You must be actively seeking a job and available to start while receiving unemployment benefits.
Category: Grants By States
