Advocacy & Assistance

Results: 33

• Advocacy (17)
  FP-0500

  Advocacy

  FP-0500
  
  Programs that intercede on behalf of individuals and/or groups to ensure that they receive the benefits and services for which they are eligible and that organizations within the established service delivery system meet the collective needs of the community; that attempt to marshal public support for a particular issue or cause; or that seek to influence legislation, local ordinances or administrative rulings in order to benefit specific interest groups or achieve specific social, political or environmental goals.
• Animal Food/Supplies Donation Programs (2)
  TI-1800.0700

  Animal Food/Supplies Donation Programs

  TI-1800.0700
  
  Programs that accept pet food, water and food dishes, leashes, crates and other pet-related supplies, and keep them for use in their own program or donate them to other nonprofit organizations for their own use or for distribution to the people they serve.
• Appliance Donation Programs (1)
  TI-1800.3000-050

  Appliance Donation Programs

  TI-1800.3000-050
  
  Programs that accept new or reconditioned refrigerators, freezers, stoves, washing machines, clothes dryers and other large appliances, refurbish them if necessary, and keep them for use in their own programs, donate them to other community-based organizations for distribution to the people they serve, or sell them to raise money for agency programs.
• Benefits Assistance (3)
  FT-1000

  Benefits Assistance

  FT-1000
  
  Programs that provide assistance for people who are having difficulty understanding and/or obtaining grants, payments, services or other benefits for which they are eligible. The programs may help people understand the eligibility criteria for benefits, the benefits provided by the program, the payment process and the rights of beneficiaries; provide consultation and advice; help them complete benefits application forms; negotiate on their behalf with benefits administration staff; and/or represent them in administrative processes or judicial litigation. Included are benefits counseling organizations that offer a range of advocacy services and legal aid programs that offer more formalized legal assistance.
• Benefits Screening (1)
  PH-0700

  Benefits Screening

  PH-0700
  
  Programs that provide benefits screening services which help individuals determine whether they are eligible for benefits through any of a wide variety of public and private federal, state and local programs. In addition to identifying the programs that a person may be eligible to receive, the service generally also provides a detailed description of the programs, local contacts for additional information (typically the addresses and phone numbers of where to apply for the programs), and materials to help successfully apply for each program. Included are programs that provide this service online and those that do benefits screening via the telephone or in-person. Some benefits screening programs may focus on specific populations such as older adults and people with disabilities; or specific aspects of benefits eligibility such as the impact that working will have on their benefits as an aid to helping people make informed decisions regarding whether to work. Also included are programs that help people complete the benefits screening form.
• Case/Care Management (40)
  PH-1000

  Case/Care Management

  PH-1000
  
  Programs that develop plans for the evaluation, treatment and/or care of individuals who, because of age, illness, disability or other difficulties, need assistance in planning and arranging for services; which assess the individual's needs; coordinate the delivery of needed services; ensure that services are obtained in accordance with the case plan; and follow up and monitor progress to ensure that services are having a beneficial impact on the individual. Case management is a collaborative process characterized by communication, advocacy and resource management to promote high quality, cost-effective interventions and outcomes.
• Community Action/Social Advocacy Groups (1)
  TD-1600

  Community Action/Social Advocacy Groups

  TD-1600
  
  Organizations whose members have joined together on a voluntary basis to promote a particular cause or work for the realization of a specific social or political goal.
• Community Organizing Assistance (1)
  TP-5900.6500-150

  Community Organizing Assistance

  TP-5900.6500-150
  
  Programs that provide assistance for nonprofit and/or community-based organizations that are involved in neighborhood and community development, social planning or social and/or political action and need support in coalition building, networking, developing cooperative agreements with other agencies and other strategies for marshaling available resources to have an impact on community problems.
• Conservation (1)
  JD-1500

  Conservation

  JD-1500
  
  Programs that protect our natural resources from abuse, neglect, waste or exploitation and preserve their availability for future generations.
• Constitutional/Civil Rights Groups (1)
  TD-1600.3100-160

  Constitutional/Civil Rights Groups

  TD-1600.3100-160
  
  Organizations that work to protect the rights of people guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution, and which promote the passage and enforcement of laws and other social measures that extend individual rights or more effectively protect them. These rights include constitutional guarantees, such as the right to bear arms, freedom of speech and freedom of the press, as well as civil rights which protect all citizens from discrimination based on race, color, religion, gender or national origin in the areas of voting, education, employment and housing; in the use of facilities and public accommodations; and in the administration of federally assisted or other public programs.
• Crime Victim Safety Planning (4)
  FN-1900.2000

  Crime Victim Safety Planning

  FN-1900.2000
  
  Programs that help people who are experiencing abuse, exploitation, harassment or are otherwise at risk of violence develop and adapt a personalized, practical plan that can help them anticipate and avoid dangerous situations and know the best way to react when they find themselves in danger. Some programs may target special populations such as victims of domestic violence or human trafficking.
• Crime Victim Support (2)
  FN-1900

  Crime Victim Support

  FN-1900
  
  Programs whose objective is to help victims of crimes and their families recover from the trauma of their experience, get medical assistance when required, make their way through the legal system, have an opportunity to provide input to parole or clemency hearings, take appropriate steps, where relevant, to avoid becoming re-victimized, access the benefits to which they are entitled and rebuild their lives.
• Death With Dignity Advocacy Groups (1)
  TD-1600.3100-175

  Death With Dignity Advocacy Groups

  TD-1600.3100-175
  
  Organizations that promote death with dignity laws which support the right of terminally ill people to end their lives in a planned manner either by active means e.g., physician-assisted dying or by the removal of life support per a signed medical directive.
• Directory/Resource List Publication (2)
  TJ-6500.1700

  Directory/Resource List Publication

  TJ-6500.1700
  
  Programs that publish and distribute directories of agencies that provide human services for residents of the community and/or resource lists. Included are programs that produce directories/lists that focus on a specific geographical area, service category or target group as well as those that produce a comprehensive directory of all community resources.
• Education Discrimination Assistance (1)
  FT-1800.1800

  Education Discrimination Assistance

  FT-1800.1800
  
  Programs that provide assistance for people who believe they have been denied equal access to student loans or scholarships, or to educational programs at preschool, elementary, secondary, vocational, postsecondary, postgraduate or professional school levels based on their age, gender, race or ethnic origin, nationality, religion, disability, sexual orientation or marital status.
• Electronics/Small Appliance Donation Programs (1)
  TI-1800.3000-180

  Electronics/Small Appliance Donation Programs

  TI-1800.3000-180
  
  Programs that accept new or reconditioned radios, television sets, microwave ovens, fans, heaters, vacuum cleaners, sewing machines, small kitchen appliance and other similar equipment, refurbish them if necessary, and keep them for use in their own programs, donate them to other community-based organizations for distribution to the people they serve, or sell them to raise money for agency programs.
• Environmental Improvement Groups (1)
  TD-1600.1800

  Environmental Improvement Groups

  TD-1600.1800
  
  Organizations that work for the introduction of new legislation or changes in current laws or practices that will more effectively protect the physical environment from pollution, exploitation or waste and/or preserve our natural resources, including our wildlife, for enjoyment by future generations.
• Home Barrier Removal Grants (5)
  BH-3000.3520

  Home Barrier Removal Grants

  BH-3000.3520
  
  Programs that provide cash assistance for qualified people with disabilities who want to install ramps or elevators, widen doorways, install grab bars in showers and bathrooms, lower kitchen and other cabinets or make other modifications in their homes in order to make them more accessible.
• Homebuyer/Home Purchase Counseling (2)
  BH-3700.3000

  Homebuyer/Home Purchase Counseling

  BH-3700.3000
  
  Programs that help people who want to purchase a home evaluate their readiness for homeownership, shop for housing that meets their needs, resolve potential credit problems, analyze specific home purchase offers, obtain a mortgage loan with advantageous interest rates and an affordable monthly payment, and complete the paperwork to close the loan and complete the sale. Also included are programs that provide assistance for people who want to refinance a home.
• Housing Discrimination Assistance (2)
  FT-1800.3000

  Housing Discrimination Assistance

  FT-1800.3000
  
  Programs that provide assistance for people who believe that they have been denied an opportunity to purchase, lease or rent the home or apartment of their choice due to their age, gender, family composition (including families with children under the age of 18 and pregnant women), race or color, nationality, religion, disability, sexual orientation or marital status, actions that are prohibited by the federal Fair Housing Act of 1968 and the federal Fair Housing Act Amendments Act of 1988 in the U.S. Federal fair housing law also extends limited protection to recovering alcoholics who actively and regularly participate in a medically based treatment or AA program, and people with a drug use disorder including those who have prior convictions for illegal drug use (but not for drug dealing or manufacture). Assistance may also be available to other individuals who are protected from housing discrimination by state or local laws with a broader set of protected categories, or which cover properties that are exempt from federal fair housing laws but are protected under state law.
• Housing Search Assistance (1)
  BH-3900.3100

  Housing Search Assistance

  BH-3900.3100
  
  Programs that assign a staff member to assist people who are looking for housing to survey the available residences and to choose and obtain the most suitable option.
• Immigrant Mutual Assistance Associations (2)
  PH-1450.3300

  Immigrant Mutual Assistance Associations

  PH-1450.3300
  
  Programs developed and staffed by former refugees and immigrants that help newly arrived people from their previous country or region of residence begin a new life in the U.S. Mutual assistance associations address the unique cultural needs of the specific immigrant/refugee population they serve and provide a variety of services including cultural adjustment support, English language instruction, interpretation/translation services, housing and employment assistance, transportation, clothing and furniture, as needed, small business development assistance and help in accessing other social services.
• Legislative Advocacy (5)
  FP-0500.4500

  Legislative Advocacy

  FP-0500.4500
  
  Programs that attempt to influence the introduction or review of pending bills, ordinances or administrative rulings with the objective of having an impact on the passage or defeat of such legislation or its content.
• LGBTQ2+ Advocacy Groups (1)
  TD-1600.3100-400

  LGBTQ2+ Advocacy Groups

  TD-1600.3100-400
  
  Organizations that support the passage and enforcement of laws and other social measures that protect and promote the rights and interests of individuals who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, two-spirit, or otherwise as part of the gender and sexually expansive community.
• Personal Health Care Advocate Services (1)
  LH-6300.6550

  Personal Health Care Advocate Services

  LH-6300.6550
  
  Programs that help people navigate through the maze of doctors' offices, clinics, hospitals, outpatient centers, insurance and payment systems, patient-support organizations and other components of the health care system with the objective of supporting timely delivery of quality care and ensuring that patients, survivors and families are satisfied with their encounters with the health care system. Personal health care advocates are trained health care workers, often nurses, or volunteers familiar with the health care system who work independently of any health care institution. They help patients identify specialists, coordinate appointments with providers to assure timely delivery of diagnostic and treatment services, provide "cheat sheets" of questions, and lay out the choices patients have in plain English. They may also ensure that appropriate medical records are available at scheduled appointments, accompany patients to medical appointments, arrange language translation or interpretation services, facilitate financial support and help with paperwork, negotiate insurance claims, arrange transportation and/or child/elder care, provide access to clinical trials and facilitate linkages to follow-up services. Some programs contract with employers to serve as personal advocates for employees who are ill. Others work exclusively with individuals who have specific illnesses, e.g., cancer.
• Protection and Advocacy for Individuals With Disabilities (4)
  FT-1000.6600

  Protection and Advocacy for Individuals With Disabilities

  FT-1000.6600
  
  Programs that provide assistance for individuals with disabilities who are having difficulty understanding and/or obtaining the full benefits and services to which they are entitled by law. Included are federally mandated programs that are part of the formal protection and advocacy system which includes Protection and Advocacy for Persons with Developmental Disabilities (PADD), Protection and Advocacy for Individuals with Mental Illness (PAIMI), Protection and Advocacy for Individual Rights (PAIR) and the Client Assistance Program (CAP); and independent organizations that provide the same types of services. Protection and advocacy programs provide legal representation and other advocacy services, under federal and state laws, for all people with disabilities and endeavor to ensure full access to inclusive educational programs, financial entitlements, health care, accessible housing and productive employment opportunities. The programs maintain a presence in facilities that care for people with disabilities where they monitor, investigate and attempt to remedy adverse conditions. CAP agencies (many of which are housed within protection and advocacy offices) provide information and assistance for individuals seeking or receiving vocational rehabilitation services under the Rehabilitation Act, including assistance in pursuing administrative, legal and other appropriate remedies.
• Senior Advocacy Groups (1)
  TD-1600.3100-800

  Senior Advocacy Groups

  TD-1600.3100-800
  
  Organizations that support the passage and enforcement of laws and other social measures that protect and promote the rights and interests of older adults.
• Specialized Information and Referral (12)
  TJ-3000.8000

  Specialized Information and Referral

  TJ-3000.8000
  
  Programs that maintain information about community resources that are appropriate for a specific target group or human services sector (for example, youth programs or addiction services) and which link individuals who are in need of specialized services with appropriate resources and/or which provide information about community agencies and organizations that offer specialized services.
• Veteran Education Benefits (5)
  HL-8000.1800-900

  Veteran Education Benefits

  HL-8000.1800-900
  
  Programs administered by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or other organizations that provide educational financial assistance for veterans and service personnel and their eligible dependents. Veterans and service personnel who served on active duty between January 31, 1955 and January 1, 1977 for specified periods of time are eligible for a variety of education benefits under the GI Bill including a stipend for tuition assistance at approved educational institutions. Veterans and service personnel who entered active duty after January 1, 1977 may participate in a voluntary contributory plan in which the individual's savings for a future education are administered and augmented by the government. Partial educational assistance is also available to the survivors of deceased or disabled veterans whose death or permanent and total disability was service-connected; and to the spouses and children of servicemen and women who have been listed for more than 90 days as missing in action, captured in the line of duty or forcibly detained by a foreign power.
• Weatherization Programs (2)
  BH-3000.1800-950

  Weatherization Programs

  BH-3000.1800-950
  
  Programs that provide assistance in the form of labor and supplies to help people improve the energy efficiency of their homes and protect them from the elements. The program provides ceiling insulation, attic venting, double glazed windows, weather-stripping, minor housing envelope repairs, low-flow showerheads, evaporative cooler vent covers, water heater blankets, pipe wrap, duct wrap, switch and outlet gaskets, caulking, and other related energy conservation measures. Weatherization programs may have age, income, disability or other eligibility requirements.
• Welfare Rights Assistance (1)
  FT-1000.9500

  Welfare Rights Assistance

  FT-1000.9500
  
  Programs that provide assistance for prospective or current public financial assistance recipients who are having difficulty understanding and/or obtaining the full benefits to which they are entitled by law under various income support entitlement programs. The programs may help people understand the eligibility criteria for benefits, how much they can work without affecting their benefits (for some programs), the benefits provided by the program, the payment process and the rights of beneficiaries; provide consultation and advice; help them complete benefits application forms; negotiate on their behalf with public assistance benefits staff; and/or represent them in administrative hearings or judicial litigation. Included are welfare rights organizations that offer a range of advocacy services as well as legal aid programs that offer more formalized legal assistance. Entitlement programs include (but are not limited to) General Relief (GR), Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), Food Stamps/SNAP, Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI).
• Winter Clothing Donation Programs (2)
  TI-1800.1500-870

  Winter Clothing Donation Programs

  TI-1800.1500-870
  
  Programs that accept new or secondhand coats, gloves, hats, scarves and other winter clothing, repair the items if necessary, and keep the clothing for use in their own programs, donate it to shelters and other community-based organizations for distribution to the people they serve, or sell it to raise money for agency programs.
• Women's Advocacy Groups (2)
  TD-1600.3100-950

  Women's Advocacy Groups

  TD-1600.3100-950
  
  Organizations that support the passage and enforcement of laws and other social measures that protect and promote the rights and interests of women.