This is a quick list of immediate to-do items and resources that I’ve pulled together for people whose unemployment benefits won’t be extended or expecting to become unemployed.?I’ve included?hyper-linked?text, and I’ve also included actual links to these sites in case people lose their internet and need to print this out. If any of these links are dead, let us know in the comments so that I can keep the list up to date.

Immediate To-Do List:

• Kick into survival mode (you probably already have).
• Toss out your pride. I realize that many of you have been demoralized, debased, and stripped of your dignity if you’ve been unemployed for a long time. I know. I’ve talked to thousands of you.
• Reach out. At this point, you probably know who’s there for you and who isn’t. Let people know what’s going on. You’ll find help in places you never thought of before.
• If you have bills coming directly out of your bank account, cancel all auto-drafts immediately. When your bank account hits zero, you’ll start getting hit with overdraft fees. Call your creditors and tell them to stop auto-drafts. One quick and easy option is to call your bank and say you’ve lost your debit cards. They’ll issue a new one and anything that comes through on the old one will be declined. This is effective if you have a lot of recurring payments and subscriptions. Don’t do this for your important bills.
• Call the utility companies and tell them what’s going on. Most will work with you and give you at least a month. Ask them if they’re aware of utility assistance programs. You can visit a food bank and get info about these kinds of resources, too.
• Identify things you can sell if you need emergency cash. Avoid pawn shops and try to sell your things directly via Craigslist or similar venues. Many areas have ?online garage sale? groups on Facebook. Identify the ones in your area.
• Apply for food stamps, TANF (formerly known as welfare), and Medicaid for your children immediately. Emergency food stamps can kick in quickly. The way they determine if your case is ?emergency? is basically based on the amount of assets and/or cash you have on hand. Apply when your bank account is at it’s lowest. GO TO THE OFFICE in your area to do this and take all of your bills, bank statements, social security cards, birth certificates, and any income information, including child support and alimony. Don’t mess around with online forms, etc?Be persistent. The staff in government offices aren’t usually good with making things happen quickly. You have to be proactive about this. Click here to find the?offices in your state. (http://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/applicant_recipients/apply.htm)
• No matter what, pay your cell phone bill. Get rid of the ?extra features? that you don’t need on your account, but you have to have a phone. Your phone is your lifeline to the rest of the world. You need it to find resources, take care of your family, and apply for jobs. If you have a smartphone, even better. You can use it to visit any of the websites listed below.?Call your phone company. Most will work with you. If you know you can’t afford your current contract, ditch it and buy a phone through a plan like Metro PCS, Real Talk, or a Go Phone.
• Identify shelters and all other resources in advance so that you’ll know what to do and where to go when needed.

Resource List:

• First stop: Benefits.gov
• Information about housing?(www.unemployed-friends2.org/t4630-government-hud-homeless-assistance-programs)
• The link in that informative list is broken, so?go here. (http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/comm_planning/homeless/programs)
• Homeless Shelter Directory?(http://www.homelessshelterdirectory.org/)
• Call churches to find all resources in your area. They know about food banks, emergency shelters, organizations that will help you pay your utility bills, and more.
• Unemployment Lifeline?has a lot of resource listings. (http://www.unemploymentlifeline.com/)
• Call?Feeding America. You can find food banks there. They are unfortunately closed for the holidays (I called to check), but you can also search for foodbanks on their?website.?Their number is?1-800-771-2303. (http://feedingamerica.org/need-help.aspx)
• Prescription assistance (source:?www.unemployed-friends2.org). You can also ask at your doctor’s office or community clinic. They can help you get on Patient Assistance Programs. It takes some time to get all of it going, but it’s seamless once it kicks in.
  • http://www.pparx.org/
  • http://www.freemedicinefoundation.com/
  • http://www.peoples-law.org/health/charity-care/special_drug.htm
  • www.needymeds.com
  • http://www.rxoutreach.org/medications/
  • http://www.themedicineprogram.org/programs/Endo-Patient-Assistance-Program.php
  • https://www.pparx.org/Intro.php
  • www.drugcardsforfree.com
• Phone services (if you qualify for food stamps, you qualify for these services)
  • https://www.safelinkwireless.com/EnrollmentPublic/home.aspx
  • http://www.assurancewireless.com/Public/Welcome.aspx
• Pet resources. Some people scoff at this, but for many of us, our pets are family. There are pet food banks.
  • http://www.petwork.com/pet-health-care/pet-food-assistance
  • http://loveyourpetexpo.com/petfoodhelp.html
  • Website with nationwide links for low cost spay/neuter?http://www.lovethatcat.com/spayneuter.html
  • http://www.aspca.org/aspca-nyc/mobileclinic/
  • Pets of the Homeless Organization (http://www.petsofthehomeless.org/what-we-do)
  • The Humane Society of America~Resources for Pet Owners (http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_pet.htm)

I invite people to add other options and?resources?in the comments section.

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Tiffany Willis is the founder and editor-in-chief of Liberal America. An unapologetic member of the Christian Left, she has spent most of her career actively working with ?the least of these? and disadvantaged and oppressed populations. She’s passionate about their struggles. To stay on top of topics she discusses,?subscribe to her public updates on Facebook,?follow her on Twitter, or?connect with her via LinkedIn. She also has a?grossly neglected personal blog?and a?literary quotes blog that is a labor of love. Find her somewhere and join the discussion.

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