1. Immediately go to Social Services and apply for unemployment. If you wait as much as two to three days to file, you may find your first unemployment check delayed in reaching you. Remember also that most people have to wait a hold week before receiving unemployment. Only those who have been previously laid off during the year may not have to wait through this hold week.

2. Immediately file for food stamps. If you don’t qualify for unemployment, this is a must! Food stamp qualification is based on income and available cash in the claimant’s possession. It’s a bit of an inconvenience to fill out the paperwork, but if you have a family to feed, it is well worth the headache. The amount you receive will also be determined by how many dependents you have. Even if you receive unemployment, you may be entitled to some food stamp funds

3. While you are at Social Services, ask the social worker assigned to your case if there are any cash funds available to your family. The office of Social Services usually receives allotted funds from the government to help those who can’t afford to meet their rental, house, or utility payments. These funds can be sometimes available as a monthly payment assistance check or as a “one-time” lump payment to get your family over the immediate hurdle of a financial crisis.

4. The Social Services office will also provide a list of charitable organizations in your area that allocate emergency assistance to needy families. Utilize this list, as you will find at least a few more places that will provide emergency help. In my case, there was one church that occasionally provided a $10 voucher to needy individuals so they could buy groceries from a local supermarket.

5. Visit the local Salvation Army office. The Salvation Army has a soup kitchen open at lunch to any individual in need of a meal. Also, the organization has access to government funds that may be available to needy individuals who may not qualify for emergency funds at Social Services. Social Services and the Salvation Army confer with each other regarding whether an individual already obtained funds from their offices. You are not allowed to receive funds for certain items at two different locations. For instance, if you obtain government-funded assistance for a utility payment at Social Services, the Salvation Army will not provide you with their government funds for the exact same purpose. This helps distribute the needed assistance evenly to all those in need.

6. Apply at HIP if you are in danger of getting evicted from your rental property or can’t make your house payment. HIP stands for Homeless Intervention Program. Under this program you may be qualified to receive aid for an amount equal to your monthly payment. Funds might be loaned on a short-term basis or, in some cases, given to you outright. As with the other social programs, qualification is also based on your financial circumstances. HIP is available at the Salvation Army in some areas, but the program may be offered at other facilities in different cities.

7. Always ask workers at the Salvation Army, Social Services, or any other needy assistance outlets you visit if there are any other available services offered by other groups in the area. You will be amazed at the number of places in your area that happily offer help to financially needy people.

8. Consider going back to college, and fill out a FASFA loan request. There are certain Pell grants that don’t need to be paid back that may be available to you if you attend college either at a nearby campus or online.

9. Check temporary agencies for any available work. There are some agencies that offer temporary work even on a daily basis. One such agency is Labor Ready, which is a nationwide agency. You can work at a certain site for $8 an hour and get your cash at the end of each day you work. The type of work may not be for everyone, but speaking from experience, it can get you out of a bind.

10. Update or upgrade your resume. Submit your resumes everywhere, including online employment sites. Most people agree that word of mouth is the best method of finding work. You can also inquire about available employment and post resumes through your local unemployment office.

11. If you don’t have insurance for your family, submit an application to Social Services for health benefits.

12. Many of the organizations you will be steered to will have free used clothes and non-perishable foods, so don’t forget to inquire about those services as well.

Well, the above list pretty much sums up my “Things to Do When Faced with Unemployment List.” There are certainly other avenues to take, but if you at least start with these crucial steps, you will find your road to recovery to be more manageable and less overwhelming. Many people refuse to use charitable or social agencies to aid them in recovery. To some, pride steps in the way. We all like to think of ourselves as being self-sufficient. First, we must remind ourselves that these government organizations are sponsored by our tax dollars, and to not use them to help support our own families when we are in need is simply throwing money away that we have already paid out ourselves through personal tax dollars. In other words, turning down government-funded assistance is neglecting to use money that we have already given to be used for that purpose. Would you refuse to use personal emergency money that you have set aside in your own account when you face an emergency? To turn down available assistance that we have already paid for is not being a good steward of God’s money. The Bible says, “God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble” (I Peter 5:5). Being laid off is a humbling experience, and God sometimes puts people through such circumstances in order to enhance their character or enrich their lives. If you find yourself unexpectedly laid off, ask God to guide you, and use every means available to sustain you economically. You will no doubt find that by going through these steps your life will be more satisfying and meaningful.