Tips for requesting financial assistance

In tough financial times, many people are looking for financial assistance, but don't know the ins and outs of asking for help.

I worked three years at a local health department and volunteered for over 10 years at a local crisis pregnancy center. Telling people how to receive assistance for their families was part of my job as an employee at the health department and a volunteer at the pregnancy center.

If you are needing to request assistance of a social service organization, health department or ministry, here are a few things you should know to help the process move quickly and smoothly.

When making phone calls

Plan to allow a large block of time for phone calls. You could be on the phone for a long time making several phone calls. It's not unusual for an agency to tell callers to call back at a specific time later in the day.

Have pen and paper handy. With every phone call you make, keep a list detailing the agency/organization name, the phone number, the date and time you called, the name of the person you spoke to, and the gist of what they told you.

It seems like overkill, but when you're calling 10 different places, it's easy to get confused. That list with your notes will help you to come back and remember what you found out from each phone call.

Getting an appointment

Be ready to go if you are asked to come in for an appointment. Many places will say "Can you come in within the next hour or this afternoon?" Make sure you are prepared to tell them yes. Have your transportation arranged ahead of time. If you have to rely on someone else for transportation, call them before you start making your phone calls. Make sure they are available and can be ready to pick you up if you call in need of a ride. Don't assume anything. You'd hate to miss out on an opportunity to get help for your family because you couldn't get a ride.

Necessary identification and paperwork

Have necessary identification and paperwork - driver's license, Social Security Numbers for every member of the household, rent receipts, utility bills, proof of address, pay stubs, etc. All utility bills, rent receipts and pay stubs should be the most current. The ones you have from three months ago won't work.

Be truthful

Don't stretch the truth or hide anything. Be honest and supply accurate information. It will look bad on you if you tell the person helping you one thing, then they make phone calls on your behalf and discover something different. Even if the truth of the situation makes you look bad, tell the truth. Everyone makes mistakes.

At the appointment

Ask questions if you don't understand something. Most people who are in social service appreciate a client who asks them intelligent questions - it shows they are paying attention and truly interested in the help they are asking for.

Be on time. If you are told to come in at 2 p.m., don't show up at 2:30. Be there at 2 p.m. or earlier.

Don't be rude or argumentative. Remember the old saying "you catch more flies with honey?" Receptionists and case workers for social service organizations are bombarded with people calling or stopping in for help. They truly want to help people and do their job, but oftentimes they are overwhelmed by the sheer number of people in need and they are bound by the guidelines of the agency. They don't have the authority to bend those rules or make exceptions. Don't make their life or their job more difficult by calling them names, getting rude or causing a scene. If you don't like the answers you get, politely ask to speak to someone else, hang up or walk away. Call back later after everyone has calmed down.

And lastly, be sure to say a simple "thank you."

Many of the people you encounter are working hard and advocating on your behalf. If the organization is a ministry or volunteer group, most likely none of them are being paid. They are doing it because they care.Hearing someone say "Thank you for helping me" is all the payment they want - so be sure to sign that particular paycheck!