Finding Benefits and Assistance
If you are looking for information not covered here, please give us a call, visit, or email us.
Affordable Care Act (also known as ACA or Obamacare)
Open enrollment is November 1st to January 15th. If you have missed the open enrollment deadline, you can click here to see if you can still get health coverage.
Visit Healthcare.gov to learn more about ACA or sign up for insurance coverage.
If you would like to talk to a person either by phone, in person, or by email, you can find a local insurance broker by clicking here, or you can contact RespondNow, a nonprofit in Chicago Heights that can help you sign up for certain assistance programs.
RespondNow - 708-755-4357 - respondnow.org
Assistance Paying Home Utility Bills
LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program)
See if you qualify and learn how to apply at CEDAORG
or apply in person at local CEDA partner:
The Apostolic Church in Steger
1311 E Steger Rd, Steger, IL 60475
708-833-7031
apostolicliheap@gmail.com
Cash, SNAP (Food Stamps), and Medical Assistance (in Illinois)
Credit or Financial Counseling
Money Management International
https://www.moneymanagement.org/locations/illinois/chicago
312-443-1326
Money Management International (MMI) proudly provides nonprofit financial education and counseling to consumers struggling with debt, budgeting, housing, and student loan concerns. MMI’s services are available across the country over the phone, online, and face-to-face in select locations.
Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Northern Illinois
800-815-2227
Offers many different forms of financial counseling for a small fee, although their website says “No one is denied services due to inability to pay a fee.”
Domestic Violence or Sexual Assault Support
Domestic Violence Helpline: free and private services
877-863-6338 (toll free, confidential, 24 hours, multilingual)
National Sexual Assault Hotline: free and confidential
800-656-4673 OR Live Chat @ RAINN.org
Safe2Help Illinois offers students a safe, confidential way in which to share information that might help prevent suicides, bullying, school violence or other threats to school safety. This program is not intended to suspend, expel, or punish students. Rather, the goal is to get students to "Seek Help Before."
844-472-3345
Text: 72332
Filing for Social Security
Click on an option below to begin the online application process:
Speak to a Social Security representative by phone (expect a very long wait):
You can call our National 800 Number at 1-800-772-1213 between 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Wait times to speak to a representative are typically shorter Wednesdays through Fridays or later in the day. We also offer many automated telephone services, available 24 hours a day, so you do not need to speak with a representative.
Finding Housing & Homelessness Prevention
Aunt Martha’s, Suburban Cook County: 877-426-6515; WIll County: 815-722-0722
For families "in immediate danger of eviction, foreclosure or homelessness, or if you are currently homeless."
South Suburban Council on Homelessness – 708-647-3333
Providing treatment and recovery support for independent sober living.
South Suburban Housing Center - 708-957-4674
Housing counseling, preventing foreclosure, down payment assistance, rental referral information.
Public Action to Deliver Services (PADS) South Suburban
414 W Lincoln Hwy, Chicago Heights, IL 60411
Open Monday 9a-1p, Wednesday 9a-5p, Friday 9a-1p.
If you currently live in a house or apartment and are seeking emergency assistance to preserve your current home, please call the Homeless Prevention Assistance call center at 877-426-6515.
If you are currently homeless and seeking emergency shelter or assistance to obtain a home, please call 708-332-7700 and leave a message for the emergency shelter department (option 4) so that a staff member can help.
Catholic Charities of Joliet – 815-723-3405
CEDA – 312-288-8010, housing1@cedaorg.net
CEDA’s staff of HUD-certified Housing Counselors are available to assist with foreclosure prevention, pre-purchase, post-purchase, rental counseling, and financial counseling. Call or email to schedule a telephone or online counseling session.
Entry Point (Alliance to End Homelessness in Suburban Cook County) - 877-426-6515
Available Monday - Friday from 8:30am - 4:30pm. Assistance for those who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.
Beds-Plus.org
Offers rental assistance for people experiencing homelessness and offers emergency overnight shelter at churches in the southwest suburban Cook County area near Oak Lawn.
Food Pantries
Alicia's House
17 Paulsen Ave., South Chicago Heights, IL 60411
708-946-3002
aliciashousepantry@sbcglobal.net
Community Outreach, located at St. Liborius Catholic Church
3440 Halsted Blvd
Steger, IL 60475
Click here for more details, including dates, times, and eligibility.
Legal Assistance
Mental Health Crisis & Addiction Hotlines & Support
Emergency Help:
Suicide prevention text hotline: Text 988
Crisis text hotline: Text START to 741741.
Support Help (nonemergency):
Illinois Warm Line (866) 359-7953
If you or one of your family members has mental health and/or substance use challenges and would like to receive support by phone, call the Illinois Warm Line Monday through Saturday between 8am and 8pm.
NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Helpline (800) 950-6264
The NAMI national HelpLine can be reached M - F, 10 am - 6 pm, ET.
Gambling Disorder Support 800-426-2537
Illinois Helpline for Opioids and Other Substances 833-234-6343
Safe2Help Illinois offers students a safe, confidential way in which to share information that might help prevent suicides, bullying, school violence or other threats to school safety. This program is not intended to suspend, expel, or punish students. Rather, the goal is to get students to "Seek Help Before."
844-472-3345
Text: 72332
Veterans Crisis Line Dial 988 and press 1 at the prompt, or text 838255.
Seniors
Benefit Access Program - Ride free transit card, license plate renewal discount
Click here to apply. You can only apply online. If you need assistance applying online, please call the library.
Senior helpline - 800-252-8966
Social Services
Social Work Intern - The Steger-South Chicago Heights Public Library has partnered with University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign to host an intern at the library. Interns can gain valuable experience and academic credit for their work at the library.
Social Work Interns are available to meet with patrons for 20-minute consultations, offering guidance and referrals to community services. To schedule a meeting with a Social Work Intern, please submit an assessment form.
WIC (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children)
Last updated 8/10/24
Please email sal@sschlibrary to report any broken or outdated links.