The only thing worse than struggling to make ends meet financially is struggling to make ends meet financially when you’ve also got a family to support. Fortunately, there are various financial assistance programs in Indiana that can help you achieve stability.
It can be tough to make sense of eligibility requirements and the application process all alone, so we’ll give you a straightforward guide to everything you need to know.
The Indiana Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
The most prominent financial assistance program is the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), a statewide initiative that also runs in Indiana.
It’s a program that gives cash (and other means of support) to family groups with children under the age of 18. The level of support you can expect varies depending on your income and the size of your group, but it can be substantial for the neediest.
When you’re part of the program, you’ll also have to join IMPACT, a training program to help adults find employment.
Eligibility requirements
It’s clear from the program’s name that only those who are struggling financially in Indiana would be eligible, but here’s a full list of the criteria:
- You must be an Indiana resident.
- You must be a U.S. citizen or able to legally reside in the country.
- You must have a child aged 18 or below.
- You must be a relative of the child.
- Your family income must be low.
The exact income level that makes you eligible for the program varies depending on the size of your household; for example, it’s $592 for a group of three. You can find the full list of income requirements online. Your savings and assets must be below $1,000 (excluding your property).
Applying for the Indiana TANF Program
You can apply for the program online, which is the quickest and easiest option.
Alternatively, you can visit your local DFR office to speak with somebody in person or call the phone number 800-403-0864.
You’ll then have to wait 60 days to find out whether you’ll be given assistance.
Other Financial Assistance Programs
Just because you don’t meet the criteria for TANF, it doesn’t mean that you don’t deserve to get help. There are various other ways to access assistance and grants from nonprofit or governmental organizations. Here are some other programs specific to Indiana:
- Indiana Manpower and Comprehensive Training (IMPACT)
- Salvation Army Emergency Financial Assistance
- Healthy Indiana Plan (HIP)
- Hoosier Healthwise
- Hoosier Rx
Time to get your life back on track
It’s never easy to ask for help, especially if you’ve never done it before or you fear that those around you will be judgmental. Yet financial assistance programs are here for a reason — to help people like you (and your family) so you can rebuild your life.
Sending your application will only take a few minutes, and it could turn out to be a complete gamechanger.