Knowing where to turn for help is critical in the difficult economic times that we're facing. Whether a person works in a human resource department or is trying to support a family, it is important to have easy access to community resources. To assist with this, the Heart of Illinois United Way, with support from the Labor Council of West Central Illinois, has created the Help for Hard Times Guide.
This guide was designed to provide assistance for individuals facing unemployment or trying to adjust to living on a reduced income. By learning about available resources, individuals can take better control of their situations and survive in this struggling economy.
Resources covered in the Help for Hard Times Guide include employment services, food pantries, housing and utility assistance, financial resources, and even help for handling stress, health, wellness and legal concerns.
The guide also launches a new resource to the Peoria area-the FamilyWize prescription drug discount card. As a partner with numerous United Ways across the country, the goal of FamilyWize is to reduce the cost of medicine for children, families and individuals. These savings are obtained by distributing free prescription drug discount cards to organizations and agencies and to the people who need them.
Since its establishment in 2005, more than 25,000 community organizations, county agencies, doctors, pharmacies and companies have distributed the free FamilyWize prescription drug discount cards, reducing the cost of medicine for people in one out of every two counties in the United States.
Many families are in need of a FamilyWize card, either because they have no health insurance or they have to buy medicine that is not covered by their insurance, Medicaid or Medicare plans.
The savings are provided by the more than 53,000 participating local pharmacies that have agreed to voluntarily accept prices for medications that are close to the prices they make available to large insurance companies and employers. All funding for this program is provided by in-kind donations and program sponsors.
By helping individuals access community services and manage their limited financial resources, these stressful times may be a bit easier to get through. The Heart of Illinois United Way developed the Help for Hard Times Guide to provide this much-needed service to people residing in our community. To download a copy or view the available resources online, visit hoiunitedway.org/HOIUW-help-for-hard-times.php. iBi
