Self-Help
Chafee Funds Program of NYS: COVID-19 Cash Assistance for Foster Youth
submitted by Kiana Stamps, intern The Chafee Program offers assistance to help current and former foster care youth achieve self-sufficiency. Additional Chafee Cash Assistance funds will be distributed on a one-time, first-come, first served basis in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. ELIGIBILITY: Chafee cash assistance is available until September 30, 2021 for: Young adults, 18…
Read MoreNational Senior Fraud Awareness Day
submitted by Kristen Orr, Tech Paralegal May is Older Americans Month, and National Senior Fraud Awareness Day is May 15th. Though older adults on average lose more money to fraud than other age groups, they are still the least likely age group to report that loss. Be on the lookout for these scams affecting seniors.…
Read MoreUnlocking Financial Capability for Seniors
submitted by Kristen Orr, Tech Paralegal April is National Financial Capability Month. Being financially capable means having the knowledge and the confidence to take charge of your financial wellbeing. You can take charge on your own, but it’s also okay to recognize that you need assistance and enlist appropriate help. Being active and engaged in…
Read MoreScams: Learn the Red Flags during National Consumer Protection Week
The month of March began with National Consumer Protection Week. The FTC has recently reported that Americans lost upwards of $3.3 billion to scams and fraud in 2020. This is almost double the amount lost in 2019! Just in New York State, which had the 9th highest rate of fraud reports to the FTC in…
Read MoreCELJ Announces New Consumer Guides for Nursing Home Residents
submitted by Liam McMahon, Paralegal The Center for Elder Law & Justice (CELJ) is excited to announce the release of two new informational guides for long-term care consumers in Western New York. In October of 2019, with generous funding provided by the Odd Fellow and Rebekah Benefit Fund, CELJ began a new resident rights advocacy…
Read MoreMay Senior Financial Safety Tool Bulletin
Kinship Care: Continuing the Child-Parent Relationship during COVID-19
submitted by Sarah Hedden, Esq. The coronavirus pandemic is a scary and stressful time for everyone, but particularly for children. Their schools are closed, routines are disrupted, and they or their loved ones may be sick. It’s important to continue a routine for ourselves and the children we care for. Across the United States, about…
Read MoreCensus, Auto Warranty, and IRS Scams: SFST Bulletin for March
The SFST Bulletin is a monthly electronic publication written for financial professionals. Our goal is to increase awareness of legal issues faced by older adults in our community related to financial exploitation by providing these informative materials to financial professionals. Each month the SFST Bulletin will focus on new and timely topics that affect consumer…
Read MoreSenior Financial Safety Tool
The Center for Elder Law & Justice has partnered with Lake Shore Savings Bank to utilize the Senior Financial Safety Tool (SFST). The SFST is a web-based application that screens older adults for common warning signs of financial exploitation. Our goal is to develop a detection and referral system so that we can work collaboratively…
Read MoreObtaining child support and services for relative caregivers
Grandparents (or other family members) raising grandchildren face unique challenges as they become parents a second time around, and must often navigate a dizzying array of legal, financial, and social challenges as they step in to care for their grandchildren. In addition, grandparents must often stretch their budgets when they take on the…
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