National Resources

Job Resources

Online Job Search Engines 
Browse any one of these credible job search engines and find the perfect position waiting for you.
CareerBuilder
Craigslist
monster.com
Yahoo HotJobs
Ability Jobs (job search engine focused towards those with disabilities)
Job.com
InovaHire.com

One Stop Career Centers
http://www.servicelocator.org

National Career Fairs
Click here for information on over 300 career fairs across the country. Find one near your hometown!

The Beehive: Jobs
Help with unemployment benefits, finding a job, and building your resume.
http://www.thebeehive.org/jobs

Wardrobe for Opportunity  
Assists low income individuals to find a job, keep a job, and build a career.
http://www.wardrobe.org

COBRA
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) provides a COBRA premium reduction for eligible individuals who are involuntarily terminated from employment through the end of May 2010. Due to the statutory sunset, the COBRA premium reduction under ARRA is not available for individuals who experience involuntary terminations after May 31, 2010. However, individuals who qualified on or before May 31, 2010 may continue to pay reduced premiums for up to 15 months, as long as they are not eligible for another group health plan or Medicare.

The Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2010 signed by the President on July 22, 2010, did not extend the COBRA premium reduction.

If You Are Recently Unemployed...
Get answers to frequently asked questions and check out your COBRA options at http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/cobra.html

Emergency Unemployment Compensation
EUC is a Federal temporary extension of unemployment compensation for unemployed individuals who have already collected all regular state benefits for which they were eligible.

These benefits are available for weeks of unemployment ending on or before November 30, 2010. Individuals establishing benefit entitlement as of this date can collect the remainder of this entitlement through April 30, 2011.

Learn more about unemployment compensation extension here:
http://www.ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/supp_act.asp
http://www.ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/pdf/euc08.pdf

For state specific information, click here

The U.S. Department of Labor
The Department of Labor fosters and promotes the welfare of the job seekers, wage earners, and retirees of the United States by improving their working conditions, advancing their opportunities for profitable employment, protecting their retirement and health care benefits, helping employers find workers, strengthening free collective bargaining, and tracking changes in employment, prices, and other national economic measurements. In carrying out this mission, the Department administers a variety of Federal labor laws including those that guarantee workers' rights to safe and healthful working conditions; a minimum hourly wage and overtime pay; freedom from employment discrimination; unemployment insurance; and other income support.
Click here to learn more...

Seniors

Write a Winning Résumé (Article)
Are you a senior applying for a job? The article shows how to narrow down all of your experience into a more personal resume for the specific job that you are applying for.
http://www.aarp.org/work/job-hunting/info-07-2008/writing_winning_resume.html


Educational Tools

 Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) 
Federal Student Aid, an office of the U.S. Department of Education, ensures that all eligible individuals can benefit from federally funded or federally guaranteed financial assistance for education beyond high school.
Click here to learn more...

 FastWeb: www.fastweb.com
A free online resource to help incoming college students find scholarship money and how to apply for it.

Students.gov
This valuable resource provides answers for students on education, careers, the government and more.
http://www.students.gov/STUGOVWebApp/index.jsp

Tax Benefits for Education
There is a variety of tax credits, deductions and savings plans available to taxpayers to assist with the expense of higher education.
http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=213044,00.html

Going to College: http://going2college.org/StateResources/
Going2College is a website that allows you to explore career options, plan for college and locate financial aid sources. The website shows local services and programs available in your area that will help you get to college.

One Economy Corporation:  www.one-economy.com/
One Economy Corporation is a Washington, D.C. based nonprofit founded in 2000. The corporation connects low-income people with technology. The corporation focuses on bringing broadband access into low-income homes, providing technological training for low-income individuals, and creating localized websites that connect these people to socio-economically pertinent information and services, these ranging from homework help to tax-filing tips to career building applications.

The Beehive: School
Free homework help for all ages in English and Spanish.
http://www.thebeehive.org/school

College Board
For students and parents: how to plan for college- find the right way, apply and pay.
http://www.collegeboard.com/

Mapping Your Future
Mapping Your Future is your free resource for career, college, financial aid, and money management information. Our goal is to help individuals achieve life-long success by empowering students, families, and schools with free, web-based information and services.
http://mappingyourfuture.org/

Housing Advice

Find out if your state recently received funding under a program to assist struggling homeowners in states hit hardest by the housing crisis. CLICK HERE

The Beehive: Housing
Foreclosure and first time home-buying help.
http://www.thebeehive.org/housing

Find housing resources specific to your state
http://portal.hud.gov/portal/page/portal/HUD/states
 
NeighborWorks America
Find a NeighborWorks America program which fits your situation. Their programs range from homeownership programs to foreclosure assistance to money-management programs.
http://www.nw.org/network/neighborworksprogs/natprogs.asp

Operation HOPE
Operation HOPE is America’s leading provider of economic tools and services. HOPE is an effective facilitator, lender, advocate and educator for and on behalf of the other America. 
http://www.operationhope.org/smdev/ 

Home Ownership Programs

Buying a Home
Visit http://portal.hud.gov/portal/page/portal/HUD/topics/buying_a_home to help you figure out what you can afford, discover loan programs, and learn more about the home ownership process.

Home Affordable Refinance Program
See if you are among the 7 to 9 million homeowners who may be able to benefit from this program by using the self-assessment tools provided. The President's Plan was created to help millions of homeowners refinance or modify their mortgages to a payment that is affordable, both now and in the future.
http://www.makinghomeaffordable.gov

First-Time Homebuyer Credit
The First-Time Homebuyer Credit has been extended to September 30, 2010.
Click here to see if you are eligible

Keys To My Home
Your dream of owning a home can become a reality if you set realistic goals, get sound advice, plan carefully and clearly understand the costs of homeownership. NeighborWorks® America, through NCHEC, is pleased to partner with E*TRADE FINANCIAL to bring you this educational Web site, designed to help you make informed, sound decisions related to the homebuying process.
http://www.keystomyhome.org/

Do you live in Public Housing and want to purchase a home?
Visit http://www.hud.gov/offices/pih/programs/ph/homeownership.cfm for more information about how the government can assist you.

 Home Loan Programs

Federal Housing Administration (FHA)
An FHA refinance mortgage or FHA loan allows for the refinance or purchase of a home with a low down payment. These loans are great for the first-time homebuyer.
http://www.fha.com/

Foreclosure Assistance

Are you at risk of foreclosure or losing your home?
http://portal.hud.gov/portal/page/portal/HUD/topics/avoiding_foreclosure/fctimeline

Counseling Programs to Prevent Foreclosure
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has approved housing counseling agencies.
http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/hcc/hcs.cfm

Home Affordable Modification Program
The Home Affordable Modification Program is designed to help as many as 3 to 4 million homeowners avoid preventable foreclosure by modifying loans to a level that is affordable for borrowers now and sustainable over the long term.
http://www.hmpadmin.com

Mortgage Crisis Hotline
Learn about services available through the Operation HOPE Mortgage Crisis Hotline at http://www.operationhope.org/smdev/hotline.php?id=1427
Or simply call 888-388-HOPE (4673)

Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America
NACA is a non-profit advocacy HUD certified counseling agency. NACA’s historic Save the Dream Tour has been an incredible success with hundreds of thousands participants in thirteen cities. Thousands of homeowners received same day solutions having their mortgage payments permanently reduced by over $500 and many by over $1,000 a month often with interest rates reduced to 3% or 2% and sometimes a principal reduction. NACA has legally binding agreements with all the major lenders / servicers to achieve this. All of NACA’s services are FREE.

To find out how NACA could assist you and to find a NACA event in your area, go to https://www.naca.com/index_main.jsp?language=null

Hope Now
HOPE NOW is an alliance between counselors, mortgage companies, investors, and other mortgage market participants. This alliance will maximize outreach efforts to homeowners in distress to help them stay in their homes and will create a unified, coordinated plan to reach and help as many homeowners as possible. The members of this alliance recognize that by working together, they will be more effective than by working independently.
http://www.hopenow.com/

Rental Programs

Find a rental assistance program in your area
http://portal.hud.gov/portal/page/portal/HUD/topics/rental_assistance/local

Public Housing
WHAT IS PUBLIC HOUSING? Public housing was established to provide decent and safe rental housing for eligible low-income families, the elderly, and persons with disabilities. Public housing comes in all sizes and types, from scattered single family houses to highrise apartments for elderly families.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE? Public housing is limited to low-income families and individuals. An HA determines your eligibility based on: 1) annual gross income; 2) whether you qualify as elderly, a person with a disability, or as a family; and 3) U.S. citizenship or eligible immigration status. If you are eligible, the HA will check your references to make sure you and your family will be good tenants.

HA's use income limits developed by HUD. HUD sets the lower income limits at 80% and very low income limits at 50% of the median income for the county or metropolitan area in which you choose to live. Income limits vary from area to area so you may be eligible at one HA but not at another. The HA serving your community can provide you with the income levels for your area and family size, or you can also find the income limits here on the internet.

Learn more about public housing at http://portal.hud.gov/portal/page/portal/HUD/topics/rental_assistance/phprog

To apply for public housing, find your local housing authority at http://www.hud.gov/offices/pih/pha/contacts/index.cfm

Low rent apartments: the government gives funds directly to apartment owners, who lower the rents they charge low-income tenants. You can find low-rent apartments for senior citizens and people with disabilities, as well as for families and individuals.
Search for low-rent apartments in your state at http://www.hud.gov/apps/section8/index.cfm

Veterans & Military Families

Military Housing Assistance Fund (MHAF)
MHAF assists military families by providing them with grants to assist them with purchasing a home. The grants are true gifts and never need be repaid.
http://www.usmhaf.org/

VA Loan Information
http://www.valoans.com/

Seniors

Information for Seniors: Housing
http://portal.hud.gov/portal/page/portal/HUD/topics/information_for_senior_citizens

 Find a housing community for the elderly in your area by visiting these links:
http://www.alfa.org/alfa/Choosing_a_Community1.asp?SnID=826132113



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