Food

• When you struggle financially, you may be unable to afford food. Federal, state and local governments have programs that help families who are unable to buy their own food. The food stamp program, known officially as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP, offers assistance to help needy families buy groceries (see Resources). The government offers many more food assistance programs, including the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Children and Infants, or WIC, which provides food for low-income mothers who are pregnant, nursing or have children under the age of 5. In addition, people who are age 60 or older can get low-cost meals at senior centers, regardless of their income, through the Nutrition Services Incentive Program.
  
  

Education

• It is becoming more difficult to find a decent job without a college education in the competitive world of the 21st century. The cost of college keeps rising and many people can't afford it. The government provides financial assistance to its citizens to help pay for college. One type of financial aid is student loans, which must be paid back. The government offers low interest rates and flexiable payment options for students.
  
  

Health Care

• Health care is getting more expensive each year, and many people can't afford coverage. Medicare and Medicaid are both well known programs that the government offers. Medicare provides health care to people over the age of 65, the disabled and people with end-stage renal disease. Medicaid offers assistance to low-income individuals and families who are members of an eligibility group recognized by federal and state law. Each state sets its own guidelines regarding eligibility for Medicaid.
  
  

Housing

• Many people struggle to pay their rent or mortgage in a tough economy. The federal government offers assistance to help low-income families find a place to live. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) implements the government's housing assistance programs, offering three programs to help low-income individuals find housing. The agency works with apartment owners to offer affordable rent to low-income individuals through subsidized housing and provides a searchable database for those seeking apartments. HUD also offers public housing for the elderly, disabled and low-income families. And finally, HUD provides its Housing Choice Voucher Program, known previously as "Section 8," in which it pays for all or a portion of the rent. To obtain assistance through this program, low-income people first must obtain a voucher through their local Public Housing Agency (see Resources).