At Arab American Family Services, our safety net program is the core of our organization. At AAFS, we provide cultural and linguistic case management services and advocacy to immigrants, refugees, and community members at large. We want to ensure that community members are provided with the absolute necessities of living day-to-day and given the need to survive in an ever-changing circumstance. Our professionally-trained caseworkers conduct comprehensive intake interviews with clients to determine their specific needs. They identify public benefits assistance and programs, for which clients are eligible. They educate clients about the guidelines and procedures required for each of these programs and assist in completing application forms for those programs. Regardless of their primary program department, all of AAFS’ caseworkers provide their clients with the necessary services and assist with applying for programs that fit their specific needs. By helping local neighbors overcome personal crisis, strengthening their families and live healthier, more successful lives, AAFS is making a profound and positive impact in our community.
Those services are as follows:
Department of Human Services (DHS)
Assistance with an explanation of rules, regulations, and processes of the DHS; communication with DHS social workers to advocate on behalf of clients; and assistance with the completion of forms related to the following programs:
Medical Card
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
- Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
- Women, Infant, and Children (WIC)
Other services provided include:
- Employment Assistance
- Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP/CEDA)
- Illinois Action for Children (Daycare Assistance)
- Affordable Healthcare Act (Obamacare)
- Translation and Interpretation Services
- We provide assistance with food, clothing and other necessities for clients in crisis
- ComEd and Nicor services
- Social Security Benefits – Assistance for an appeal of disability claim forms, social security supplemental income benefits (SSI), budget letters, correspondence, etc.
- Social Security Card assistance
- Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) – Referral-based ONLY
- Women, Infant and Children WIC
WIC is a food assistance program for Women, Infants, and Children. It helps pregnant women, new mothers and young children eat well and stay healthy. Who can receive these services? Women and their children who are: Pregnant, breastfeeding or just had a baby, Infants and Children under 5 years old (including foster children), Families with a low to medium income What services are offered? WIC can provide: Special checks to buy healthy foods, information about nutrition and health to help you and your family eat well and be healthy, information and help about breastfeeding and help in finding health care and other services in your area.
The All Kids program was created, to make healthcare a reality for hundreds of thousands of families across the state. Illinois is the first state in the nation to provide affordable, comprehensive health insurance for every child. Of the 250,000 children in Illinois without health insurance, more than half come from working and middle class families who earn too much to qualify for state programs like KidCare, but not enough to afford private health insurance. Through All Kids, comprehensive health insurance is available to every uninsured child, at rates their parents can afford. The All Kids program offers Illinois uninsured children comprehensive healthcare that includes doctors visits, hospital stays, prescription drugs, vision care, dental care and medical devices like eyeglasses and asthma inhalers. Parents pay monthly premiums for the coverage, but rates for middle-income families are significantly lower than they are on the private market.Illinois Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
Illinois Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) program helps you and your family buy food needed for good health. You can buy food from most grocery stores and other retailers that sell food. If you meet the program guidelines, you will get a special debit card (called an EBT Card). This debit card comes with a certain amount of money already on it to pay for food. If you are a U.S. citizen and meet the other program guidelines, you may get help from this program. If you live in the United States but are not a U.S. citizen, you may still apply if you and/or members of your household meet at least one of following guidelines for legal immigrants: -lived legally in the United States for at least 5 years or more -get disability related assistance or benefits, no matter when you entered the United States -children under the age of 18, no matter when the child entered the United States To apply for this program, you can print and fill out the application form and bring into our office. You can also apply by using one of the applications below.
