Virginia Kinship
Resource Guide

Financial Support/Assistance: 2-1-1 provides free information on housing, food, health care and other community resources.

Apply for Any/All Benefit Programs Through CommonHelp to Include:

• Child Care Services: Financial assistance is provided to eligible families to help with the cost of childcare so they can work or attend education programs.
• Energy Assistance (Fuel, Crisis, or Cooling): Lower-income households may receive assistance with their energy bills.
• Food Assistance (SNAP): SNAP can be used like cash to buy eligible food items with an EBT card from authorized retailers.
• Auxiliary Grant: Provides financial assistance to eligible individuals with Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and other low-income individuals interested in residing in a Department of Social Services licensed assisted living facility or a local department of social services approved adult foster care home.
• Health Care: Health insurance is available for children and families (FAMIS/FAMIS Plus) and pregnant women.

Temporary Assistance for Families with Minor Children: Also known as “TANF” is designed to help families achieve self-sufficiency and Virginia receives block grants that fund these support programs.

*TANF definition of a relative: The relative with whom the child is living, who is designated as the caretaker, must be a relative by blood, marriage, or adoption. Relationships by marriage exist even after the marriage has been terminated by death or divorce. (Note: A marriage is a legal relationship between two individuals. Depending on the laws of a state at the time of a marriage, a marriage can be between individuals of the opposite sex or between individuals of the same sex. Same sex marriages performed legally in other states are recognized by Virginia effective 2/14/14, including marriages performed prior to that date. While same sex marriages became legal in Virginia as of 2/14/14, the first same sex marriages performed legally in Virginia occurred on or after 10/6/14.)

Social Security Information for Parents and Guardians for a Child with a Disability: If you are a parent, caregiver, or representative of a child younger than 18 who has a disability, your child may be eligible for Supplemental Security income (SSI) payments. More information is provided in the “Benefits for Children With Disabilities” booklet. More information can be found here at the Parents and Guardians page on the Social Security website.