Posted May 28, 202010:18 am
Bianca Rodriguez (name changed to protect client privacy) and her husband cared for a family of four: her daughter Kelsey and Kelsey’s three girls. Sadly, Kelsey passed away in August of 2019, leaving two grandparents to care for the young children. Kelsey used food stamps to help feed her girls, so Bianca contacted Cuyahoga County’s Department of Job and Family Services (JFS) to apply for food stamps herself.
JFS never responded to Bianca’s application. Luckily, during a check-up at University Hospitals, Bianca was connected with Legal Aid through the hospital’s Medical-Legal Partnership.
A paralegal followed up with JFS to complete an interview for benefits. Thanks to expert advocacy, JFS granted Bianca both food stamps and cash assistance from Ohio Works First, a program that provides temporary cash assistance to needy families. While raising three grandchildren will undoubtedly be difficult, Bianca can now move forward free from an overwhelming financial burden.