Basic Benefits

Social Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Income (SSDI) training – October 28, 2025

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This training on SSI and SSDI helps to demystify public benefits, particularly those resourced by individuals and families with housing barriers. This training covers eligibility, how to apply, how to maintain benefits, and how to resolve common issues with obtaining or maintaining benefits.   An uptick in applications that are connected to changing requirements from other benefits programs is expected. There are possible short-term impacts during the current government shutdown and some longer-term impacts that are connected to changes in eligibility. Thank you to Benefits Law Center for sharing this information with us. Benefits Law Center makes direct legal representation accessible at the convenience of the client and assists in the benefits application and appeals process in a way that accommodates their disability and other barriers that they may face. Types of Benefits There are a couple of different types of benefits that a person can receive. A person can get benefits based on having a disability, which means they have health conditions that are so severe that they wouldn’t allow you to do any kind of full-time job. SSI – Social Security Income To get benefits based on disability for SSI, the only requirements are that you meet the disability, age, or blindness requirements and you meet the income and resource limits, meaning that you’re not making too much money, and you don’t have too much money or assets. SSDI – Social Security Disability Income SSDI has the same disability verification requirements but it has different financial requirements. You have to have worked enough hours or enough work credits at a job where you’re paying taxes into the Social Security system to qualify for this benefit. Disabled Adult Child Benefits Disabled adult child benefits are for people who became too disabled to work before age 22 and their parent …

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Diary of an outraged advocate: Nancy Amidei sets herself (and Congresswoman DelBene) a challenge

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Nancy Amidei has been an anti-hunger and homelessness advocate, a teacher, and a champion of people participating in democracy for more than forty years. She is director of the Civic Engagement Project, and retired a few years ago from the University of Washington’s School of Social Work, where I met her in 1993. I use the word retired with bemusement: Nancy’s schedule of workshops, guest lectures, meetings, and community events has slowed, but only in comparison to what it was a few years ago.  I am not sure she has ever declined to meet  with an interested student, or told a small group of concerned or caring people that she wouldn’t come speak for free. Nancy and I often meet for a walk on the weekends, catching up on work and politics and sometimes tackling the Sunday crossword puzzle.  We spent the Sunday before the election talking about the $5 billion in cuts to food benefits that took effect on November 1st, and the terrible political state that leaves the Democrats proposing additional deep cuts to SNAP (Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program), just not as deep as the Republicans are proposing. Starting this month, 47 million people  in the United States will have less help to shop at local grocery stores and put food on their families’ tables. The cuts being debated now as part of the Farm Bill will be even more harsh, and last for ten years. Typically, as Nancy turned this situation over in her head, she thought about what the advocacy opportunity might be. She suggested to national anti-hunger organizations that they call on all members of Congress who are making decisions about the SNAP program to eat on the same budget they were recommending for hungry Americans. By the next time Nancy and I talked, she …

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