Homelessness, lack of Food, Asylum and Refugees & financial needs

Help for refugees and asylum seekers

• What is Asylum vs Refugees?
  UNHCR asylum seekers
• Vox: Bail Reform and criminal justice

US

If you are in need of a US passport, see US Passports When thinking of safe states to go, check out our politics page for up to date info. US state LGBT bills by map

• Trans Refugees moving to Las Vegas: aplaceformarshaofficial.org
• Asylum seekers moving to San Francisco: lgbtasylumproject.org
• LGBTQ Fund: jail bonds and immigration help

Worldwide

• LGBT relocating help: Trans Rescue, client intake
• Help moving to a safe location: rainbowrailroad.org/request-help
• Seeking Asylum internationally:
  unhcr.org/ - safeguarding lgbtiq persons
• Lgbt asylum seekers: inreach.org
• Seeking help worldwide: oramrefugee.org/seeking-help
• Asylum & refugees (based in Austria): queerbase.at/before-your-flight/
• Trans Lifeline relocation help: translifeline.org/relocation-assistance/

Housing

US

• For general help finding local housing,homeless shelters,food and more check out these links. - 211.org/your-local-211
• findhelp.org/ - *Filter "personal filter" and select "lgbt" and press search. this narrows it down to lgbt friendly housing only.
• rainbowpassage.org/client-intake - housing organized by rainbowpassage.

• HUD-Rental assistance, low income housing: hud.gov/topics/rental_assistance
• Help moving & housing, finding hrt, and more: rainbowpassage.org/
• LGBT housing, Hrt, food & clothes, jobs help: transempowerment.org/get-help/
• Housing,rent and deposit resources: Housing help-lowincomerelief

Need moving funds to get out of Florida/Texas or another state?

• HRC relocation help: hrc.org/ - emergency funds for relocating families
• Trans Lifeline relocation help: translifeline.org/relocation-assistance/

LGBT Youth homelessness

• thetrevorproject.org/ - resources for lgbtq youth experiencing homelessness
• Youth Runaway Crisis line (call/text): 1800runaway.org/youth-teens

Food

US

• Food pantry finder
• Free meal: lasagnalove.org/request/ (US/Canada/Australia)

Worldwide

• Find a Freedge (free-fridge)
• "Food not bombs" map

Wifi/internet

Why is the internet important?
Finding resources for help, educating yourself, getting a job, finding friends and support.

• US: Affordable Connectivity program (free & cheap wifi)
• UK: hotspots wifi locator
• Worldwide: Find local wifi free & paid
• How to get internet access in rural areas

Free and cheap goverment phone plans

Free cell phone plans starting at $0

How to find health insurance

US Low income options include:

• Medicaid by state
• Medicare (Disabled / Seniors)
• Obamacare
• Healthcare.gov

Worldwide: Canada, Australia as well as many other countries have universal healthcare programs .

Tips and tricks

Always ask if your doctor can do a payment plan (small payments over time),
sliding scale payment (free and goes up in price on a scale) or if they do any pro-bono work (free).

You can also see if there is a nearby College with students who need practice, example:
A nearby dental school does free and reduced price dental cleanings for nearby residents.

Some employers offer health insurance in the US, that price comes out of part of your paycheck.
The jobs that offer healthcare are either full time jobs at a minimum wage position, or jobs that are salary positions.
The employer chooses the insurance provider, and they sign you up as part of their plan.
You can also add a partner or children under your health insurance plan.

Grants

(surgery, healthcare, moving and more)

• Jim Collins Grant for gender confirming surgery: jimcollinsfoundation.org/
• Trans justice fundraiser: transjusticefundingproject.org/
• Gender care grant: genderbands.org/grants
• POP Surgery grant: pointofpride.org/annual-transgender-surgery-fund
• Trans United grant: tufforg.wixsite.com/tuffnew/apply
• Healthcare: ariannas-center.org/stipend-request/
• US trans grant: loftgaycenter.org/transmission
• Black trans masc top surgery grant: blacktransmen.org/top-surgery-grant/
• BIPOC trans masc surgery fund: dembois.org/apply-for-a-grant
• Autistic BIPOC grant: autismandrace.com/autistic-people-of-color-fund/faqs/
• Black trans grants: forthegworls.com/home

Jobs, resumes and skill building

What job sites are good? mygwork.com/ - best websites for lgbt people to find jobs
Find a job without a college degree: jobs.nodegree.com

Job boards

Worldwide

1. jobboard.lgbt/browse-jobs/
2. queeroutdoors.net/job-board
3. lgbt.net/jobs/
4. diversityjobs.com/community-for-lgbtqia/
5. campuspride.jobs
6. pink-jobs.com

US & Canada job board

1. lgbtqcenters.org/Careers

Workplace Rights

Know your rights in the workplace!

US: hrc.org/resources/workplace
UK: citizensadvice.org.uk/ - discrimination because of sex or sexual orientation
Canada: chrc-ccdp.gc.ca/ - what is discrimination

How to ask for accommodations at work

1. Check local laws for disability and worker rights
2. After you get your job and are hired(not during an interview), see HR (human resources), or manager if that's not available.
3. Bring them your request and doctors note stating your need, and explain. You don't need to expose your medical history, just explain how your employer can help you.
4. Anyone can get medical accommodations, not just disabled individuals.
   Example: One weekend you break your foot and land in crutches, you now need a chair to sit in during shift.
   Example2: You have a lot of doctors appointments coming up and need some time off, you show them doctors note and they allow you extra time off.
   

*if you are completely unable to work, ask your local government for information about unemployment and disability income options,etc.

Skill building

Google certificates , Harvard online certificates allow you to learn skills for free or very cheap from the comfort of your home.
(computer science, history, art, graphic design and more)

Check out the Trans academy discord server events and notices tabs for more information on upcoming classes to help you achieve your goals and learn life skills.

We just ended our: Intro to Computer Science class. (we will have more classes in the future)
The recordings can be viewed on the Trans Academy Vods channel .

• Intro to CS | Professor Epple
• Intro to CS | Professor Lucia

If you want to suggest a class or teacher/professional to teach a class, please fill out a ticket and let us know.

This is a free course and goes at your own pace with our instructor.

Resume Help

University of Michigan’s Resume Guide: careercenter.umich.edu/resume-resources

* Tip: Make sure your social media is set to private so employers looking up your name in background checks don't find anything inappropriate, nsfw, controversial, etc.
Create a resume on Linked in, a website used for employers to find employees and people to see what business connections others have.

Job interviews

What to say

• Be polite and collected, smiling and laughing will help your case.
• Mentioning that you love XYZ about their company shows them you've read about them, or are already familiar with how they work.

What to wear

Wear something business casual. No need for a tie or heels, but dont show up in sweat pants or something dirty.
Wearing a nice, well fitting and clean outfit shows that you will also show up to work ready in uniform each day.
You want to appear professional and put together.

* If you don't have an interview outfit, consider borrowing a shirt from a friend, going to a thrift store, or asking a local charity for job interview clothes.
Many charities are more than willing to help someone unemployed with this. Also some even help with job uniform cost.

Tips

• Some questions are illegal for an interviewer to ask you.
  They shouldn't ask about your race, religion, sexuality or gender identity. Only things relating to the job.
  See what is allowed:
  bridgespan.org/ - Legal and Illegal Interview Questions
• Remember you are also interviewing the company too!
  Deciding if this job is also the right fit for you, your schedule and needs.
• Calling/emailing the company a few days after applying to check on the application shows that you are excited about that job position (even if you aren't-fake it)
• Showing up early to the interview shows them that you are responsible and will show up to work on time.

College financial aid options (US)

• In the US we use FAFSA or the government’s financial aid program for helping with college via loans (you pay back).
  Even if you or your family have jobs and are well off, you still might qualify for some amount of financial aid.
  Those who have no family help, are homeless, disabled, or were a foster kid might be eligible for more financial aid then others.
  FAFSA: studentaid.gov/apply-for-aid/fafsa
  
• Pride index for college campus (find lgbt friendly schools)

There are also many scholarships you can apply for that you don't need to pay back!

• Low income scholarships: horatioalger.org/scholarships/ (65k or less,as well as other criteria)
• LGBT scholarships:
  • hrc.org/scholarships
  • pointfoundation.org/scholarships (LGBT and BIPOC)
• Easy to apply scholarships (no essays, no gpa, etc): niche.com/ - colleges scholarships - easy scholarships
• Black student scholarships:
  1. scholarships.com/african-american-scholarships
  2. bestcolleges.com/black-student-scholarships/
• Hispanic students scholarship:
  hsf.net/scholarship
• Homeless and formerly homeless scholarships: scholarships.com/homeless-formerly-homeless
• Resources for undocumented students:
  ohe.state.mn.us/
  (scholarships,financial aid, and more)