Step 4: Maintaining benefits
Benefits promotion

Build awareness of upcoming dates and deadlines

Time
Expertise
Partnerships

Maintaining benefits sometimes requires ongoing action, like filling out a reporting form or keeping your tax filing up to date. Your organization can play an important role by reminding their community about these important milestones.

  • Staff time — Staff will need time to identify the relevant benefits for their community and to create reminders.
  • Partnerships — It will be helpful to have connections with local organizations who can assist with other aspects such as help filling out forms.

  • Identify benefits relevant your community that have important renewal requirements. You can use the Benefits Wayfinder to search for benefits.
  • Create reminders or post notices about key dates on social media, newsletters or around your facility.
  • Find organizations in your community that can help with accessing these benefits. You can start by browsing the Help section of the Benefits Wayfinder.

  • Set up a reminder to spread the word about each relevant upcoming renewal date, a month or two before the date itself.
  • Create a calendar on your organization’s website listing the renewal dates for the most common benefits accessed by your community members and make sure this is kept up to date.
  • Include reminders in your client’s file/Client Management System (CMS) to ensure you discuss these upcoming dates and deadlines when you meet with clients or reach out to them in advance of these dates.

  • The Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) is a critical income source for many seniors, and it requires recipients to file their taxes on time, by April 30 every year, to keep getting benefits.
  • The GuardRails strategy is a partnership between the New York Department of Social Services and Robin Hood, New York City’s largest poverty-fighting organisation. It streamlines the annual Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recertification process using text messaging.
  • Here is a list of due dates and payment dates for personal income tax.
  • Here is a list of social assistance payment dates in Ontario.

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