In most communities, there is at least one non-profit organization that distributes donated food to those in need. If you are having trouble affording a trip to the grocery store, this can be a great way to get some basic items to stock your pantry. Food banks are typically run by independent charitable organizations and churches in your local community, so you should be able to track one down on-line or even using the phone book. If you're having trouble finding out where the food bank is in your community this website lists many food banks around the nation, though it is not an exhaustive list. Similar services exist to help you meet your clothing needs. These clothing banks are are run by churches and other private charities, sometimes at the same site as your local food bank. If your food bank doesn't have a clothing bank and you need some clothes, the volunteers at the food bank may be able to tell you where these services are available. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) offers assistance to individuals and families who's income does not exceed 130 percent of the poverty line. This program, called the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) can make trips to the grocery store much less painful and makes cooking your own meals an even cheaper option. To find out if you are eligible for SNAP, use their pre-screening tool, available here. In most states, you can apply for SNAP online. Links to each state's application page are available here. If you have children, you may be eligible for a federal program called Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), more commonly known as welfare. This is a cash assistance program that can help you make ends meet for a while. Funds for TANF are provided to states in block grants from The Administration for Children and Families (ACF), a division of the Department of Health & Human Services. It is up to each individual state to distribute these funds. You can find information about your state's requirements and application processes by visiting the ACF's website and selecting your state. TANF benefits are available for a maximum of five years, and recipients typically must demonstrate that they are making an effort to become self-sufficient. Assistance with housing costs is also available for families who earn less than 50 percent of the median income in their area. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) will pay some portion of your rent directly to your landlord if you qualify. Like TANF, Section 8 housing is administered at the state level. To find your local Public Housing Authority and apply for a HUD voucher, visit the HUD website and select your state. If you have a family, the cost of childcare can be a major burden, but may be unavoidable if you go to work or school. The Child Care and Development Fund provides assistance for working parents of children under the age of 13. Like many of the programs discussed above, this assistance is provided at the state level. To find out who to contact for information about assistance in your state, visit the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Childcare website. If you have school aged children, they may be eligible for subsidized meals at school through the USDA's National School Lunch Program(NSLP). For information about eligibility requirements and how to apply, visit their website. The NSLP website also provides other valuable information about how create low-cost healthy meals and snacks for your children.
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One-sentence summary -- Go to the food bank. Apply for food stamps. Apply for welfare. Apply for Section 8. Get child care assistance. Apply for free/reduced lunch.

with information about yourself and your message. Having a website that includes information about your message, who you are, and how you can be reached is essential to getting work and promoting yourself. Take some time to set up a professional quality website or hire someone to create one for you. Then, share the web address with everyone you know to start promoting yourself. Getting your ideas out into the world will help you to build a reputation and market yourself as a public speaker. Try writing a book or making a video about your experiences or around the problem that you hope to solve with 1 of your speeches. Start a personal blog for your public speaking career and post on it a few times per week. For example, if you want to give motivational speeches on starting a business, then you could write a how-to book or a series of blog posts on the subject. If you want to motivate people to improve their relationships, you could create a video series with relationship tips or answer common questions about relationships in your videos. Word-of-mouth is an excellent way to promote yourself as a public speaker. Tell your friends, family, coworkers, and acquaintances that you are embarking on this career. Hand out your card or contact information to everyone you meet. Networking events are a great way to gain contacts and start getting work via word-of-mouth. Check to see if there are any upcoming events in your area that you could attend and meet people. If there are relevant organizations in your area that hire public speakers, then contact them and offer your services. Consider what organizations might sync up with the type of public speaking you offer and focus on those organizations. For example, if you overcame drug addiction and want to inspire others to do the same, you might contact local rehabilitation centers or hospitals. If you struggled in school due to a learning disability, but then found a way to overcome it and become successful, then you might contact local high schools to offer your services. There are many events that actively seek people to speak. Look into any relevant conferences, conventions, or other events in your region and apply to be a speaker. These can be competitive, and you might not get paid in the beginning, but doing these types of events can help to spread your name by word-of-mouth and get you more work as a public speaker.
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One-sentence summary -- Create a website Write a blog, make videos, or publish a book. Tell people that you are looking for public speaking engagements. Reach out to local organizations and offer to speak for them. Apply to speak at conferences, conventions, and other events.

Once the focal point is arranged, you'll want to add some seating to the room (unless, perhaps, it is a bedroom). Make sure the seating you choose is the right size for the room. Leaving enough space, as with the focal point, to make it usable. For example, at least three feet should be available behind each dining chair. Try to limit yourself to only one piece of oversized furniture in a single room. Too many and it will look crowded and cheap. When you arrange the seating in the room, it should appear open and inviting when standing at the entrance to the room (or at least the main entrance). Avoid having chairs facing away from the door, for example. You can add drama to a room by placing furniture at an angle, but be careful. This takes up valuable space in a small room. Use furniture placed at angles only if your room is very large or you don't quite have enough furniture to fill the space. When place seating in an area that will be used for conversation, such as living room furniture, you should be careful not to put the items too far apart or too close together. Roughly 68 feet (1.82.4m) for seating pieces facing each other is a good rule of thumb. Pieces places in an L shape should have 6"-1' between their corners.
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One-sentence summary --
Scale your seating. Create an open arrangement. Use angles strategically. Distance the furniture appropriately.