Falling through the cracks:
Helpful tips for manuevering through the city's agencies

By Callie Middleton
Contributing Writer

New York City is one of the fastest paced cities in the world. The people living in the five boroughs are movers and shakers. They are famous for doing things in a ‘New York Minute,’—which is very fast indeed. However, this is not a story about how fast the people in NY can move or get things done. This story is about that special group of people who depend on the city’s agencies. The same agencies formed to help the elderly, children who were abandoned or abused, and almost every person struggling just to make ends meet.

Any person who is in need of service will almost always start off with a ray of hope that the designated agency will be able to help them. However, most of these people wind up angry and frustrated by the time they actually get help. Some people give up, and stop trying or just fall through the cracks. Most people wait until they have nowhere else to turn before they seek help from these agencies. I have learned from experience that this is not the best way to go about it. These agencies often have long waiting lists. If you are already anxious and frustrated before you seek help from these agencies, finding out about the long waiting time could send you off the deep end.

For those of you who are seeking help now or plan to in the future, one thing all of these agencies have in common is that they are overcrowded. Since there are more people who qualify as being poor than rich, you must be prepared to wait. We have been told to be prepared all our lives. But, when it comes to those agencies, it could be a matter of survival.

Most of these agencies require preparations. For example, Legal Aide and Advocate for Seniors require you to call ahead of time and make an appointment. While applying for public housing accept walk-ins. However, you should go in early.

Whatever agency you use, it’s always best to go in at least an hour before your appointment, especially if it’s your first time. . If you come late you may be turned away or only get a part of your service completed and will have to come back the next day. This is not only frustrating, but carfare becomes very expensive.

A priority for all of the agencies is documents. The most requested ones are, birth certificate, social security card, proof of address, marriage certificate and proof of employment Make sure you keep the originals. Make copies of everything, most agencies will do this for you free of charge. Not having these important documents can cost you valuable time. If you do not have any of these documents before you go to any of your appointments, try to show proof that you have applied for them. If the documents you need have a fee that you cannot afford, go to your appointment anyway. Let the person who is handling your case know. Often, these agencies can assist you by sending for the documents.

In order to keep your first appointment or walk-in, you should start the night before. Put all of your documents in one place so that you do not forget them. Layout your clothes, Even if you are going to an agency that involves your children, try no to take them. If they are school aged, send them to school. If they are younger, try to get a baby sitter or ask a friend to come along to take care of the children when you are taking care of business. Also, if you do not speak English well, have a friend come along who speaks your language as well as English, so they can translate for you.

When you finally meet the person who will interview you or be your contact, remember to take down their name and phone number. The name of their supervisor is also a good thing to have. One of the fastest ways to fall through the cracks is when you do not know who you spoke to. Often, you don’t see the same person you saw on your last appointment. If there is a problem, it is always best to know who you spoke to last.

Remember, the city system can take you on a long hard ride. If you are complete, confident and courteous, you are more likely to get the services you need.