COBRA, which stands for the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, is a federal law that requires employers with 20 or more employees to offer “continuation coverage” for group health plans. This allows employees, their spouses, and dependent children to keep their health insurance for a limited time after it would normally end due to specific life events.
How COBRA Works
Continuation of Benefits: The coverage provided under COBRA must be identical to the “core” or basic benefits you received while employed.
Fees: Unlike employer-sponsored insurance where the company often pays a portion of the premium, you are typically responsible for paying the full cost of the coverage yourself.
Duration: Coverage generally lasts between 18 and 36 months, depending on the nature of the qualifying event.
Qualifying Events
You may be eligible for COBRA if you lose your health coverage due to any of the following:
For Employees
For Spouses
For Dependent Children
Voluntary or involuntary job loss (except for gross misconduct)
Job loss of the covered employee
All events listed for spouses
Reduction in work hours
Reduction in employee’s work hours
Loss of “dependent child” status under plan rules
Employee becomes entitled to Medicare
Divorce or legal separation
Death of the covered employee
How to Apply
Notify Employer: You or a family member must inform the employer within 60 days of a qualifying event.
Election Period: Once the employer notifies you of your rights, you have 60 days to choose to elect COBRA coverage.
Risk of Loss: If you do not choose COBRA within this 60-day window, your medical coverage will end.
Important Note on Medicare
If you are transitioning to Medicare, it is important to know that COBRA is not considered coverage based on current, active employment. This means that even if you have COBRA, you must generally enroll in Medicare Part B within eight months of your actual employment ending to avoid late enrollment penalties. Furthermore, you are not entitled to a special enrollment period for Medicare once your COBRA coverage expires.
For More Information
Local Assistance: Union County residents can contact the Council on Aging in Union County at 704-292-1797 for help with Medicare and SHIIP counseling.
State Resources: Call the Seniors’ Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP) at 1-855-408-1212 or visit ncshiip.com.
Federal Resources: Contact the Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) at 866-444-3272 or visit askebsa.dol.gov.
Based on the known resources available in Union County, NC, the Phil’s List AI for Union County NC Resource Questions recommends for a high school graduate aging out of foster care in Union County, the next 30 days are critical for transitioning to independent living. This plan focuses on immediate safety, securing long-term resources, and establishing a path to employment.
30-Day Transition Plan
Days 1–7: Immediate Stabilization and Benefits
Secure Independent Living Support: Contact the Union County Department of Social Services (DSS). Division of Adoption and Foster Care, Child Welfare. Alisa Etters is the current Program Manager, Adoption and Foster Care. Phone: 704-296-4300 The division provides provides services for aging out fosters which are specifically designed to help youth transition out of the system.
Arrange Emergency Housing: If a permanent residence is not secured, contact the Community Shelter of Union County for temporary shelter and rehousing assistance.
Apply for Essential Benefits: Use the ePASS portal or visit DSS to apply for Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) and Medicaid to ensure immediate healthcare and food security.
Days 8–15: Career Readiness and Technology
Visit NCWorks Career Center: Head to the office at 1125 Skyway Drive Monroe, NC 28110 (Phone: 980-397-6400) to begin career exploration, create a professional resume, and access job training programs or look online at https://monroeworks.org/job-seekers/.
Apply for Work First: Request Work First Cash Assistance through DSS. This program provides short-term training and support to help young adults move toward self-sufficiency.
Secure a Computer: To aid in job searches and future education, apply for a low-cost laptop through E2D (Eliminate the Digital Divide). Students with economic need are eligible for subsidized devices.
Days 16–22: Long-Term Housing and Financial Literacy
Seek Affordable Housing: Apply with the Monroe Housing Authority for Public Housing or Section 8 vouchers. Management of these units is local to Union County.
Connect with MUCCDC: Reach out to the Monroe-Union County Community Development Corporation for help gaining access to affordable housing and learning financial management skills.
Enroll in “Getting Ahead“: Join Common Heart’s economic empowerment program to learn how to build resources and move out of the instability of poverty.
Days 23–30: Vocational Training and Stability
Utilize Goodwill Services: Beyond their retail stores, Goodwill Industries offers free career training in trades like construction and professional skill-building workshops.
Explore Vocational Education: Contact South Piedmont Community College (SPCC) for training classes specifically for the unemployed or underemployed to gain job-ready skills.
Ensure Identification is Ready: Apply for a replacement Social Security card if necessary, as a physical card is required for employment and most government services.
Top 5 Relevant Resources
1. Union County Department of Social Services (DSS)
Focus: Foster transition and essential benefits.
Services: This is the primary agency for “Independent Living Services for Foster Children.” They also process applications for Medicaid and Food and Nutrition Services (FNS).
Services: Provides emergency shelter and three prepared meals a day in their dining hall for those in need. Their “Home Again” program can assist with furnishings once permanent housing is found.
Services: Operates traditional and mobile food pantries. Their “Getting Ahead” program focuses on building the eleven essential resources needed to move from poverty to stability.
Contact: 116 Business Park Drive, Indian Trail, NC 28079; 704-218-9060.
The “Bridges Out of Poverty” framework serves as a comprehensive roadmap for our journey, guiding neighbors as they transition from survival to thriving. This curriculum is designed to help families navigate the difficult move from a state of constant “instability” to a permanent foundation of “stability.” Our ultimate goal is to empower every individual with the tools and relationships needed to achieve lasting economic self-sufficiency.
created by Google LM with input from Lisa Cooper, Union County Charities and Services Awareness List Manager
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Phase 1: Emergency Needs – Surviving the Crisis
Imagine the Miller family: after an unexpected job loss followed by a medical emergency, they find themselves in “survival mode.” When a family is in crisis, their focus is entirely on the immediate present. It is nearly impossible to think about long-term career goals or education when you do not know where your next meal will come from.
In Union County, the first step is removing the “survival” distraction. By accessing emergency food resources, the Millers can regain the mental clarity required to plan their next move. As noted by Food for Families, access to nutritious food has a profound effect on well-being and academic performance, ensuring that children can focus on school while parents focus on recovery.
Immediate Lifelines
Food for Families: Distributes thousands of bags of food to alleviate hunger.
So What? It removes the physical and mental stress of hunger so it does not interfere with professional or academic performance.
Common Heart Pantries: Offers mobile pantries and grocery delivery through “Cupboard Allies” volunteers.
So What? These intentional relationships provide a support system while meeting the family’s basic physical needs.
Community Shelter of Union County Dining Hall: Provides three prepared meals a day to anyone in need with no certification required.
So What? It provides immediate, no-barrier relief, allowing a family to stop worrying about their next meal and start looking for a place to sleep.
Transition: Once the family is fed and the immediate crisis is stabilized, they can begin the transition toward finding a permanent place to call home.
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Phase 2: Transition & Rehousing – Establishing a Foundation
For the Miller family, the next step involves moving from temporary shelter into permanent housing. Within the “Bridges” framework, housing is the primary Physical Resource—the base of operations and healthy environment required for all other life activities. Stable housing allows the family to establish a routine, maintain health, and shift their energy toward employment.
Provides quality, affordable housing that allows low-income families to live in safe neighborhoods.
Home Again Program (Community Shelter of Union County)
Supplies essential household items and furniture to turn a new house into a functional, permanent home.
Utility Assistance (Operation Reach-Out)
Provides the financial support needed to keep lights, water, and heat running during a financial crisis.
Welcome Home Program (Operation Reach-Out)
Supplies beds, furniture, and household items for families moving out of crisis situations.
Transition: With the security of a stable home as their physical foundation, the Millers are now ready to shift their focus from “where to sleep” to the internal work of “how to get ahead.”
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Phase 3: Getting Ahead – Building the 11 Essential Resources
The heart of this journey is the Common Heart “Getting Ahead” program. This phase teaches that moving out of poverty requires more than just a paycheck; it requires the intentional building of 11 specific internal and external resources.
Financial: Having the money and means to purchase goods and services.
Physical: Having a body that works and the health to remain productive.
Spiritual: Believing in a divine purpose and having a sense of hope for the future.
Emotional: Being able to choose and control emotional responses to difficult situations.
Mental: Having the basic skills—like reading, writing, and math—to deal with daily life.
Relationships & Role Models: Having access to people who are stable and provide positive examples for living.
Social Capital: Having connections to people and institutions that provide support or opportunities.
Knowledge of Hidden Rules: Understanding the unspoken habits and cues of different social and economic classes.
Language/Formal Register: Being able to use the professional vocabulary and sentence structure needed for work and school.
Integrity & Trust: Having a foundation of honesty that allows others to rely on you.
Motivation & Persistence: Having the internal drive to finish tasks and keep moving forward despite obstacles.
Transition: While “Getting Ahead” provides the essential classwork for change, the next phase focuses on the lifelong application needed to maintain that success.
The final stage of the journey is ensuring the family never slides back into instability. This is achieved through continuous education and financial empowerment. Organizations like The Kaizen Foundation of NC help by providing access to resources that empower an “upward mobility” mindset, which is the final bridge to economic self-sufficiency.
Success Checklist
[ ] Mastering Wise Spending: Utilizing the More In My Basket program to connect to SNAP/FNS benefits and learn meal planning.
[ ] Adult Literacy/GED Completion: Accessing free, personalized instruction at South Piedmont Community College to reach career and educational goals.
[ ] Workforce Readiness: Using NCWorks for career exploration, resume building, and job training.
[ ] Financial Education: Engaging with workshops from The Kaizen Foundation of NC or Goodwill to master budgeting, saving, and debt management.
Transition: This entire journey is not a solo effort; it is a collaborative process supported by the entire “village” of Union County.
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The “Village” Summary: Synergy of Support
In Union County, our network of charities and services functions like a group of people holding different pieces of a puzzle. As highlighted by Project G.O.D. (Greater Opportunities Daily), our community exists to “become the village” that uplifts families. One organization provides the food, another the housing, and another the education. These agencies lock together to create a single, unified path to freedom.
The most important insight of the “Bridges Out of Poverty” framework is that poverty is not solved through one-time transactions, but through intentional relationships and resource-building. By working together, we move beyond temporary fixes to create a community where every neighbor has the tools to move from instability to a thriving life.
Closing Thought “Common Heart is a grassroots nonprofit organization creating a small revolution of kindness in our community to eradicate food insecurity and eliminate generational poverty.”
For this fifth week of summer enrichment, I am recommending games and activities from a variety of sources. The educational games and online activities may not work on all devices or browsers. You may have to create a free account in order to use them or to save your child’s progress. I have included these resources with the hope of encouraging children to practice what they have already learned, but often on the pages I linked to, there will be links to further resources so children can review what they’ve learned or learn more. Please email me at charityawareness@commonheart.org with questions or comments.
For this fourth week of summer enrichment, I am recommending games and activities from a variety of sources. The educational games and online activities may not work on all devices or browsers. You may have to create a free account in order to use them or to save your child’s progress. I have included these resources with the hope of encouraging children to practice what they have already learned, but often on the pages I linked to, there will be links to further resources so children can review what they’ve learned or learn more. Please email me at charityawareness@commonheart.org with questions or comments.
MathCar Racing – a game on Funbrain – be careful, the blue Fun Brain will always choose the highest number answer in the column, so try to force it to choose from answers that are much lower than yours
Engineering Interact is free, interactive, science courseware for 9-11 year olds, developed by the Univeristy of Cambridge Department of Engineering. There are five games covering the five sub-topics: light, sound, forces & motion, earth & beyond and electricity. Each game contains a number of interactive modules, split into three sections: learning, testing and engineering applications.
MathCar Racing – a game on Funbrain – be careful, the blue Fun Brain will always choose the highest number answer in the column, so try to force it to choose from answers that are much lower than yours
MathCar Racing – a game on Funbrain – be careful, the blue Fun Brain will always choose the highest number answer in the column, so try to force it to choose from answers that are much lower than yours
MathCar Racing – a game on Funbrain – be careful, the blue Fun Brain will always choose the highest number answer in the column, so try to force it to choose from answers that are much lower than yours
Phil's List 