93%

Amount of each dollar that goes to support our services and programs

Eligibility

Review the list below to see which programs you may be eligible for based on your family situation. For additional information on any program, click the program name. Services are open to residents of Otsego County.

Building Healthy Families

  • Pregnant or a child under 3 months of age and
  • Experiencing stress (financial; housing; family/relationships; unmarried; emotional wellness) or
  • Expectant or new mother under 21 years of age or
  • Challenges accessing regular prenatal care
  • No income eligibility requirements
  • Get Connected to Building Healthy Families 

Early Head Start

  • Pregnant or a child under 3 years of age and
  • Household income within established range for family size (see chart below) or
  • Family is receiving SNAP/Food Stamps, TANF, or SSI or
  • Child is in foster care or
  • Child is experiencing homelessness (e.g. living in a shelter, temporarily with family/friends, campground, or other non-permanent nightime residence)
  • Check Your Eligibility
  • Apply online

Maximum Annual Gross Income/Family Size
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
$20,345 $27,495 $34,645 $41,795 $48,945 $56,095 $63,245 $70,395
Housing costs over 30% of Annual Gross Income may be deducted from income-eligibility calculation. 
Social Security benefits, Veteran's Benefits and Alimony are no longer considered for determining income eligibility.

 

Emergency Housing

  • Homeless* or
  • At-risk of homelessness (e.g. late on housing payments, pending or served eviction notice)

* Living temporarily with family/friends (AKA "couch surfing") or in a motel/hotel; sleeping in a car, campground, abandoned building, or in a park/public space/under bridge, (AKA "unsheltered"); or another non-permanent nightime residence.

Energy Services/Weatherization

  • Household income at or below 60% of the State Median Income (see chart below) or provide a HEAP Award Letter dated in the current HEAP season.
  • Homes cannot have received Weatherization Services within the last 15 years.
  • Reside in Otsego or Chenango County
  • Inquire about Weatherization and get on the Wait List
Weatherization Maximum Annual Household Income/Family Size
1 2 3 4 5 6
Up to 60% NYS AMI $36,420 $47,640 $58,848 $70,056 $81,264 $92,472

 

Head Start

  • Children between the ages of 3-5 and
  • Household income within established range for family size (see chart below) or
  • Family is receiving SNAP/Food Stamps, TANF, or SSI or
  • Child is in foster care or
  • Child is experiencing homelessness (e.g. living in a shelter, temporarily with family/friends, campground, or other non-permanent nightime residence)
  • Check Your Eligibility
  • Apply online

Maximum Annual Gross Income/Family Size
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
$20,345 $27,495 $34,645 $41,795 $48,945 $56,095 $63,245 $70,395
Housing costs over 30% of Annual Gross Income may be deducted from income-eligibility calculation. 
Social Security benefits, Veteran's Benefits and Alimony are no longer considered for determining income eligibility.

 

Housing Services

  • Information and resources for renters, potential homeowners, and homeowners of all income levels.

Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK)

  • Resident of Oneonta School District
  • Child must have turned four (4) years old by December 1st of the enrolling school year
  • No income eligibility requirements

The Violence Intervention Program (VIP)

  • Primary or secondary victim of interpersonal  violence (e.g. domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, dating violence) or
  • Victim of a crime (e.g. DWI, child witness to a crime, vulnerable person who had savings stolen)
  • No income eligibility requirements

Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)

  • Pregnant and postpartum women and/or children under the age of 5*
  • Household income at or below 185% of Federal Poverty Level (see chart below) or
  • Recipient of SNAP/Food Stamps, Medicaid, or TANF services or
  • NEW! Enrolled in Early Head Start or Head Start

* Fathers, grandparents, guardians, and others can apply for WIC on behalf of children under age 5 in their care.

Household Size

WIC Maximum Gross Income Guidelines 
Annual Monthly Twice-Monthly Bi-Weekly Weekly
1 $27,861 $2,322 $1,161 $1,072 $536
2 $37,814 $3,152 $1,576 $1,455 $728
3 $47,767 $3,981 $1,991 $1,838 $919
4 $57,720 $4.810 $2,405 $2,220 $1,110
5 $67,673 $5,640 $2,820 $2,603 $1,302
6 $77,626 $6,469 $3,235 $2,986 $1,493
7 $87,579 $7,299 3,650 3,369 1,685
8 97,532 8,128 4,064 3,752 1,876
For each additional HH member + $9,953 + $830 + $415 + $383 + $192
Effective through 6.30.2025
A pregnant person may be considered a family of 2 in certain circumstances

 

This website is supported by Grant Number C1002760 from the Office of Community Services and Grant Number 02CH011436 from the Office of Head Start both within the Administration for Children and Families, a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Neither the Administration for Children and Families nor any of its components operate, control, are responsible for, or necessarily endorse this website (including, without limitation, its content, technical infrastructure, and policies, and any services or tools provided). The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed are those of Opportunities for Otsego, Inc. and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Administration for Children and Families, the Office of Community Services, and the Office of Head Start.