Help someone you love apply for Social Security… and more

This Valentine’s Day, take time to remind your loved ones that Social Security helps people in all stages of life. We provide easy and convenient ways to learn about and apply for benefits. Using our online services, you can assist friends and family members to:

Apply for Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Check if the person you are helping qualifies for SSI – and also apply – at ssa.gov/ssi.

Apply for Social Security Disability Insurance benefits. When the unexpected happens and a loved one can no longer work due to a serious medical condition, our disability benefits can be a lifeline. Find out more at ssa.gov/benefits/disability

Create a personal my Social Security account.

If your loved one is planning for retirement or interested in estimating their future benefits, they can create a free and secure my Social Security account at ssa.gov/myaccount and view their Social Security Statement.

Check the status of a pending application for benefits. Checking the status of an application is quick and easy with a personal my Social Security account. If you don’t have an account, you can create one at ssa.gov/myaccount.

Appeal a decision for benefits.

If someone you know was denied Social Security benefits or SSI, they can request an appeal. We provide information on how to appeal decisions for both medical and non-medical reasons at ssa.gov/benefits/disability/appeal.html

To discover more ways you can assist others, please visit ssa. gov/thirdparty/ 

by Myles Mellor

February

4 Millbrook The Millbrook Revelers Mardi Gras Festival and Parade. Festival grounds open at 9 a.m.; parade begins at noon. More than 60 vendors will be on site, with fun rides for children of all ages. The parade staging is at Mill Creek Park on Main Street; the theme for the parade is Laissez les bon temps rouler, or “let the good times roll.” MillbrookRevelers.org

4 Orrville Road to Freedom Wagon Tour at Old Cahawba, 10-11 a.m. One hundred years before the 1965 Voting Rights March in nearby Selma, a brave community of recently emancipated African-Americans gathered around an older courthouse in Cahawba. These 19th century “foot soldiers” exercised their right to vote and – for a brief time – gained political power. This wagon tour tells the story of Cahawba’s African-American majority and traces their path from slavery to freedom. $10. Search for the Old Cahawba page on Facebook.

11 Mobile USS Alabama living history crew drill. 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. See history come to life when WWII re-enactors tell the stories of the original crewmen of the battleship USS Alabama and submarine USS Drum. Presentations and demonstrations throughout the day. Be on deck at 1 p.m. when the “call to battle stations” is sounded. All activities are included in the day’s admission. USSAlabama.com