“Bridge to Benefits” - Help for low-income

North Dakota families who are struggling to make financial ends meet have a new resource they can use. The website, “Bridge to Benefits” provides an online screening tool that helps families determine their potential eligibility for financial assistance programs for child care, food, energy/heat, health care, and tax credits. To find out if you may be able to get assistance go to www.ndbridgetobenefits.org . It’s quick, easy, free and confidential.

This screening tool was created by the Children’s Defense Fund and North Dakota KIDS COUNT. After users answer about 15 questions about their income and household composition, the website tells users if they are likely to be able to get benefits from the following programs:

• Caring for Children (health care coverage)
• Child Care Assistance Program
• Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)
• Healthy Steps (health care coverage)
• Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program
• Medicaid (for pregnant women and children to age 6)
• Medicaid (ages 6-18)
• School Meal Program
• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (formerly Food Stamps)

Although North Dakota has the lowest unemployment rate in the nation and has the highest multiple job holding rate of any state in the nation, there are workers who do not make a living wage and are not able to counter the compounded effects of a cold winter and the recession. This website can direct users to available programs that can ease the financial stress.