Bridge to Benefits
CDF Minnesota Outreach Specialist Ryan Johnson (left) helps demonstrate the new Bridge to Benefits website at an event to mark the launch of the new project. More than 60 people were on hand for the launch and got to hear how the project will help make Minnesota families more economically stable and to get hands-on demonstrations. The tool is available to anyone at www.bridgetobenefits.org.
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CDF Minnesota's "Bridge to Benefits" Project Launched
Children's Defense Fund Minnesota has officially launched the "Bridge to Benefits" project to improve the economic stability of thousands of Minnesota children and their families and contribute to the state's economy and work force.
The initiative will help connect eligible working families across Minnesota with work support benefits, such as energy assistance, health care, child care assistance, food support, school meals and tax credits. Currently thousands of Minnesota children and their families with low or modest incomes are skipping meals, or going without needed medical care because they are unaware they are eligible for benefits that could bring them economic stability.
"Too often struggling families are forced to choose between medical care and keeping their homes warm in the winter because they don't make enough at their jobs to afford basic necessities," said CDF Minnesota Director Jim Koppel. "Bridge to Benefits is a project to improve their economic security by quickly helping them determine if they are eligible for work support benefits, and then giving them the tools necessary to apply. Many times these benefits make all the difference for a working family and that stability makes them more productive members of the work force."
Low literacy levels, language issues, lack of awareness, complicated enrollment processes, and confusing applications are all barriers that prevent eligible Minnesota families from enrolling in programs. The Bridge to Benefits project helps them overcome these barriers.
Just a Few Clicks of a Mouse Can Mean Help for Struggling Families
Bridge to Benefits relies on a web-based screening tool that quickly and efficiently helps a family determine if it is eligible for a wide range of assistance, such as MinnesotaCare, Medical Assistance, General Assistance Medical Care, Food Support, School Meal programs, Energy Assistance, Child Care Assistance, the Earned Income Tax Credit, and Minnesota Working Family Credit. The tool is available to anyone, and a family with access to the Internet can -- with just a few clicks of a mouse -- find information and eligibility standards about each program, and avoid having to contact a number of different agencies and organizations for help.
The Bridge to Benefits project also seeks to assist community organizations in their efforts to connect families to benefits they are eligible for. The web-based tool not only helps these organizations screen families for eligibility, but also it directs families to resources where they can get help completing the difficult application process. The Bridge to Benefits website can be accessed at www.bridgetobenefits.org.
Minnesota Now Leaves Millions of Federal Dollars on the Table
Besides stabilizing families economically and making them more productive at work, work support programs bring in hundreds of millions of federal dollars each year into the Minnesota economy. The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that for every dollar of federal money that comes into a community it generates two times that amount in total economic activity. Yet, research reveals that Minnesota's work support programs are underutilized, and thus attract fewer federal dollars:
- Energy Assistance: 70% of eligible Minnesota households are not enrolled
- Health Care: 22% of eligible Minnesotans are not enrolled
- Child Care Assistance: 76% of eligible children are not enrolled
- Food Support: 58% of eligible Minnesotans are not enrolled
- School Meals: 15% of eligible children are not enrolled
- EITC and WFC: 18% of eligible Minnesota households are not claiming them
At the current participation rates, these programs still bring in millions of dollars to the state of Minnesota: Energy Assistance brings in $77 million per year, the EITC brings in $400 million, Food Support brings in $250 million, and School Meal brings $109 million in federal dollars.
By underutilizing these programs, Minnesota is clearly leaving millions of federal dollars unclaimed Ð dollars that could provide an additional boost to local economies because research shows low-income families spend their income in the communities in which they live.
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