External Resources

Download (267 K PDF) a printable list of the resources listed on this page.

General Service and Assistance | Food | Housing | Employment Training and Worker Assistance | Money Management | Professional Development and Resources

General Service and Assistance

• Bridge to Benefits — Links individuals and families to public work support programs and tax credits; go to the website to see if you are eligible.
• United Way 211 — Provides easy access to community health and human resources.
  From Your Area: 211
  Metro: (651) 291-0211
  Outstate: 1(800) 543-7709
• MinnesotaHelp.Info — Online access to statewide community resources.
• Disability Linkage Line — Free information, referral, and service assistance for people with disabilities.
  1(866) 333-2466
• Senior LinkAge Line — Free information and service assistance for older adults and their families; operated by the Metropolitan Area Agency on Aging.
  1(800) 333-2433
• Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota — Offers budget counseling, debt and credit help, housing counseling, financial education, and bankruptcy services.
  Metro: (651) 642-5990
  Outstate: 1(800) 582-5260
• Minnesota Community Action Programs Partnership — A program dedicated to ending poverty; find a local office near you to get connected to services and trainings.
• American Institute of Stress — Answers frequently asked questions about stress to help transform stress so you are more productive and less self-destructive.
• Ag in Uncertain Times — Western Extension Committee — Helping producers and others meet the challenge through webinar, resources, and more.

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Food

• The Minnesota Food Helpline — Find a food shelf near you online. A program of Hunger Solutions Minnesota that helps put food within reach of those in need.
• Food Stamp and Food Assistance Programs — Information on how to apply for food assistance and get food now through the Minnesota Department of Human Services.
• Hunger Solutions Minnesota — Find a food shelf near you.
• Women, Infant, and Children (WIC) Program — Find out more about this supplemental food program for pregnant women, infants, and children; part of the Minnesota Department of Health.
• Spend Smart. Eat Smart. — Information for families on saving money while shopping and preparing balanced meals on a budget; sponsored by Iowa State University Extension.

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Housing

• Foreclosure Resource Centers — Information to help address the ongoing challenges in the mortgage market; brought to you by the Federal Reserve Bank.
• HousingLink — Affordable rental housing information for the Twin Cities and selected regions of Minnesota.
• Housing Resource Center — Assists with emergency housing in the metro area.
  2414 Park Avenue South
  Minneapolis, MN 55404
  Metro: (612) 879-5266
  Outstate: 1(888) 234-1329
  Email: housing@lssmn.org
• Metro Shelter Hotline — Assists with emergency and transitional housing in the metro area.
  1(888) 234-1329
• Minnesota Housing Finance Agency — Finances and advances affordable housing opportunities for low and moderate income Minnesotans with information aimed at home buyers, home owners, and renters.
• 5 Tips For Avoiding Foreclosure Scams (99 K PDF) — From the Federal Reserve Board
• Minnesota Home Ownership Center — Provides resources for current and future Minnesota homeowners.

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Employment Training and Worker Assistance

• Minnesota WorkForce Centers — Provides tools, resources, and services for employment and employment training.
  1(888) 438-5627
• Working Family Resource Center — This organization helps business enhance their work-life and wellness programs. Offers seminars, parent education programs, and other resources to working families.
• Managing Your Job Transition: Making Smart Financial Choices after a Job Loss (460 K PDF) — A downloadable brochure from the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) about managing your finances after a job loss and asking the right questions before you leave your job.
• Health and Retirement Benefits After Job Loss — Online resources from the United States Department of Labor for employees who have had a job loss and employers who need to downsize.
• Resources for Dealing with Job Loss – List of online resources compiled by WCCO. Features resources for unemployment, money savings, emotional support, and more.
• MinnesotaUnemployed.com — This site was created by the unemployed for the unemployed. Provides one-stop shop for information and resources.
• MnCareers — Printed guide from iSeek Solutions. Provides Minnesota-specific labor market, education, and career exploration information. Career explorers will find an interest assessment, details on over 200 occupations, and resources for education, training, job searching as well as links to career resources and services offered by Minnesota state entities.
• MnWorks net — A job network to browse through local jobs, match your resume with positions, manage and track your search efforts, and more. Sponsored by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development.

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Money Management

• Managing Your Money in Challenging Times — Resources provided by the U.S. Financial Literacy and Education Commission which aims to provide "financial education resources for all Americans".
• Seminar for Parents: College Finance — Free online seminar for parents of University of Minnesota college students that provides information and tools to make a successful transition into college, take on increasing responsibilities, and gain the most from their years at the University.
• Smart About Money — Practical articles, worksheets, tips, and valuable resources from the National Endowment for Financial Education.
• Additional Money Management Resources

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Professional Development and Resources

• The Strengths of Poor Families (214 K PDF) — A Child Trends Research Brief (Valladares and Anderson Moore) that examines the strengths that many poor families have and the characteristics that they may share with more affluent families.
• The Impacts of Foreclosure on Families and Communities: A Primer — A research paper from the Urban Institute (Kingsley, Smith, & Price) that summarizes the effects the foreclosure crisis is having in America.
• Help Minnesota Save — Clearinghouse of information and resources for direct service staff working to help people become economically secure through financial literacy education and asset building. Sponsored by Minnesota Community Action Partnership and other federal, state, and local partners.

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