Cash & SNAP

Cash Assistance Program:

Diversionary  Work Program (DWP) is a short term, work focused program for certain families with children.  It provides a maximum of four consecutive months of assistance in a twelve month period.

Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP) is a combination of cash, food assistance, and child care assistance for families whose income and assets are within program limits.  It is a work focused program with a goal of helping families move toward being self-sufficient through employment.  There is a sixty month life time limit for this program.  Some exceptions may apply.

General Assistance (GA) provides a monthly cash assistance grant to people who cannot work due to a disability, age, or illness.   

Housing Support (HS) (formally known as Group Residential Housing – GRH) is a funding source to pay for room and board costs for persons living in certain living arrangements.  The persons cannot be related to the individual providing care, and the home must have a housing support agreement with the county where it is located.

Minnesota Supplemental Assistance (MSA) is a monthly supplement to people over age 65, blind, or disabled who are receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI).

IV-E Foster Care pays for children in a foster care placement whose families would qualify for a cash assistance program if the children were at home.

Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) provides financial assistance to refugees who have been in the United States for eight months or less.

Child Care Assistance is available to both public assistance (MFIP or DWP) households and other income-eligible families. 

Food Programs:

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a program that is available to low income households.  These benefits assist people with food costs.  Units with less than $150 in monthly gross income or $100 or less in liquid assets, are destitute migrant or seasonal farm workers who have $100 or less in liquid assets, or units with combined monthly gross income and liquid assets less than their monthly housing costs and the SNAP utility standard may be eligible for expedited process for SNAP benefits.

How to apply for Financial Assistance and Health Care:
Call the office in the county you live in.  You can pick up an application at the county office, ask for the application to be mailed to you, or you can apply online.  You will need to complete the application and have an interview.  If you call, a worker can give you instructions over the phone on what to bring to the interview.

You can also apply online for Cash, SNAP, and/or Child Care at MNbenefits.mn.gov

FNS Nondiscrimination Statement

Other Programs:

Here are links to community programs that be able to serve you:
Big Stone County Lake Area Food Shelf

Fare For All – is a program administered by the Emergency Food Shelf Network that aims to provide more nutritious food at a lower cost and moderate-income families looking to stretch their food-purchasing power.

Commodity Supplement Food Program (CSFP) Nutrition Assistance Program for Seniors (NAPS) with Second Harvest Heartland or call 1-800-365-0270.

Women, Infant, & Children’s Nutrition Program (WIC) call Countryside Public Health in Ortonville at  1-800-657-3291.

Hunger Solutions