Financial

2-1-1 call centers are staffed 24/7 by trained Community Resource Specialists who quickly assess needs and refer callers to the help that they seek. Services are free and confidential. They offer information on a broad range of services, including:

• Food and housing support
• Mental health and substance abuse resources
• Legal assistance
• Youth programs
• Medical and dental clinics
• Job training opportunities
• Household items

and much more…..

• 2-1-1
• 800-543-7709

• https://www.211unitedway.org/

Serves Two Harbors and Silver Bay. Free, confidential tax preparation for low income and elderly individuals.

• 218-595-0267 (Two Harbors)
• 218-226-3635 (Silver Bay)

• Bridge to Employment-Assists parents and their dependents in meeting employment, education, and other goals. The program offers a combined support of SNAP food assistance as well as financial assistance. Must be enrolled in MFIP.
• Education-Integrated coaching program to assist individuals looking to further their education, learn computer skills, research career paths, provide guidance to pay off student loans, and take part in FAIM (assistance to pay for your education). Also offers GED certification, a six-week Certified Nursing Assistant class, and Community Construction (to learn construction skills), and Stream Corps, an 11-month paid employment training positions to individuals who have struggled to attain or retain employment. Participants learn employment soft skills as well as job-specific hard skills with a focus on the natural sciences.
• Free Tax Site-Free tax preparation and refunds for families and individuals with income up to $58,000.
• Common Cents Class-Free financial assistance class which provides information on asset building, creating a budget, understanding credit cards, credit reports, getting out of debt, dealing with collectors, getting a mortgage, preventing identity theft. Registration is required.
• FAIM-Helps individuals build savings to start a business, pay for education, purchase a home, car, or other asset. This program offers matching funds. Eligibility requirements include being a Minnesota resident 18 years or older, have earned income, be within income guidelines, and have assets below $10,000.
• Health and Food-Offers MNSure and SNAP navigation. Mobile Market is a refrigerated van which visits Duluth neighborhoods to provide produce, dairy, canned and dried goods, and some household products at affordable prices. Locally produced goods are also featured. If you are interested, you can pre-order products here and pick them up at one of the scheduled market locations. We accept cash, credit, debit, and EBT.
• Transportation-We can help you regain your license to drive and/or give you a bike to get around town and to work. Provides advocacy and support at court appearances, getting fines reduced or removed, and assists with insurance questions. Also offers JumpStart, an affordable car loan program offering financial coaching, low-interest rate loans, and a repair fund savings account.

• 218-726-1665

• http://www.communityactionduluth.org/

• Suite 201
  2424 W 5th Street
  Duluth, MN 55806
  

• Health Care-Medical Assistance, Medical Assistance for Employed Persons with Disabilities, Long Term Care, TEFRA, Medicare Savings Program.
• Mental Health Services-Case Management services for children and adults.
• Cash Assistance-Minnesota Family Investment Program, Diversionary Work Program, Minnesota Supplemental Aid, General Assistance, Housing Supports (formerly known as Group Residential Housing). Apply for Cash Assistance benefits at https://mnbenefits.mn.gov/
• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) (formerly known as food stamps and/or food support)-Apply for SNAP benefits at https://mnbenefits.mn.gov/
• Emergency Programs-Emergency Assistance and Emergency General Assistance. Apply for Emergency Assistance benefits at https://mnbenefits.mn.gov/
• Car Seat Installations-A certified car seat technician is available to assist you.
• Child and Teen Check-up-Program for children on Medical Assistance and Minnesota Care. Information is available about good physical health, development and growth, hearing and vision checks and immunizations. Complete physical exams are also available at your local clinic.
• Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP)-May be available to families who are employed, seeking employment, or are in school or training. Apply for CCAP benefits by calling our office, picking up an application or going on-line at https://applymn.dhs.mn.gov.
• Child Protection-Workers receive reports of possible physical, emotional or sexual abuse and/or neglect and take appropriate action to provide safety for the children.
• Child Foster Care Services-A licensed, home-like setting for children who are unable to live with their families and need placement on emergency, temporary, long-term or respite basis.
• Children and Family Services-Voluntary services to help families stay together; provides ongoing case management with individualized plans and assistance for your family’s needs.
• Family Based Services-Provides parent education and counseling in the family home as an alternative to an out-of-home placement or preparing for a child to return home.
• Follow Along Program-Babies and children grow and learn at their own rate. Some children need special help to grow up healthy and learn skills such as sitting, walking, or talking. This program is to help determine if this is true for your child.
• Newborn Home Visits-Visits to a home or in the office by a public health nurse specializing in parent and child health. A visit will include weighing your baby, assessing your baby from head to toe, and providing information on sleep habits, feeding your baby, infant cues, playing with your baby, general baby care. The nurse will also answer any of your questions and direct you to community resources if necessary. If you would like to meet before your baby is born, the nurse will talk to you about making sure you are doing all you can to have a healthy baby. This is a free and confidential service to all Lake County families.
• Women, Infants and Children (WIC)-Provides supplemental food and nutrition education to eligible pregnant or breastfeeding women and children under age 5.
• Child Support-Assistance in locating parents, establishing parentage, establishing court orders for child support, medical support, and child care support, reviewing and modifying court orders for child support, medical support and child care support, adjusting court orders based on cost-of-living, enforcing court orders, collecting and processing payments. MN Child Support Online: http://www.childsupport.dhs.state.mn.us/Action/Welcome

• 218-834-8400 (Two Harbors office)
• 218-226-4443 (Silver Bay office)
• 800-450-8832

• http://www.co.lake.mn.us/index.php

• Two Harbors office:
  616 3rd Avenue
  Two Harbors, MN 55616
  
• Silver Bay office:
  Silver Bay Service Center
  99 Edison Blvd.
  Silver Bay, MN 55614

Crisis

• Safe Place-provide immediate support to youth in a crisis. We partner with libraries, fire stations, bus transit and other community organizations that display big yellow Safe Place signs in their windows to signal to youth that they are a safe place to get immediate help.
• Duluth Runaway & Homeless Youth Services-Emergency hotline (218-626-2726) to talk to someone if you are thinking about running away, having a friend who has run away and is looking for help, you have run away and want to talk to your parents but aren’t sure how, or you are worried about a friend and want information on how to help them.

Housing

• Bethany Crisis Shelter-Bethany Crisis Shelter offers short-term, emergency housing for youth 17 years and younger. Referral by county social worker, court, or law enforcement. Provides supervised daily living, homebound education, recreational programming, weekly discussion groups, counseling, transportation and emergency foster care.
• Host Homes-Program that matches young people ages 18-24 with caring and consistent adults who have a spare bedroom to offer in their home.
• Another Door Emergency Housing Program-Program for young adults age 18-24 experiencing homelessness, offers short term housing and support to develop a plan.
• LSS Renaissance-Transitional housing (up to 18 months) for youth 16-21 years old. While there, youth will develop skills to live independently.
• Supportive Apartments-Offers long-term housing paired with supportive services for youth ages 18-24 who are experiencing homelessness and meet MN guidelines for homelessness.
• Center for Changing Lives-Located at 1422 East Superior Street, Duluth. Phone 218-529-2230. Offers many options to youth with regards to homelessness.

Health Care 

• Teen Health Clinic-Offers free walk-in wellness services including health screenings for teens and young adults who are 13-24 years old. Located at The Center for Changing Lives Duluth, 1422 East Superior Street, Duluth.

Education

• Oh No Eighteen! (ONE) Independent Living Skills-This independent living skills program includes education, support and case management for young people who are about to transition out of foster care. We work with youth to provide life skills training to assist with a successful transition to adulthood.

Children’s Services

• Supervised Visits-Conducts supervised visits for families referred by counties and courts, as well as providing fee-based supervised visits for families who seek them independently. Flexible scheduling at various locations throughout Duluth and surrounding area. Phone 218-391-9561 for more information or see http://www.lssmn.org/youth/duluth/supervised-visits/.
• Bethany Crisis Nursery-Providing a safe and nurturing environment for children birth through age 12. Also provides crisis support and information and referrals. Located at 1422 East Superior Street, (phone: 218-302-6879).
• Clothing Room-Offers baby clothes (newborn to size 7 in kids), diapers/wipes, blankets, hygiene products and other baby equipment (items are donated, so selection varies) to those in need free of charge. Call 218-302-6879 for an appointment.
• Teen Closet-Offers free new and gently used clothing for youth ages 13-21. Teen closet is open Wednesdays from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. or call 218-481-5184 for an appointment time. Located on the third floor of the First Presbyterian Church, 300 E Second Street, Duluth.
• Child Care-Temporary, emergency care for up to three days for children infancy through 12 years. Available day and night.

Groups

• Together for Youth-A community outreach and support group for LGBTQ youth.

Financial

• Working with families and individuals to solve debt and financial problems. Assists in setting up a realistic budget and payment plan to fit individual needs.

• 218-529-2222
• 888-577-2227 (financial line)

• http://www.lssmn.org/

• Suite 600
  424 West Superior Street
  Duluth, MN 55802

A web-based means of finding information about education, services for people with disabilities, senior services, waiver services, unemployment, housing/homelessness, health care, transportation, jobs and money management.

• 800-333-2433

• https://www.minnesotahelp.info/

Collaborates with area service agencies to provide last resort financial assistance to families and individuals in need. Financial assistance available to individuals/families ONCE every 365 days (one program per 365 days).

• Back to School Program-Backpack and basic school supplies for families that are unable to purchase them.  Applications located at AEOA-Two Harbors and Lake County Health and Human Services.  Applications available in late July/early August.
• Christmas Toy Distribution-Applications available mid-October through mid-November at AEOA – Two Harbors and Lake County Health and Human Services.

The Single Family Housing Repair Loans and Grants, also known as the Section 504 Home Repair program, provides loans to very-low-income homeowners to repair, improve, or modernize their homes or provides grants to elderly very-low-income homeowners to remove health and safety hazards. To qualify, you must

• Be the homeowner and occupy the house
• Be unable to obtain affordable credit elsewhere
• Have family income below 50 percent of the area median income
• For grants, be age 62 or older and not be able to repay a repair loan

Single Family Housing Direct Loans (to purchase or build with no money down if you have low or very low income) and Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Programs (purchase or build with no money down if you have a moderate household income) may be available. See website for qualifications.

• 651-602-7800

• https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/single-family-housing-programs

• 375 Jackson Street
  Suite 410
  St. Paul, MN 55101-1853