Minneapolis and St. Paul assistance programs.

Minneapolis Employment & Training Assistance Program

The Minneapolis Employment and Training Program (METP) ((651) 642-0363) creates and manages a wide variety of training and employment programs that were created to help Minneapolis adults, youth, and also Minneapolis area employers.

• The Minneapolis Dislocated Worker Program provides training and employment services to individual workers who may lose their jobs due to reorganizations, business closings, or other permanent layoffs and this program will provide assistance with the transition to new employment and a new career.
• Adult Programs will help Minneapolis families and residents with low incomes. It will help them find and keep jobs or pursue training opportunities that will lead to a job.
• In addition, the Minnesota Family Investment Program will offer both case management services and job training eligible people who receive family cash assistance and grants.
• The Individual Referral Program will provides student aid and tuition grants and funds. It will also assist low-income residents who are seeking employment-related training and provide help with student loans.

 

 

 

Free or Discounted Health Care

Clinics throughout Minneapolis and St. Paul, which are run by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, St. Paul Province, provide either low cost or free health care to low and moderate income families and  uninsured people who live in the metro area. Over 300 volunteers, including doctors, nurses, admissions people, drivers, interpreters, and miscellaneous helpers contribute to the clinics. The free medical clinics deliver primary care and can refer people to specialists.

The patients helped at the clinics are not enrolled in government subsidy programs such as Medicare, Medical Assistance or MinnesotaCare and they have no private health insurance. Many of the patients are temporarily unemployed, working low-paying jobs where they receive no health care benefits, or they may be between jobs, or they can't afford to pay the employee portion of the premium.

They even provide free medications at the clinic or they give vouchers for Cub Pharmacy so patients can get free prescriptions.

To learn more or to make an appointment at St. Mary's Health Clinics call 651-690-7029.

Some of the other facilities throughout the area that provide free health care include.

• Community-University Health Care Center (CUHCC), located at 2001 Bloomington Ave. S., Minneapolis. CUHCC provides medical, mental health, dental and social services and has an on-site pro bono legal clinic as well.
• Native American Community Clinic, located at 1213 E. Franklin Ave., Minneapolis. (612) 872-8086.
• Fremont Community Clinics include Central Avenue Clinic, 2620 Central Ave. N.E.; Fremont Clinic, 3300 Fremont Ave. N.; and Sheridan Clinic, 342 13th Ave. N.E. 612-588-9411
• New Americans Community Health Center has an office at 1821 University Ave. W., Suite S-130, St. Paul. Health care and medical services provided are focused on the needs of the African immigrant and refugee community.
• Neighborhood Involvement Program Community Clinic, at 2431 Hennepin Ave. S., Minneapolis. This health care clinic offers medical and dental services. (612) 374-4089
• People's Center Medical Clinic, 425 20th Ave. S., #1, Minneapolis.
• Hennepin Healthcare System - Runs the Bright Futures for Uninsured Children which provides comprehensive and periodic evaluation of hearing, vision, and dental screening services to under and uninsured pediatric patients. 612-873-2352.
• Neighborhood Involvement Program, Inc. - This clinic (which can be reached at 612-374-3125) provides for the dental, medical, and mental health needs of families and persons who either lack health insurance coverage or who are grossly underinsured. The agency also provides a comprehensive array of health maintenance and prevention services to qualified people.
• In total about two dozen federal government qualified health centers operate across Hennepin County and administer a number of assistance programs and services for the low income. Some facilities have waiting lists, and other strict conditions that need to be met before providing assistance. The best options is to call the clinics near you. Find a listing of Minneapolis medical clinics that provide high quality care.
• Dental clinics are scattered across Hennepin County Minnesota as well as the twin cities. They can offer free dental programs. More Minnesota dental clinics.

 

 

Minneapolis Legal Advice

If you are facing a foreclosure, eviction or have other housing issues, Mid-Minnesota Legal Assistance provides free legal aid. Contact the non-profit law firm at 612-332-1441.

Car repair and loan program

The Community Emergency Assistance Program, Inc. has a program that provides zero percent interest loans to people that need to be used for car repairs or purchase. The total value of the loans for either a vehicle purchase are maximized up to $4,000 or a maximum loan of up to $750 for vehicle repair. 763-566-9600

Episcopal Community Services, Inc. also runs a low interest car loan program that offers interest free loans to low income, working families who need a car for work. The loan is intended to allow working families to buy a car for employment reasons. Call them at 612-874-8823.

Job training and employment services

If you help finding a job, or assistance in developing skills, East Side Neighborhood Services, Inc. (612-781-6011) provides low income , the unemployed and other qualified Minneapolis applicants with help finding a job, skills and barriers assessment, job counseling services, job training and placement services.

Project for Pride in Living, Inc. is another agency that provides employment, job finding skills, and education services to low income individuals. The organization will assist low to moderate income individuals and help them stable jobs with livable wages and benefits that will help them become self-sufficient. 612-455-5100.

Rent Help

Receive rent assistance in Minneapolis-St. Paul and Hennepin County from the following agencies.

Community Emergency Assistance Program, Inc. - This organization, which can be reached at 763-566-9600 also offers an eviction prevention program. The CEAP Homelessness Prevention program can give financial, counseling, and referral services to persons and families who may be at risk of homelessness. CEAP focuses on eviction prevention  and providing funds to keep people in their homes in order to make best use of limited resources.

About 30 other agencies and non-profits can provide rent help and low income housing to qualified low income and struggling individuals. More on Minneapolis rent assistance.

Rent and mortgage help in Minneapolis St. Paul

The Minneapolis Urban League (phone 612-302-3100) provides a housing stability program. It provides eviction prevention and homeless intervention services. In addition, the agency has HUD approved housing counselors that can provide homeowners with foreclosure prevention and counseling services. Click here to learn more on Minnesota foreclosure programs.

Episcopal Community Services, Inc. does its best to help provide stable, affordable housing options to low-income families and adults through arrangements and partnerships with landlords and for-profit developers; provides monthly rental subsidies and help, offers family mentors and counselors, and long-term intensive case management services to families. Phone 612-874-8823.

One of the nations largest banks, JP Morgan Chase, provides struggling homeowners with a number of programs and resources to both stop a foreclosure, and to help them get back on track with their home loans. They can include interest rate reductions, help in applying for government mortgage aid, and even short sales when all else fails. Read more on the Chase Minnesota mortgage center.

People who live in the greater Minneapolis region have several other options when it comes to paying their home loan. Find a listing of agencies that offer foreclosure prevention in Minneapolis, and get details on counseling and resources they offer.

Access crisis assistance programs for paying bills

One of the top places to turn to for emergency help is the Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. Phone number 612-664-8500. They offer a host of programs. Some of the include emergency financial assistance for paying rent, energy, and heating bills. Case management, counseling, and referrals are also available which can direct people to other local charities and non-profit, as well as federal government and state of Minnesota programs. Other services include School Based Counseling Services, Family Service Center, Food Shelves, Hope Street Shelter, Hispanic Outreach, homeless prevention, and many more.

The Salvation Army, which can be called at 651-746-3400, may also provide crisis and/or emergency assistance programs.

 

 

Hennepin County Human Services and Public Health Department – A great place to call for information and guidance. Among other programs and services they offer include Minnesota Supplemental Aid (MSA), Section 8, Application and recertification interviews for Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP), Diversionary Work Program (DWP), General Assistance (GA), Food Support, Low income Housing, Health Care Programs and Emergency Programs. They can also provide community-specific information and referrals to charities and non-profits. 6840 78th Ave N, Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, 55445, (612) 596 - 1300

Minnesota AIDS Project (MAP) – Financial assistance is only offered for HIV and AIDs patients. Apply for help at most once per year, and you may be able to access financial assistance for paying utilities, rent, heating bills, child care, mortgage, and groceries. 1400 Park Ave, Minneapolis, MN, 55404, call (612) 331-7733

Western Community Action Network (WeCAN) – This non-profit agency provides assistance and grants for monthly rent, mortgage payments, and utilities. Assistance must resolve the situation and the aid is not a charity program. Individuals may also be able to qualify for temporary assistance with gasoline for car and bus tokens, and support is only for a limited service area. 5213 Shoreline Dr, Mound, Minnesota, 55364, (952) 472-0742

Working Partnerships- AFL-CIO and Teamsters Community Services – Help for Union members only who are in a crisis situation. Emergency situation can include, but is not limited to, energy or heating service shutoff, eviction, foreclosure filing, medical problems, mortgage foreclosure, unexpected layoff or job termination, or in general some type of severe financial crisis. The program is known as Reside in Working Partnerships. 312 Central Ave SE Ste 524, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55414. The phone number for the program is (612) 379-8133.

Credit and debt services

Individuals who are behind on their bills or who may be struggling with paying credit card or medical debts can contact a credit counseling agency. Specialists will meet with consumers to review their financial condition, and they will take a holistic approach to this review. Learn about and enter into debt management plans, get help in reducing or waiving fees, lower interest rates, and much more. Read more on non-profit Minneapolis credit counseling agencies.

Food pantry and aid

Receive emergency food aid from Emergency FoodShelf Network, Inc. The organization provides additional food resource options to eligible clients. Dial 763-450-3860.

Northpoint Health & Wellness Center, Inc. also provides low income and qualified individuals with emergency and supplemental food resources as a short-term crisis intervention for families and individuals to help them prevent homelessness and hunger. 612-302-4767.

360 Communities helps cover basic needs by providing nutritious food and groceries to people in need of food assistance and help. Dial 952-985-5300.

House of Charity will help lower hunger rates by providing prepared meals and free food to the homeless and working poor in Hennepin County, while connecting them with services and government programs to enhance their overall well being and self-sufficiency over the long term. 612-594-2000

If the food banks above can’t provide you with the help you need, or if they are not close to you, Hennepin County residents have dozens of other pantries available to them for food, groceries, and support. The centers are located across the entire county. Find more Hennepin County food pantries, and learn about the services they offer.