I’ve finally finished it! There were a significant amount of changes to available plans and benefits since the previous guide, which resulted in this document taking much longer than I anticipated. But here it is! Links for plan information are in the guide. **I updated the links to be correct as of 1.20.25

Hello! This post aims to provide information on state and county assistance for physiological needs, as well as some background information. These needs can be difficult to meet at any time of the year, but can specifically hit hard during the winter season here in MN. This post has links to info for all ages/family sizes but the post is specifically geared towards single adults.

**reminder: there are federal poverty guidelines as well as legal definitions of disability that may be different than what you are aware of, and they can change at various times of the year.

I love to educate on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. This is a framework that lays out foundational needs that affect everybody. This framework is basically like an order-of-operations for survival. The ground level, or first level, need is physiological. This includes: [health] (air {breathing}, water), food, shelter, clothing, and sleep. In other words- if we don’t have our physiological needs met (or any level prior), our functioning in the remaining areas is going to be affected. I’m not super into using the word ‘expert’ but I feel I’m as close as it comes to one in the realm of Medical Assistance, Food Support, and other Economic Assistance that you will learn about below regarding adults.

This leads us to MN assistance- specifically Financial Assistance.

Minnesota offers a wide range of financial assistance programs designed to support individuals and families in need, covering various aspects of life including education, healthcare, food, housing, and more. Here’s a breakdown of the key financial assistance programs available in the state.

IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT STATE/COUNTY ASSISTANCE RULES/BENEFITS CHANGE AT VARIOUS TIMES DUE TO LAW CHANGES, THE START OF A NEW YEAR, AND FEDERAL GUIDELINES. I am signed up for a ridiculous amount of email newsletters in attempts to stay on top of these changes, but will always try to double check before providing specific information in the future. Therefore, the information in this post is as current as the posted date.

Health

• Air (breathing), Water, , Sleeping
  • We’re going to have to come back to these as they include both micro (individual) level actions and macro (world) level actions.
• Healthcare: For those in need of healthcare support, Minnesota offers:
  • Medical Assistance (MA) in Minnesota: Medicaid is a federal program, MN’s version is called Medical Assistance (MA), which is designed to pay medical bills for individuals who cannot afford them. Eligibility for (MA) is based on income and asset guidelines and includes various groups (definitions on pg 4) such as those under (PMAP) 21 or over 65 (MSHO/MSC+), individuals who are blind or disabled (SNBC), pregnant women, certain parents or caretakers of children under 19, and various citizenship groups. This can be ‘straight (MA)’ or through a Health Management Organization (HMO).
    • ‘straight (MA)’ has benefits in that for some services it is accepted by more providers. This is because in MN if you accept (MA) you have to be an approved provider for Minnesota Health Care plans (MHCP), as well as each individual (HMO) such as UCare, Health Partners, etc. The list of MA (HMO) providers vary by county.
      • (MA)does not require a monthly premium, although members may have small co-pays for some services, typically ranging from $1 to $3.
        • you can apply online
          • not all (MA) plans offer the same thing–> see blog post on that here (there is a general list that (MHCP) cover, but each (HMO) has a different network and some different coverage and perks. You can see a past year example of the differences here. For the 2025 information, click here
      • Medical Assistance for Employed Persons with Disabilities (MAEPD) is a version of (MA) for individuals who have been certified disabled by SMRT or SSA and who are employed. As of 2024 there is no longer an asset limit for MAEPD.
  • MNsure: Minnesota’s health insurance marketplace where individuals and families can shop, compare, and choose health insurance coverage that meets their needs. That is where you will sign up for MinnesotaCare is a program for Minnesotans with low incomes who do not have access to affordable health care coverage. MinnesotaCare may require you to pay a monthly premium, and it is based on your household size and income. MinnesotaCare members may have small co-pays. The MinnesotaCare Premium Estimator Table (PDF) will help you estimate your premium amount.

Food

• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP): Provides nutrition benefits to supplement the food budget of needy families, helping them purchase healthy food and move toward self-sufficiency.
  • SNAP has income limits which are as follows: if you are determined disabled by SMRT or SSA, the monthly income limit for a single person is $1255; if you have not been determined disabled by SMRT or SSA the monthly income limit for a single person is $2510
  • you can apply online
• Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Program: A program offering nutrition information, healthy foods, and referrals to other services for pregnant women, new mothers, babies, and young children. Find information and application info here .
• School Meal Program: Ensures children have access to free or reduced-price meals at schools across Minnesota. The Free School Meals for Kids Program started on July 1, 2023.
• There are also agencies that assist with food in various ways (foodshelf, discounted, etc.)
  • general search
  • community pop up events for discounted/bundled food

Shelter

Housing

• HousingLink: Offers subsidized housing options and resources for those in need of housing assistance.
  • subsidized housing waitlist info

Energy Assistance/Utilities

• Energy Assistance Program (EAP): Provides grants for home energy costs, ranging from $200 to $1,400 based on household size and income. Crisis funds are also available.
  • apply here
  • energy cents (requires (EAP) approval)
• Weatherization Assistance Program: Helps make homes more energy-efficient, reducing heating costs.
  • xcel’s program
  • centerpoint’s program

Agencies that assist with numerous areas:

• MN Area Specific
  • Bloomington Area
  • Brooklyn Center Area
  • Eden Prairie Area
  • Ramsey and Washington County
  • Scott, Carver, Dakota County
  • Plymouth Area
  • St Paul Area Handbook of the Streets
  • MPLS Area Handbook of the Streets
  • Roseville Area
• Minnesota Community Action Partnership (MinnCAP): This network includes 24 Community Action Agencies and 11 Tribal Nations serving all 87 counties in Minnesota. These agencies offer a range of services, including energy assistance, food support, housing aid, and education programs. Examples include:
  • Northwest Community Action (serving Kittson, Lake of the Woods, Marshall, and Roseau counties)
  • Minnesota Valley Action Council (serving Blue Earth, Brown, Faribault, Le Sueur, Martin, Nicollet, Sibley, Waseca, and Watonwan counties
  • MAHUBE-OTWA Community Action Partnership (serving Becker, Hubbard, Mahnomen, Otter Tail, and Wadena counties)
  • Lakes & Pines Community Action Council (serving Aitkin, Carlton, Chisago, Isanti, Kanabec, Mille Lacs, and Pine counties)

Income and Cash Assistance

• Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP): A monthly cash or food benefits program for families with dependent children and some pregnant women. It is time-limited and encourages work through its requirements.
• General Assistance (GA): A monthly cash payment for individuals who are unable to work due to disability or other reasons and have little or no income.
• Minnesota Supplemental Aid (MSA): Provides monthly cash payments to help people whose disability, retirement, or other income is not enough to meet their needs.

Other Forms of Assistance

• Child Care Assistance: Helps families pay for child care expenses, enabling parents to work or attend school.
• Early Learning Scholarships: Supports early childhood education for eligible families.
• Tax Credits: Programs like Earned Income Tax Credits (EITC) and Working Family Credit (WFC) help low-income families reduce their tax liability and increase their income.

Clothing and Household Goods

Find a list of agencies here

For more information, visit the Minnesota Department of Human Services website or contact local county offices for guidance.

Previous example of health plan choices for Medical Assistance.

Welcome to the RESOURCES page! Here you will find community/need specific resources.