Student Resources for Basic Needs

This flyer provides helpful information about Child care assistance, grants, and community resources available to MSUM students.

• County Child Care Assistance - Eligible participants can obtain county assistance in paying approximately ½ of a day care bill. Childcare assistance can most often be combined with scholarships or other grant/financial assistance programs offered through childcare centers. Applications available for MN & ND*
  • Minnesota Child Care Assistance Program
  • North Dakota Child Care Assistance Program
• Minnesota Postsecondary Child Care Grant helps low income students who have young children pay for child care while the student attends classes. Minnesota residents can complete applications with the Office of Scholarship & Financial Aid.
• Head Start and Community Scholarships
  • Community Action Lakes and Prairies offers head start programs and for eligible households can be care provided at no cost. Households participating in Head Start may also remain eligible for child care assistance or grants. CAP-LP has additional grant based programs that can provided funding/vouchers to assist with childcare costs for eligible households.
  • South Eastern North Dakota Community Action offers head start programs for eligible households as well as grant based childcare programs.
• Cass & Clay YMCA offers childcare, after school programs, summer programs, as well as, financial assistance.
• ABC123 Daycare offers extended hours childcare, accepts childcare assistance and has additional scholarship opportunities.
• Parent Aware offers free tools and resources to help families find the quality child care and early education programs their children need to succeed in school and life.
• Get Help Paying For Child Care provides resources that may be able to help pay for child care and suggestions that may help find lower-cost options.
• Jeremiah Program is a national organization with a mission to disrupt the cycle of poverty for single mothers and their children, two generations at a time.

MSUM Campus Resources

MSUM students may apply for a Student Emergency Assistance Fund grant for assistance with unexpected financial challenges.

Emergency Grants

• Clay County Financial Unit
• Cass County Economic Assistance
• FirstLink

Community Resources

• Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP) helps families with children meet their basic needs, while helping parents move to financial stability through work.
• Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program provides states and territories with flexibility in operating programs designed to help low-income families with children achieve economic self-sufficiency.
• Minnesota General Assistance (GA) helps people without children pay for basic needs. It provides money to people who can't work enough to support themselves, and whose income and resources are very low. People who get GA are also eligible for help with medical and food costs through Medical Assistance (MA) and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
• Cass County Financial Assistance provides support to low income residents of Cass County. We determine eligibility for public assistance programs such as MA, SNAP, and MFIP.
• Clay County Financial Assistance Division of the Social Services Department provides financial assistance through a variety of programs. Persons must fill out a formal application to have eligibility determined.

Tax Preparation

• CAPLP operates a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) clinic during the months of February-April each year that provides free tax preparation services to income eligible MN residents.
• SENDCAA offers Free Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) for low-income individuals or families.

Energy Assistance

• West Central Minnesota Community Action Energy Assistance is a program that is designed to assist income eligible households with the cost of energy/heating their homes.
• SENDCAA Energy Share Assistance is designed to assist qualifying households to pay their past due light bill in the event of a financial crisis. Assistance is only provided when all other resources have been exhausted and a past due or disconnect notice has been sent from a utility company.

Voc Rehab/Career Workforce

• Vocational Rehabilitation Services in Moorhead can help you develop vocational skills through short term and long term training programs, find and keep a job with the assistance of vocational counselors and placement specialists, live independently in the community.
• Diversionary Work Program (DWP) is a four-month program that helps Minnesota parents find jobs.

Food Pantries

Several food pantries are available to individuals in need within the Fargo-Moorhead community.

• Bread of Life Food Pantry - 1st Tuesdays, 10 am - 12 pm
  124 7th St., Felton, MN
  218.261.1992 (Call for appointment in emergency situations.)
• Dorothy Day Food Pantry - Moorhead (located only a few blocks from the MSUM campus).
• Dorothy Day Food Pantry - West Fargo
• Emergency Food Pantry
• Faith United Methodist Church - Food Ministry
• Faith4Hope Food Pantry - Tuesdays, 6 - 8 pm; Saturday, 10 am - 2 pm
  1321 19th Ave N, Fargo, ND
  701.793.6001
• Glyndon Lutheran Church Food Pantry - Tuesday and Thursday, 1 - 3 pm
  414 Parke Ave S, Glyndon, MN
  218.498.2368
• McMerty Food Pantry - Saturday, 1:30 - 3:30 pm
  630 7th Ave N, Fargo, ND
• Micah's Mission Community Bread Shelf
• Olivet Lutheran Church Food Pantry - 1st Monday, 4:30 - 6:30 pm; Call to confirm
  1330 University Drive S, Fargo, ND
  701.235.6603
• Open Doors 65
• Peace Lutheran Church Food Shelf - Tuesdays, 10 am - 12 pm; Thursdays 3 - 5 pm
• Ruby's Pantry
• Tri-City Haitian Ministry
• Trinity Lutheran Church Sabin Community Food Pantry
• Youthworks - Drop-In
• YWCA Cass Clay Food Baskets - Call to reserve food for next day pickup

Nutrition Assistance SNAP Benefits

Some students may also be eligible for SNAP benefits. SNAP provides nutrition benefits to supplement the food budget of needy families so they can purchase healthy food and move towards self-sufficiency.

International students are encouraged to speak with MSUM International Student & Scholar Services before applying for benefits.

MSUM's SNAP Outreach Providers

• Lakes & Prairies Community Action Partnership is our Clay County, MN SNAP Outreach provider.
• Great Plains Food Bank is our Cass County, ND SNAP Outreach provider.

SNAP Benefits Applications

• Minnesota SNAP Benefits Application
• North Dakota SNAP Benefits Application

Community Action Agencies

• FirstLink
• Community Action Partnership-Lakes & Prairies
• Southeastern North Dakota Community Action Agency
• United Way of Cass Clay

State & National Resources

• Feeding America
• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) - Minnesota Department of Human Services
• Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Program - Minnesota Department of Health

Health Insurance

• MNsure Navigators are trained experts at local, trusted community organizations. You can use a navigator to help you fill out your application and enroll in coverage. They can also help with coverage renewals, report changes to your account and provide enrollment follow-up. Services from MNsure-certified navigators are always free.
• Family HealthCare provide non-biased consumer assistance for the Health Insurance Marketplace, Medicaid, and MNSure. Family HealthCare is fortunate to have Certified Application Counselors (CAC), along with North Dakota and Minnesota Navigators that help consumers understand, apply for, and enroll in health coverage through the Marketplace, Medicaid, or MNSure. These services are at no cost and available to North Dakota and Minnesota residents.

Clinics & Healthcare

• Community Health Services Inc (CHSI) provides medical, dental, behavioral health and domestic violence advocacy services.
• Essentia Health is an integrated healthcare system with facilities in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and North Dakota.
• Sanford Health is provides genomic medicine, senior care and services, global clinics, research and affordable insurance.
• Red River Women's Clinic offers high-quality affordable abortion care and family planning services to the Fargo-Moorhead area, all of North Dakota, northwestern Minnesota and South Dakota.
• Planned Parenthood provides high-quality, affordable health care, and the nation’s largest provider of sex education. With or without insurance, you can always come to us for your health care.
• Canopy Medical Clinic specializes in Sexual Health and LBGTQIA+ Health. Many of our services can be provided by telehealth, which means you don't have to leave your community to access your healthcare.

Dental Services

• Family HealthCare Dental Services accepts all dental insurance plans as well as Medical Assistance programs. For those without dental coverage, or for services not covered under your insurance plan, Family HealthCare provides an internal Access Plan to those who qualify.
• CHSI Dental Services provide complete oral healthcare for the whole family; this includes pediatric, adolescent, adult and geriatric patients.
• M State Community Dental Clinic is a full-service dental clinic with services that include: dental exams, dental x-rays, dental cleanings, fillings and extractions.

Campus Housing

Emergency Housing - Students can move into a double-as-single room on campus for 2 weeks on an emergency basis. Cost for the 2022-2023 academic year is $46.85/night and includes unlimited dining in Kise Commons and room (laundry, WiFi, basic cable, and utilities). To learn more about Emergency Housing, contact the Dean of Students Office or 218.477.4222.

On-Campus Housing - Students can contract to live on campus at any time during the academic year for a pro-rated fee. On-campus housing includes room (laundry, WiFi, basic cable, and utilities) and dining. To request more information about moving into on-campus housing and rates, contact Housing and Residential Life, 218.477.2118 or housing@mnstate.edu.

Community Resources

• Micah’s Mission Shelter & Community Center (Churches United) provides emergency shelter for men, women, and families in the Moorhead community.
• Minnesota Community Action Lakes & Prairies
• Moorhead Public Housing
• Clay County HRA
• Fargo HRA
• FirstLink
• Southeastern North Dakota Community Action - Fargo & West Fargo
• Jeremiah Program is a national organization with a mission to disrupt the cycle of poverty for single mothers and their children, two generations at a time.

State & National Resources

• RentHelpMN is open for applications.
• Student Homelessness in Higher Education Resources provides a list of resources that students may be able to access for housing needs.
• The Salvation Army Location Search

Housing Legal Resources

• HOME Line provides free and low-cost legal, organizing, education, and advocacy services so that tenants throughout Minnesota can solve their own rental housing problems. We work to improve public and private policies relating to rental housing by involving affected tenants in the process.

Legal Aid

• Legal Services of Northwest Minnesota (LSNM) provides free legal help to low-income individuals in twenty-two northwest Minnesota counties.
• MN Legal Advice provides free advice because we are committed to the rights of all Minnesotans. We are part of the Minnesota Legal Services Coalition, which provides free legal help on civil legal issues.
• Minnesota Legal Services State Support provide information, connections, and tools for the public and for advocates, and to support the civil legal aid programs who share our mission.
• Law Help MN help low-income residents with a variety of legal matters.
• Legal Services of North Dakota

Emergency 24/7 Resources

• Essentia Health Emergency Room provides 24/7 emergency medical care.
• Sanford Health Emergency Room provides 24/7 emergency medical care.
• Rape and Abuse Crisis Center provides free crisis intervention, advocacy, counseling, and prevention education for those impacted by domestic violence, sexual assault, and child sexual abuse.
• FirstLink provides a 24/7 helpline to give referrals for local community resources as well as for listening and support. FirstLink also provides a 24/7 suicide hotline for if you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide.
• Trevor Project provides 24/7 crisis support services for young LGBTQ people. Trained counselors are available to text or call.
• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline Lifeline Chat is a service of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (formerly known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline), connecting individuals with counselors for emotional support and other services via web chat. All chat centers in the Lifeline network are accredited by CONTACT USA. Lifeline Chat is available 24/7 across the U.S. and certain territories.
• Mobile Mental Health Crisis Response provides short-term face to face services to restore a person’s functioning to pre-crisis levels. Mobile mental health crisis response services will meet with you wherever you are at to provide help from a licensed professional. Services are only available in Clay, Otter Tail, and Wilkin County.
• The Steve Fund is dedicated to supporting the mental health and emotional well-being of young people of color.
• North Dakota Mental Health Directory is a directory to help locate mental health programs and services this tool is here is to help.

MSUM Campus Resources

• MSUM Counseling Services is here to help balance the social, emotional and educational pieces of your life.
• MSUM Community Outreach Center provides free counseling for children, adults, and families. These services are provided by licensed counselors and counselors-in-training who are supervised by professional counselors as they work toward their master’s degree.

Community Resources

• Prairie St. John's provides inpatient and outpatient care for mental health and substance use treatment. Provides free over-the-phone needs assessments.
• Fargo Veterans Suicide Prevention Program provides suicide prevention and awareness for those who have served in the military. Eligibility: Active duty in the military service of the United States and discharged/released under honorable conditions. National Guard or Reserve may qualify if they were called to duty by federal order (ex. Activated for war).
• Lakeland Mental Health provides in-office emergency mental health services during business regular business hours. On evenings, weekends, and holidays a mental health professional can be accessed for a mental health emergency by calling the center’s crisis line.
• Village Family Service Center provides outpatient counseling programs as well as the First Sep Recovery program for addiction treatment. Trained to help people with a variety of concerns such as: depression, anxiety, anger management, grief, relationship problems, addiction, eating disorders, and more.
• Southeast Human Services Center provides substance abuse treatment services, mental health services, services for people with both substance abuse and mental health concerns, and more. Services are only available to ND residents.
• Solutions Behavioral Healthcare Professionals has a full range of mental health professionals, including psychiatrists, psychologists and licensed therapists. They provide services including individual, family, group, and marital therapy, as well as consultation.
• Nystrom & Associates providing Outpatient Care and Treatment, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, as well as Community and Outpatient Mental Health Services.
• Dakota Family Services providing therapy for adults and children, psychiatric services, psychological testing, animal-assisted therapy and online therapy.
• Essentia Health provides psychiatric care in the Fargo-Moorhead area.
• Sanford Health provides psychiatric care in the Fargo-Moorhead area.

Community Therapists

State & National Resources

• Fast Tracker Minnesota is a virtual community and health care connection resource. They connect individuals, families, mental health and substance use disorder providers, physicians, care coordinators, and others with a real-time, searchable directory of mental health and substance use disorder resources and their availability within Minnesota.
• NAMI Minnesota (National Alliance on Mental Illness) is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of children and adults with mental illnesses and their families.
• Minnesota Adult Mental Health Crisis Response Phone Numbers
• Mental Health Minnesota - the Voice of Recovery helps people in their journey toward mental health recovery and wellness through peer-to-peer programs and services, public policy advocacy, education and outreach.
• Reclaim: Mental Health Support for Queer and Trans Youth works to provide financially and culturally accessible care to queer and trans youth and their families, as well as continue to train practitioners and partner in community to create systems of change at the intersection of gender and racial justice.
• The Steve Fund is dedicated to the mental health and emotional well-being of students of color.
• Veterans Crisis Line is a free, confidential resource that’s available to anyone, even if you’re not registered with VA or enrolled in VA health care. The caring, qualified responders at the Veterans Crisis Line are specially trained and experienced in helping Veterans of all ages and circumstances.

• Lifeline Program is for reduced internet or phone bill Midco, Century Link and most phone/internet providers participate and have information about lifeline on their respective websites.
• Assurance Wireless is a federal Lifeline Assistance program. Lifeline is a government assistance program. The Assurance Wireless offer provides eligible low-income customers free monthly data, unlimited texting, and free monthly minutes.
• PC’s for People is for individuals and families that meet eligibility requirements receive a computer, computer repair, internet service and learning resources.
• Digital Inclusion Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development resources that can help households with the monthly cost of broadband service and obtaining a device.
• Emergency Broadband Benefit Federal Communications Commission is to help families and households struggling to afford internet service during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) is a program that the Federal Communications Commission helps connect families and households with affordable internet service.
• Minnesota Public Utilities Commission helps students looking for telephone discount program information or see if they qualify for these programs.

Community Resources

Visit MATBUS.com for up-to-date information on routes across the Fargo-Moorhead community. MATBUS is available to all MSUM students free of charge.

State Resources

• BlueRide - BlueCross Blue Shield Transportation resource for individuals on Minnesota medical assistance (MA) with a Blue Plus (PMAP).
• Speedy Van | Non-Emergency Transportation in Minnesota

Veteran & Military Community Resources

• Veterans Affairs
• Clay County Veterans Service Office
• Cass County Veterans Service Office
• American Legion
• VFW
• Fargo Vet Center
• Fargo AMVETS
• MACV
• Veterans Crisis Line
• Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E)
• LinkVet Support