Support Resources for First-Generation and/or Low-Income Students

This is a non-exhaustive start to navigating local, national, and international support. Please let the LSC know of other resources you have utilized, found, and/or want to share that can be featured on this list by emailing [email protected].

Minnesota Resources

MinnesotaHelp.info – This website provides online access to statewide community resources including human services, financial assistance, and other forms of help. It has a lot of audience-specific help too for seniors, people with disabilities, caregivers, families, and low income people.

Hunger Solutions MN – Need support finding access to food within the Twin Cities and greater MN area? This organization can help connect you to several food banks and food shelves.

Call 211 – Call 2-1-1 to connect by phone to information about health and human services in your community. You can connect to food banks, clothing assistance, shelters, rent assistance, utility assistance, physical and mental health resources, employment support, support for seniors and people with disabilities, and help for families.

HOME Line – HOME Line provides free legal, organizing, educational and advocacy services so tenants throughout Minnesota can solve their own rental housing problems. HOME Line works to improve public and private policies relating to rental housing by involving affected tenants in the process.

United Way Twin Cities – We unite changemakers, advocate for social good and develop solutions to address the challenges no one can solve alone to create a community where all people thrive regardless of income, race or place.

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in MN – Like some school meal programs and Social Security, it’s a federal program paid for by tax dollars. SNAP helps families and individuals make sure they get the food they need. SNAP can be used like cash to buy fruits, vegetables, cereal, bread, meat, fish, dairy products and more.

Prepare + Prosper – We work with individuals and families to build brighter financial futures. Prepare + Prosper believes everyone deserves access to financial wellness, economic justice and wealth-building opportunities regardless of income. We provide free services (such as tax filing and preparedness) as well as access to low-fee and no-fee banking options.

MyHigherEd (MN) – Online platform to help see what opportunities are available in Minnesota for funding your time in college. This website can also help calculate costs of institutions and Federal aid.

National Resources

Find Help – A virtual platform to find access to goods, transit, healthcare, housing, legal services and more.

Rise First – Online tool to help navigate scholarships, resources, and programs for any point of your journey as a first-gen student or professional.

America Needs You (ANY) – This is a FREE program during which students can access their self-paced modules, as well as attend virtual enrichment events and social hours to dive deeper into the skills they are learning and connect with peers, America Needs You staff, and volunteers.

I’m First! – I’m First! provides students who lack a family history of higher education with inspiration, information, and support on the road to and through college. I’m First! is an initiative of UStrive—a national nonprofit that also runs an online college and career mentoring program by the same name.

First-Gen Forward from NASPA – Learn more about first-gen identity within college policies, advocacy, and programming. You can become a part of mentoring programs and get connected to research opportunities and first-gen specific funding!

THRIVE Lifeline (313-662-8209) – Thriving Harnesses Respect, Inclusion, and Vested Empathy: A text-based crisis line staffed by people with marginalized identities. Emphasis on non-carceral outreach.