With the hardships many students are facing this year, Montgomery County Community College is taking an innovative approach to help students with housing, food, child care and other essential needs by collaborating with Benefits Data Trust.

Headquartered in Philadelphia, BDT connects people in need to critical public benefits to help them afford food, healthcare, housing, and more. BDT provides enrollment assistance to individuals in six states, and policy assistance to states nationwide.

Over the past year, BDT has delivered more than $50 million in previously untapped benefit dollars to households in the greater Philadelphia region.

MCCC is the first college in the country to partner with the national nonprofit organization to provide a student benefits pilot program.

“The College is excited to be working with such great partners on this pilot,” said Dr. David Kowalski, Associate Vice President of Institutional Effectiveness and Strategic Innovation. “We know strong partnerships are essential to creating the scaled solutions needed to advance student success.”

Regardless of an individual’s level of education, multiple barriers make it challenging to access public benefits. Many are unaware they are eligible and applications can be complicated.

Through MCCC’s partnership with BDT, students will have access to a dedicated hotline and personalized, one-on-one phone assistance to determine eligibility and submit applications for multiple benefits, including food (SNAP), medical (Medicaid) assistance and childcare (CCIS) subsidy.

The student benefits pilot program is one of several wellness initiatives MCCC has implemented as part of its overall student wellness resources.

The resources include a tiered system of holistic care that is rooted in providing essential student supports and sustained through core institutional services and strong community partners.

Find more information about MCCC’s health and wellness support here.