• Free or low-cost health care?
• Help paying for child care?
• A larger tax refund?
• Free or reduced-cost school meals?
• Money to help buy food?
• Help paying your energy bills?

Bridge to Benefits is a multi-state project by Children’s Defense Fund to improve the well-being of families and individuals by linking them to public work support programs and tax credits. To see if you or someone else may be eligible for public work support programs, use the eligibility screening tool and click on North Dakota. We will ask you a few simple questions but we will NOT ask you for information that identifies you. It's easy, confidential and free!

Read a letter from the North Dakota Congressional delegation congratulating CDF North Dakota on the recent launch of the Bridge to Benefits program.

2011 KIDS COUNT Report on North Dakota Children Released

Aug, 17, 2011 North Dakota ranked 10th in the nation in child well-being according to the National KIDS COUNT Data Book but saw declines in 5 of the 10 key indicators used to calculate the overall state rankings. The Data Book highlights that North Dakota has more children born at low birthweight and children born to single and teen parents compared to the beginning of the decade. In addition, more North Dakota teens are dying and are not in school or graduating. However the state saw improvements in two critical areas, the percent of children living in poverty and the rate of infant mortality.

According to Polly Fassinger, Program Director for North Dakota KIDS COUNT, “North Dakota has been fortunate in that many families have been able to avoid the most harmful effects of the recession. For example, since the beginning of the decade, our child poverty rate showed slight improvement while the child poverty rate in the nation rose to 20%. However, we can’t afford to assume that everyone is doing well. Data from the 2005-2009 American Community Survey show that at least 30% of children are impoverished in eight of North Dakota’s 53 counties.”

Click here to view the full data book.
Click here to view the North Dakota data book.
Click here to download the North Dakota data book.

Governing for Prosperity Summit on 8/30 in Bismarck

On August 30th, 2011, the North Dakota Economic Security and Prosperity Alliance (NDESPA) will host a summit entitled, Governing for Prosperity: Finding Opportunities, Creating Solutions. The one day summit, held at the Seven Seas Hotel in Mandan, ND, will present an opportunity for leaders and citizens to discuss public policy issues as they relate to prosperity in our state. Training will also be provided on how to most effectively generate knowledge and support of anti-poverty work.

The registration fee is only $25. To register call Erin Hocking at 701-224-0588 ext: 103 or e-mail NDESPA@agree.org. No online registration.

Click here for more details.

Op Ed in Grand Forks Herald by Paul Ronningen, Director, Children’s Defense Fund-North Dakota

Studies show there are three basic elements necessary to build a pipeline—not a pipeline for oil, but a pipeline to prison.

Typically, if children are raised in poverty, have fewer educational opportunities than their peers and lack health care, they not only will grow up to be underachieving adults, but also will have a higher rate of incarceration. That is the pipeline to prison.

Click here to read the full article.

KIDS COUNT Data Center

North Dakota KIDS COUNT is pleased to partner with The Annie E. Casey Foundation to give you interactive access to all of its KIDS COUNT Data Center:

• Find available data (1991 to most recently released).
• Compare across counties and statewide averages - you choose!
• Create graphs and maps for the data and years that interest you most.