Social Services

LeSueur County Human Services Website

LeSueur County Public Health Nursing 507-357-8246
Public Health Nurses work hand in hand with many community organizations. One call to LeSueur County Public Health could provide you with the information you may require to get your needs met and questions answered. If you don't know the answer, we know somebody who may!

• Home Visiting Program
• Follow along program
• Immunization clinics
• WIC information
• Waivered Services
• Child Protection
• Parent Support Outreach Program (PSOP)
• Children's Mental Health
• MN Valley Action Council     507-357-4246, 1800-767-7139
• Emergency Housing Assistance (Can help with housing, past due rent or payments)
• Employment Services  (Job search, help with job leads, guidance for job retention)
• Energy Assistance 
• Wheel Get There- Help getting a vehicle/vehicle loan 
• Emergency Needs
• Lonsdale Area Food Shelf Thursdays 12:30-5:30 pm walk-ins are welcome.  130 Delaware Street SE Lonsdale

Bridge to Benefits: Applications and eligibility guidelines for financial assistance programs such as MA, MNCare, Food Assistance, Free and Reduced Lunch Program and more.

Catholic Charities 612-204-8500

Catholic Charities Outreach Montgomery 507-364-7321

• Info and referral
• Emergency housing and transition
• Supportive housing
• Family Shelter
• Children services
• Family services
• Migration and Refugee Services
• outreach and advocacy for Spanish speaking residents
• Rural emergency support fund

Family Emergency Program 507-357-8288

Food help:

• Montgomery Food Shelf 507-364-7321
• LeSueur Emergency Food Shelf 507-665-6441 
• Peace Center New Prague- food shelf, open M, W, F: 9-1, ph.952-758-4688
• Lonsdale Food Shelf  Thursdays only

LeSueur Co CARE Project 507-364-7321 Montgomery (thru Catholic charities)

Minnesota Child Care Assistance Program 507-357-8288

Open Door Health and Dental Clinic 507-388-2120 ( Mankato ) Health and dental service, no MA

Rice County Social Services Main Page,  507-744-5185 (Lonsdale Branch of Rice County )

Family Resource List for Families of young children

Home Health Aide Program
This program provides one-to-one support for parents who can benefit from special help with parenting skills through home visits from a Family Home Health Aide. Family Home Health Aides help to strengthen the family unit by working closely with family members on areas such as behavior management, building self-esteem, homemaking skills, and parent-child activities. Please call the Public Health Family Child Health Supervisor at 507-332-5916 for more information or to make a referral.

Child Welfare and Child Protection

Financial Help

•   (GA) General Assistance
•   (EA) Emergency Assistance
•   (MSA) MN Supplemental Aide
•   (RCA) Refugee Supplemental Assistance
•   Child Care Assistance

Rice County Public Health, 507-332-6111, 507-744-5185, xt.6111

• WIC
• Child and teen checkups
• Family Home health Aide
• Follow Along,
• Babies first
• Home Visitor Program
• Waivered Services
• Health Promotion, disease prevention

Mental Health and Chemical Dependency 

• Mental Health Resources in Rice County

Rice County Housing

Three Rivers Community Action, Inc, 1-800-277-8418

Energy Assistance

Housing grants and Housing Assistance, 1-866-644-4510

(emergency one time loan) 1-866-644-4510

Family Loan Program 1-800-877-6884
This program addresses the needs of families through the availability of loans. The purpose of the program is to provide small loans to low-income parents that will assist them in obtaining and maintaining meaningful employment and in dealing with critical situations that may affect their economic and family stability.  Secondary purposes of the program are to enable recipients to establish a credit history, and to contribute to the borrowers' self-esteem.  

Bridge to Benefits: Applications and eligibility guidelines for financial asssitance programs such as MA, MNCare, Food Assiatnce, Free and Reduced Lunch Program and more.

Crisis Nursery: 507-332-6115 , 1-800-422-1286 Crisis Line

Minnesota Food Assistance Program 507-332-6115

MN Workforce Center 

Ways to Work family loans to get a vehicle 952-985-4050

Culturally Diverse Resources

MN Workforce center 

Social Security
Families in need of Social Security financial programs may now take a benefit eligibility screening test without providing your name or social security number in order to find out if they may be eligible for benefits. BEST is not an application for benefits, only an aid to families to find out if they may be eligible.

Minnesota Help.Info

http://singlemothersgrants.org/  financial assistance programs that help single mothers with rent, utility bills, child care, education, medication, housing, medical bills, and mortgage, among others.

MNET ( Minnesota Non Emergency Transportation Program) 1-866-467-1724

Family Support Network- for child abuse 651-523-0099

MN Disability Law Center 612-332-1441     Free legal advice for persons with Developmental disabilities

United way Beehive connects you to resources in English or Spanish 1-800-543-7709 or 651-291-0211

St. Mary's Health Clinics 651-690-7029 Free health care to those that do not have health insurance or MA/MHCP

Food Program (SNAP) calculators:

www.ndhealth.gov/dhs/ foodstamp calculator.asp

http://www.snap-step1.usda.gov/fns/

Other food support:

• Peace Center New Prague- food shelf, open M, W, F: 9-1, ph.952-758-4688
• Lonsdale Food Shelf Thursdays only
• Ruby's Pantry
• Fare for All
• CAP agency food shelf
• Montgomery Food Shelf 507-364-7321
• LeSueur Emergency Food Shelf 507-665-6441
• Second Harvest Heartland sponsors a free food give away the second Thursday of every month at:  Friendship Church, 17741 Fairlawn Ave, Prior Lake, MN  55372  5:30-7:30 pm.  For more information, call 952-447-8282.
• Loaves and Fishes offers a free evening meal. Church of St. Mark, 350 South Atwood Street, Shakopee, MN 55379 5:30 – 6:30pm Monday, Tuesday and Thursday.  For more information, please visit www.loavesandfishesmn.org or call 612-377-9810.

Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP)
The Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) helps working parents who have lower incomes pay for child care. CCAP is for families with children under age 13 (and under age 15 for children with special needs). To get CCAP, your income has to be below the limits. Parents also have to work or look for work to get CCAP. All families on MFIP (Minnesota Family Investment Program) can get CCAP. Lots of other working parents also get CCAP to help them pay for child care. However, some counties have waiting lists for CCAP, so even if you qualify, you may have to wait to get help.  CCAP is not a free program. All parents have to pay part of the cost of child care each month (a co-payment). CCAP has a sliding fee system that means families that make more money pay more every month than families who make less money. If you get CCAP, you have to find a child care provider who accepts CCAP.

Energy Assistance Program (EAP)
The Energy Assistance Program (EAP) helps people with lower incomes to pay their heating/energy bills during the fall, winter and spring months. EAP agencies around the state take applications for the program and decide how much help each household can get to pay their heating bills. EAP is available to many households with lower incomes, including homeowners and renters. Renters can get help if they pay for their heat separate from their rent, or if their heat is included in their rent but they pay for electricity separately.

Those families with the lowest incomes and the highest cost for energy will get the most help paying their bills. You will get between $100 to $1200 of help. Most families get between $300-$400 (in a year). No matter how much help you get from EAP, you still have to pay the rest of your energy bill every month.

Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)
The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is a federal tax credit. It is mostly for low-income working parents (or others such as grandparents, relatives or foster parents) raising children. If you get it, you will either pay less on your federal income tax, or get a larger refund (money given back to you). Most people who get the EITC get a refund. The largest refund you can get from the EITC during tax year 2006 is $2,747 (if you have one child) or $4,536 (if you have two or more children). The average EITC refund in Minnesota is about $1,700.

Parents (or caregivers) have to be at least 25 years old and under 65 years old to get the EITC. There are also rules about which children count for the EITC. Single adults or couples who are not raising children, but are working can also get a smaller EITC. Lots of people who can get the EITC do not get it because they do not file their taxes. They miss out on money that is meant for them. Click here to learn more about the EITC .

Working Family Credit (WFC)
The Working Family Credit is a Minnesota state tax credit. It is mostly for low-income working parents (or others such as grandparents, relatives or foster parents) raising children. It is a state version of the federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). Most people who get the EITC also get the WFC. If you get the WFC, you will either get a larger refund (money given back to you) or pay less in state taxes. Most people who get the WFC get a refund. The largest refund you can get from the WFC during tax year 2006 is $823 (if you have one child) or $1,587 (if you have two or more children). The average WFC refund is about $536.

Parents (or caregivers) have to be at least 25 years old and under 65 years old to get the WFC. There are also rules about which children count for the WFC. Single adults or couples who are not raising children, but are working can also get a smaller WFC. Lots of people who can get the WFC do not get it, because they do not file their taxes. They miss out on money that is meant for them. Click here to learn more about the WFC .

• Suicide Prevention 1-800-273-8255
• Suicide Prevention Center, 612-347-2222 
• Center for Grief 651-641-0177
• Nat'l Suicide Crisis Number 1-800-suicide (1-800-784-2433) 24 hour line
• Crisis Connection - 612-379-6363

24 hour Adult Mental Health Crisis Line : 1-800-233-9929