Finding balance between work, school, and life can be a challenge. Figuring out how to pay tuition, along with the rising cost of living and unexpected financial crisis, can derail you from your college and career goals. At the Benefits Hub, you can find the help you need regarding any of the many obstacles which may arise during your time as a student. With a three-step system of “getting by” through connecting you to emergency assistance and income supports, “getting ahead” by creating and building savings, and “staying ahead” by building financial plans for the future, the Benefits Hub supports you along the entire process.
The goal of the Benefits Hub is to help students graduate from college and to intercede in any kind of emergency they might experience which would cause them to drop out of school. For example, a student’s car could break down and they don’t have the money to pay for repairs, preventing them from being able to commute to school. If the student applies for equity on the Edquity app and is qualified for aid, they can receive the money to pay for the repairs and continue to come to school. Financial coach, Elizabeth Kole, explained to me that the Benefits Hub has also helped students pay for car insurance, allowing them to drive their cars to campus safely. Along with helping provide financial assistance for emergencies, the Benefits Hub also works to connect students as needed to other organizations like SNAP and EBT. While the Benefits Hub can’t determine whether a student is qualified for assistance from these outside organizations, they can walk with the student through the entire application process and be a helpful resource. Some recent additions to the Benefits Hub are the Rental Assistance Program and a partnership with DoorDash. As a part of the Rental Assistance Program, qualifying students may be eligible to receive one month of back pay for their rent or mortgage. The partnership with DoorDash means you can sign up for a free bag of groceries to be delivered to your door weekly. Even students who don’t need financial assistance can still find valuable resources through the Benefits Hub, like financial coaching and tax preparation.
The Benefits Hub is now operating remotely, but it’s super easy to sign up for a free counseling appointment to get all your questions answered. To see if you may qualify for assistance from the Benefits Hub and sign up for appointments, visit here.
