The Benefit Bank

August 13, 2005 9:50 AM

The Benefit Bank is a project which uses technology to improve the lives of low income Americans. Through the use of software and trained volunteers the program allows the needy to fill out one application which can be generated to receive assistance from a wide range of public and private resources. During stops in the South this week the Congressional Black Caucus Institute and National Council Of Churches sought volunteers and partners to help expand the program. The program has so far been opened in 48 sites in Pennsylvania, Florida, and Kansas including ACORN Housing, Jewish Employment and Vocational Service, and Germantown Avenue Crisis Ministry.
posted by robliberal (4 comments total)

If nobody else is going to comment on this post - which clearly shows how us evil liberals are using technology and private efforts to make people's lives better while the 'compassionate conservatives' are spending all their moral capital protecting the brain dead (who do, after all, consistantly vote Republican) - then I'm going to have to:

At first, I read the poster's name as "roboliberal". Silly me.
posted by wendell at 11:41 AM on August 13, 2005

Odd lack of comments here. I don't see any private resources in the list of benefits:

Food Stamps, State Children’s Health Insurance Plan (including coverage for parents), Child Care Subsidy, Medicaid, Pharmaceutical Coverage for the Elderly, Low-Income Home Energy Assistance (LIHEAP), and Voter Registration.

I like that they do voter registration, even though the benefit of that is far less immediate and tangible than the rest of the list.
posted by scottreynen at 2:22 PM on August 13, 2005

Excellent idea! But will it get to all those who need help? It has to be everywhere that people are already going to (food banks and soup kitchens, shelters, welfare offices, etc) to be effective tho.
posted by amberglow at 3:35 PM on August 13, 2005

The include patient assitance programs of drug companies as one of the private resources. That is potentially a huge benefit for those who are not aware of how to obtain drugs in that manner.

I don't see any private resources in the list of benefits
posted by robliberal at 3:55 PM on August 13, 2005