Government Benefits & Savings
Resources
Helpful Resources You May Qualify For
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Poverty Guidelines
The below guidelines are at the 100% Poverty Guideline per the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty-guidelines
Medical Insurance
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Medicaid
Medicaid is a state/federal program that pays for medical services for low-income pregnant women, children, individuals who are elderly or have a disability, parents and women with breast or cervical cancer. Medicaid
is a program that covers medical expenses for certain groups of people who have limited income and resources. https://medicaid.utah.gov/
CHIP
The Children’s Health Insurance Program, or CHIP, is a state health insurance plan for uninsured Utah kids and teens. https://chip.health.utah.gov/
Food and Nutrition Assistance
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WIC (Women, Infants, and Children)
WIC is a great resource for pregnant and new moms. The WIC program offers nutrition services and breastfeeding support, as well as food for pregnant women, new mothers, babies and children until they are 5-years-old. WIC benefits offer items like yogurt, milk, eggs, whole wheat pasta, juice, peanut butter, and fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as many other healthy foods. You can apply for WIC online at https://wic.utah.gov/about/apply/ or call the St. George office to set up an appointment at (435) 986-2555.
Food Stamps (SNAP) *HPSP Doesn’t Qualify*
SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) offers nutrition assistance to low-income people and families to supplement their budget so they can buy healthy food. If you qualify for SNAP, you will receive an EBT card (similar to a Debit Card) with your benefits and it will be reloaded monthly. You can use these benefits at various grocery stores and farmers markets to purchase groceries.
To get SNAP benefits, you must apply for Utah snap. This can be done at jobs.utah.gov/mycase. For more information regarding the qualifications, you can visit https://www.benefits.gov/benefit/1590
Other EBT Card Benefits as of 2022 (Must show EBT card and ID):
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St George Children's Museum, up to 5 people FREE admission.
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Thanksgiving Point’s five venues for a fee of $3 per person per adult per venue, Has to be in-person purchase. Dependent children (ages 3-12) are free. Valid for 6 guests total (Adults and children ages 3-12 included in guest count). Only valid during regular hours, Monday-Saturday.
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Amazon Prime EBT discount membership, as well as EBT accepted at Amazon pantry.
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Affordable Connectivity Program: The program provides households with a $30 discount on their internet service each month
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Federal Lifeline Program: helps to lower the monthly cost of phone and internet service. Eligible customers will get at least $9.25 toward their monthly bill. You can only use Lifeline for either phone or internet service, but not both. (Only works with certain providers)
Program Assistance
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HEAT/WATER Program *HPSP Doesn’t Qualify*
Federally-funded energy assistance programs that assist with costs of energy during the winter and summer.
The HEAT (Home Energy Assistance Target) and WATER programs, are a federally-funded energy assistance program. The goal of the program is to assist eligible individuals and families meet the higher costs of energy during the winter and summer. The program typically runs from November 1 through September 30. You can apply online at https://jobs.utah.gov/mycase/web/heat/app or visit fivecountyheat.org for more information.
Housing Assistance *HPSP Doesn’t Qualify*
The mission of the St. George Housing Authority is to assist low-income families with safe, decent and affordable housing opportunities as they strive to achieve self-sufficiency and improve the quality of their lives. The Housing Authority is committed to operating in an efficient, ethical and professional manner. We will also partner with our residents and others to enhance the quality of life in our communities. http://stgeorgehousingauthority.org/index.html
EITC Earned Income Tax Credit *HPSP Doesn’t Qualify*
The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is a refundable tax credit for people who work but do not have high incomes. Essentially, in order for someone to receive this credit at tax time, they have to have worked and they must file a federal tax return (even if they are not required to file).
Childcare​​
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Head Start
Head Start is a Federal program that promotes the school readiness of children from birth to age five from low-income families by enhancing their cognitive, social, and emotional development. Head Start programs provide a learning environment that supports children's growth in many areas such as language, literacy, and social and emotional development. Head Start emphasizes the role of parents as their child's first and most important teacher. These programs help build relationships with families that support family well-being and many other important areas.
• Many Head Start programs also provide Early Head Start, which serves infants, toddlers, and pregnant women and their families who have incomes below the Federal poverty level.
Child Care Assistance
Child Care assistance programs help parents cover the cost of child care. Once approved for Child Care, the payment is sent directly to the provider selected by the parent.
https://jobs.utah.gov/customereducation/services/childcare/index.html
Other Options​​
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Switchpoint (This is a great resource for HPSP members who don’t qualify for EBT)
All their services are free and open to the public. They have many resources for different areas of help. We focus on the food aspect: If you are in need of emergency food assistance, please visit them during their pantry hours, they also have a community garden. At the pantry, you will have the opportunity to meet with their pantry counselors to *assess your situation and review your budget. You must fall within the federal poverty guidelines. https://switchpointcrc.org/services-we-offer/
Doctors Volunteer Clinic
The Doctors’ Volunteer Clinic (DVC) is a non-profit, non-government healthcare organization that provides access to affordable health services for the uninsured, underinsured and low-income in Southern Utah by acting as a safety net of services that include primary medical care, mental health services, and dental care. https://www.volunteerclinic.org/
Mental Health
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WellConnect
To access free, confidential, and professional mental health services off-campus, call WellConnect at 866-640-4777 at any time 24/7. Students can speak to a mental health professional for in-the-moment support for acute distress or to discuss any variety of concerns, including but not limited to: stress associated with school, learning how to balance work and personal life, housing concerns, food assistance, health coaching, parenting advice, childcare matters, legal concerns, and financial matters. All RVU Students and their household members can access 3 free counseling sessions per concern.
https://wellconnect.personaladvantage.com/
School Code: RVU
For behavioral health emergencies, 24/7 support can be accessed by calling WellConnect 866-640-4777. Calling the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-8255, texting HELP to Crisis Textline 741-741, calling the Trevor Project LGBTQ hotline 1-866-488-7386, calling 911, or visiting your nearest emergency room. During business hours, your RVU Mental Health & Wellness Counselor is also available for crisis intervention by calling (435) 222-1257.
Faculty and Staff can call the FAST line if they are concerned about a student 844-208-7070. You are also encouraged to complete the iNet form - https://inet.rvu.edu/concern/. (Must use STUDENTS login)
Money Saving Apps
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Mint APP
Reach your goals with personalized insights, custom budgets, spend tracking, and subscription monitoring - All for FREE.
Fetch App
The Fetch App is a great way to earn cash back in various forms. Scan your receipts into the app to earn points and redeem the points for gift cards and other rewards. Big retailer gift cards include: Amazon, Target, Best Buy, etc.
Discounts Around St George
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Dixie Direct
Dixie Direct is similar to the Starving Student Card. It is a coupon book that can be purchased for $25. You can get free food, buy-one-get-one free and half off deals, and various other discounts and services here in St. George and the surrounding areas. Dixie Direct can be purchased at
https://www.dixiedirectcard.com/product/dixie-direct-savings-guide/.
Starving Student Card
The Starving Student Card is a great way to save money in St. George and the surrounding areas. You can purchase the card for $30 a year and you can get free entry into local pools, free food deals, many other buy-one-get-one deals, and so much more. The Starving Student Card can be purchased at https://sscdeals.com.
Discount Tuesday Movies - Megaplex
If you love movies, you will love $5 movie Tuesdays. All Megaplex theaters offer $5 movies every Tuesday, including popcorn for $1.
Tri-Pack Pass Annual Membership
Gets you into St George Rec Center, City pool, AND Sand Hollow Aquatic Center. Their swimming pools, classes, gyms, and daycares are all included in this pass. https://www.sgcity.org/sandhollowaquaticcenter/sandhollowaquaticcentermembershipsandreservations