Student Services » Student Basic Needs Resources

Student Basic Needs & Support

This site provides listings for campus and community resources that help support basic needs.

Northland is committed to providing excellent educational opportunities to the communities it serves. We recognize basic needs — including things like food, housing and transportation — can have a direct impact on the well-being and success of our students. To assist our community in meeting these needs, we’ve compiled the resources below. This page is meant to help connect students and their families to basic needs information and resources, and it will be revised when appropriate and evolve as necessary.

Student Basic Needs Resources

Food insecurity, child care, health and wellness, mental health, and others are examples of resources you'll find in the directory.

Browse by...

Child Care + Parenting

Tri-Valley Opportunity Council Head Start

Website: https://www.tvoc.org/services/head-start/

ND Child Care Assistance

Website: https://ndchildcare.org/about/regional-contacts.html

Grand Forks County Head Start

Website: https://www.gfschools.org/headstart

Grand Forks YMCA Child Care Center

Website: http://www.gfymca.org/youth-development/child-care/

Phone: 701-775-2586

Financial Assistance

MN Department of Human Services Economic Support

Website: https://mn.gov/dhs/partners-and-providers/program-overviews/economic-supports-cash-food/

MN WIC Program

Website: https://www.health.state.mn.us/people/wic/

Phone: 800-657-3942

ND WIC Program

Website: https://www.health.nd.gov/prevention/wic

National WIC Program registry

Website: https://www.wicprograms.org/

Inter-County Community Council

Weatherization, Energy Assistance, Food Support, Head Start

Website: https://intercountycc.org/

Phone: 888-778-4008

Northland Financial Aid Office

Website: http://www.northlandcollege.edu/admissions/financial-aid/

Food Support

SNAP Food Benefits

  • Polk County Human Services: 218-281-3127
  • Pennington County Human Services: 218-681-2880
  • Marshall County Human Services: 218-745-5124
  • Red Lake County Social Services: 218-253-4131
  • Grand Forks Human Service Region: 701-787-8535 or https://www.applyforhelp.nd.gov/

Local Food Pantries

Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Program

Health Coverage

Inter-County Community Council

Website: https://intercountycc.org/services/health-insurance/

Phone: 218-796-5144

Polk County Public Health

East Grand Forks campus students.

Website: https://www.co.polk.mn.us/191/Public-Health

Phone: 218-281-3385

Intercounty Nursing

Thief River Falls campus students.

Website: https://www.intercountynursingservice.com/

Phone: 218-681-0876

Spectra Health

East Grand Forks campus students.

Website: https://spectrahealth.org/about/

Email: info@spectrahealth.org

Phone: 701-757-2100

ND Health and Medicaid Enrollment

Website: https://www.nd.gov/dhs/services/medicalserv/index.html

Phone: 701-787-8535

Healthcare Marketplace

Website: https://www.healthcare.gov/young-adults/college-students/

Housing + Utilities

Northland Foundation Housing

Thief River Falls campus students.

Website: http://www.northlandcollege.edu/campus-life/housing/apply.php

Housing and Urban Development Resource Guide

Website: https://resources.hud.gov/

Red River Valley Community Action Housing Programs

Website: https://rrvca.com/housing-programs/

NW MN Multi-County Housing Authority

Website: http://www.nwmnhra.org/

Phone: 218-637-2431

North Dakota Human Services Rental Support

Website: https://ndhousingstability.servicenowservices.com/nd_rent_help

MN Housing Benefits 101

Website: https://mn.hb101.org/

Legal Resources

Legal Services of Northwest Minnesota

  • Alexandria: 320-762-0663
  • Moorhead: 218-233-8585
  • Bemidji: 218-751-9201

Website: https://lsnmlaw.org/

Legal Services of North Dakota

Website: http://www.legalassist.org/

Phone: 800-634-5263 (under age 60)

Phone: 866-621-9886 (over age 60)

Minnesota Department of Human Rights

Website: https://mn.gov/mdhr/about/contact/

Phone: 800-657-3704

Violence Intervention Project (VIP)

Website: https://www.violenceintervention.org/learn-more/contact-us-locations/

Phone: 218-681-5557

Grand Forks Community Violence Intervention Center

Website: https://www.cviconline.org/contact-us/

24-Hour Crisis Line: 701-746-8900

Mental Health Resources

Crisis Text Line

Text HOME to 741741

Local 24 Hour Crisis Line

Phone: 800-282-5005

Northland Counselors

  • Kelsy Blowers (TRF): 218-683-8543 or kelsy.blowers@northlandcollege.edu
  • Shelley Cervantes (EGF): 218-793-2401 or shelley.cervantes@northlandcollege.edu

LearnToLive

Website: https://www.learntolive.com/partners?code=NORTHLAND

Northland Telepsychiatry

Please speak to a Northland Counselor for a referral.

CDC Self-Care Hub

Website: https://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/stress-coping/care-for-yourself/index.html

National Veteran’s Crisis Line

Website: https://www.veteranscrisisline.net/

Phone: 800-273-8255 (press 1 for immediate assistance)

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

Website: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

Phone: 800-273-8255

Technology Access Support

Internet Essentials via ComCast

Website: https://apply.internetessentials.com/

MN Computers for Lifelong Learners Application

Website: https://mncfs.org/about/our-work/lifelong-learners

Midco Broadband and Lifeline Connection

Website: https://www.midco.com/internet-assistance/

PCSforPeople.org

Low-cost internet access and refurbished laptops.

Website: https://www.pcsforpeople.org/eligibility/

MN Office of Broadband Development

Access for rural populations to broadband internet.

Website: https://mn.gov/deed/programs-services/broadband/financial-assistance/

ND Simply Internet via CenturyLink

Website: https://www.centurylink.com/local/nd

Northland IT Support

Website: https://www.northlandcollege.edu/about-northland/offices/technology/

Minnesota State IT Support

Website: https://www.minnstate.edu/online/studentservices.html

Transportation

Greater Grand Forks Transit

Tickets available FREE at front desk for East Grand Forks campus students.

Website: https://www.grandforksgov.com/government/city-departments/cities-area-transit-cat/cat-serves-northland

Tri-Valley Transportation

For Thief River Falls campus students.

Website: https://www.tvoc.org/services/transportation/

Phone: 218-681-6760

Work + Employment

Northland Virtual Career Center

Website: https://www.northlandcollege.edu/services/placement/

Northland Career Opportunities Webpage

Website: https://www.northlandcollege.edu/services/placement/jobs/

CAREERwise In-Demand Jobs

Website: http://careerwise.minnstate.edu/info/regional.html

Minnesota State Career Exploration Hub

Website: https://minnstate.edu/careerexploration/index.html

State of MN Internship Opportunities

Website: https://mn.gov/mmb/careers/search-for-jobs/interns-and-student-workers/

Inter-County Community Council (Employment and Training)

Website: https://intercountycc.org/services/employment-training/

North Dakota Job Services

Website: https://www.jobsnd.com/

Grand Forks County: 701-795-3700

ND Statewide: 701-328-2825

We are here to help!

If you are in need of Basic Need's support services please contact us.

Jason Pangiarella
Success Coordinator/Advisor
E: jason.pangiarella@northlandcollege.edu
P: (218) 683-8548

If you are in crisis, please use one of the numbers below. If it is an emergency, call 911.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

1-800-273-TALK (8255)

The Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals.

State Mobile Crisis Services

Every county in Minnesota provides Mobile Crisis Services for both children and adults that may be experiencing suicidal feelings or mental health crisis. Crisis services are available within each county 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. County crisis teams are available for phone support as well as in-person crisis help.

Crisis Text Line

Text MN to 741741

The Crisis Text Line provides free crisis support 24/7 for any crisis.