North Dakotans Facing Hardships Can Shape Future of Support Programs

(Adobe Stock via Prairie News Service)

(By Mike Moen. Prairie News Service) – North Dakota’s poverty-fighting network said in order to have strong support programs, it needs input from community members in all of the state’s counties. The latest needs assessment survey is now available online, giving households a chance to report their top challenges.

The Community Action Partnership of North Dakota works with researchers at North Dakota State University to get the survey out every three years.

Andrea Olson, executive director of the partnership, said since 2020, affordable housing has topped the list, and she does not expect it to change this time around. With pandemic aid long gone, regional offices are getting a lot of calls about rental assistance.

Olson pointed out affected populations include people with fairly stable incomes.