Single Stop is a
nonprofit organization
A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...
that fosters
economic mobility
Economic mobility is the ability of an individual, family or some other group to improve (or lower) their economic status—usually measured in income. Economic mobility is often measured by movement between income quintiles. Economic mobility ...
and financial stability in the U.S. by connecting people through a coordinated "one-stop shop" platform that links individuals to a comprehensive array of federal, state, and local benefits and resources.
History
Founded by
Elisabeth Mason as a national nonprofit in 2007, Single Stop grew out of a
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
-based initiative of the
Robin Hood Foundation
The Robin Hood Foundation is a charitable organization which attempts to alleviate problems caused by poverty in New York City. The organization also administers a relief fund for disasters in the New York City area. In 2010, a key supporter gave ...
to reduce poverty and build
economic security
Economic security or financial security is the condition of having stable income or other resources to support a standard of living now and in the foreseeable future. It includes:
* probable continued solvency
* predictability of the future cash fl ...
for individuals and families by increasing their access to public benefits and financial, legal, and tax services.
In January 2016, Christy Reeves succeeded
Elisabeth Mason as CEO of Single Stop.
In November 2021, Martin Hanna became the president and CEO of Single Stop.
Approach
Single Stop provides its services within organizations who serve a population of Americans, such as
food pantries, schools, and health centers. Staff is trained to screen individuals for the benefits and services for which they may be eligible as well as provide assistance in accessing those resources.
Single Stop's initiatives focus on creating financial stability for such specific low-income populations as
community college
A community college is a type of educational institution. The term can have different meanings in different countries: many community colleges have an "open enrollment" for students who have graduated from high school (also known as senior sec ...
students and veterans. On campus, Single Stop assists community colleges in retaining students through completion, thus reducing dropout rates and increasing students’ future income.
[Daugherty, L., On, W. R. J., & Tsai, T. (2016)]
''Connecting college students to alternative sources of support: The Single Stop Community College Initiative and Postsecondary Outcomes''.
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Technology
Single Stop is an online screening tool that can quickly link students to federal, state, and local aid, with questions about household size, income, and location.
Benefit Screener
Upon completing the benefit screener, clients are immediately given an estimate of how much aid they’re eligible to receive for programs like the Affordable Connectivity Program.
Community Resources
The platform streamlines the process of connecting clients with services, addressing fundamental needs such as food access, education, healthcare, financial assistance, housing security, and tax preparation. Users can directly contact recommended benefit providers through the application.
Impact and Efficacy
Single Stop's services have been shown to positively impact student retention, academic performance, and persistence rates in external studies conducted by Metis Associates and The RAND Corporation. These studies provide evidence that Single Stop helps educational institutions improve student success, particularly among subgroups such as students of color, low-income students, and first-generation college students.
Citations
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References
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Non-profit organizations based in the United States