Low Income Relief is a free information service that helps low income people across America save money and get free stuff. We connect people with benefits, programs and resources in their local communities (such as food banks and homeless shelters). We also research and report on helpful nationwide, state and local programs that help alleviate poverty (such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Section 8, and more).
How did Low Income Relief begin?
The idea for Low Income Relief began in 2007, when Nicole Thelin’s young family was two weeks away from being homeless. She started spending hours and hours every day at the library with her young son, trying to figure out how they were going to survive.
In Nicole’s own words:
I was desperately searching the Internet for anyone and anything that could help us. It was the first time I encountered words like section 8 and low income apartments. I discovered an abundant number of resources and organizations that would help us get through this time of desperate need. They weren’t always easy to find but they were definitely there.
Nicole’s family secured a low income apartment in Issaquah, Washington, within two weeks. Since they didn’t have money for move-in expenses, they gathered donations and pledges from many local churches and organizations that help with housing expenses.
These included HopeLink, Catholic Community Services, St. Vincent de Paul and the Salvation Army. Together, these agencies helped the family move into the apartment, fill their pantry with life-giving food and more.
In the years that followed, Nicole helped friends and family find help with their needs, too. Whether it’s housing, food, medical coverage, dental care, veterinary expenses, transportation or whatever else, she knew how to help them find what they needed… so she spent a lot of time working up individual resource lists for my friends and family.
Eventually, she realized that she could use my experience as a researcher and writer to help a much larger audience. That’s how Low Income Relief came to be.
Who owns Low Income Relief?
Low Income Relief is still owned by the site’s original creator, Nicole Thelin. She operates this website, as well as many others, under a Utah-based company called The Lighthouse Information Network LLC.
Before registering Low Income Relief in 2013, Nicole worked as a freelancer, a professional researcher and a journalist. Her work has been featured in USA Today, The Daily Herald (Provo, Utah), The Chronicle (Centralia, WA) and other newspapers with major circulation. She has also been featured in eHow.com, Livestrong.com and numerous other online publications. You can learn more about Nicole Thelin’s career on her Linkedin profile.
Who contributes to Low Income Relief?
Low Income Relief is owned and operated by Nicole Thelin. She works with a team of freelancers who contribute research and articles for the website.
The vast majority of people who write content for Low Income Relief have personal experience volunteering with churches, organizations and causes that alleviate poverty in the United States.
Why should I trust Low Income Relief?
Our first and primary goal is to help others. Everyone who submits content for Low Income Relief follows a strict set of guidelines and best practices to ensure that our information is accurate. We also have a dedicated fact-checker who reviews our older content to ensure that it’s accurate and up-to-date.
Who (and how) does Low Income Relief help?
We help by providing factual information about low income benefits, programs and resources around the United States. Our audience is very diverse, and includes seniors, young families, single mothers, disabled veterans and more.
You don’t have to take our word for it, though! Our readers will tell you how much we’ve helped them in their own words. Check out our review page for details.
How does Low Income Relief make money?
This is a question that we’re often asked. Low Income Relief makes money through the use of display advertising and affiliate programs. We partner with some excellent brands, such as Ibotta and Amazon, who offer products and discounts that benefit with low income families.
Got other questions?
If you have other questions about our service, please ask them in the comments below. We’re happy to answer!