Kathleen Bottagaro is the Manager of Research and Partnerships at MyFriendBen . They’ve answered some questions below to help librarians around Colorado learn about their organization, agency, and/or services.
Below, you’ll learn about MyFriendBen and their potential to help you serve your community. In addition, at the end of this post we’ve included some of their resources for you to view and/or use.
Tell us who you are and what you do for MyFriendBen.
I’m Kathleen Bottagaro, the Manager of Research and Partnerships for MyFriendBen. In 6 minutes, a household can use MyFriendBen to screen for eligibility across valuable benefits like housing, food and child care. In my role, I focus on building collaborative relationships with organizations like libraries to expand our reach and impact within communities across Colorado. I also research each benefit program to inform accuracy of our estimates. We try to update MyFriendBen weekly, so we’re always making the tool easier to use and striving to keep our estimates accurate.
How can a library use MyFriendBen to offer resources or programming to the local community of library visitors and users?
Libraries are vital community hubs, serving a diverse population with a wide range of needs and interests. They’re trusted sources for information, connection and discovery. Because community members know to come to the library for information, sharing MyFriendBen with your visitors means that you will be sharing information about 40+ government benefits, tax credits and immediate need resources, like diapers and groceries. We know that people come to the library seeking information, and MyFriendBen is a quick and easy way to share customized information about the services and programs available to each library visitor.
Note: Find the MyFriendBen libraries flyer (English and Spanish) on the Adult Library Services webpage of the Colorado State Library. Download the PDF to print or use online.
What needs or challenges can MyFriendBen help libraries address for their communities?
Libraries often help individuals find information about their communities. MyFriendBen is a tool that library staff can use to help visitors learn more about the benefits they may be eligible to receive as well as the estimated dollar value of those benefits and the time it will take to apply. Getting help shouldn’t be hard, and MyFriendBen is there to act as a guide to help folks make a plan before they apply.
What regions – cities, counties, areas – of Colorado does your organization reach?
MyFriendBen is available at no cost to everyone in Colorado!
Does MyFriendBen cost any money?
MyFriendBen is free to use, and we will also work with partner organizations to co-brand MyFriendBen and promote the tool to their community.
Do libraries have to provide any staff, volunteers, or training in order to run your programs or guide community members in the use of MyFriendBen?
No, libraries do not need to dedicate any staff time to using MyFriendBen. We recommend that if you have a library social worker or community engagement specialist, this person would be a good internal champion for MyFriendBen to make sure that you’re consistently sharing the tool with library visitors throughout the year and throughout all of the library’s programming.
What support can you offer libraries to help them access additional resources or funding to bring MyFriendBen to their library?
We can provide materials, like flyers, to help you share MyFriendBen with your visitors. If you’re interested in a deeper partnership with the opportunity to track data about your community’s needs, we can co-brand MyFriendBen and help you integrate it onto your website or on the computers at your library. We also love to hear what other people think might work, so if you have an idea that we haven’t considered then please let us know.
Let’s say one of our librarians, directors, or staff contact you and says, “We want to bring MyFriendBen to our community!” What will the next step look like?
That’s great! The first step would be to schedule a call to discuss your specific needs and interests. We would then explore potential program options, resources, and timelines. We would work collaboratively to develop a plan that aligns with the library’s goals and community needs. This would include discussing logistics and public awareness evaluation. We’re committed to making the process as smooth and collaborative as possible. To get started, email hello@myfriendben.org.
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