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Tim Lytle, Director of Business Development, Single Stop
The Hidden Gap in Public Benefits
Today, Americans are facing unprecedented economic pressures. From soaring education costs to rising utility bills and healthcare expenses, coupled with a struggling job market and a government shutdown, families across the country are stretched thinner than ever.
Yet, despite this growing need, roughly $140 billion in public benefits go unclaimed each year, leaving countless households disconnected from critical support. On LIHEAP alone, 80% of eligible households miss out on energy assistance annually.
Why Low-Income Families Fall Through the Cracks
The primary barriers are awareness, accessibility, and time. Navigating public aid programs can feel impossible. Completing lengthy forms, attending in-person appointments, and gathering the necessary documentation can take hours–or even days. For families juggling jobs, school schedules, and caregiving responsibilities, time is often the biggest barrier.
Even caseworkers must sift through layers of rules and regulations. Lost paperwork and overlapping requirements make it nearly impossible for individuals to understand all available support. On top of that if you are trying to navigate the complex systems by yourself, it’s nearly impossible to understand all that is available to you out there. Put simply: you don’t know what you don’t know.
Applying to benefits requires an understanding of knowing where to look, what to submit, and above all our most valuable resource: time.
Adding to the frustration, many programs ask for the same information again and again, making you wonder why a single, streamlined platform hasn’t existed for benefits eligibility.
The good news is that same one-stop solution does exist for public assistance programs. It’s called Single Stop.
Bridging the Gap with Single Stop
Single Stop is a national nonprofit using technology to make benefit screening and access simpler and more equitable. It functions as a “one-stop shop” for public aid. By combining innovative technology with strong partnerships, Single Stop ensures that vital resources—like utility assistance—are accessible to everyone, regardless of income, location, or familiarity with the system.
Here’s how it works: users answer a few quick questions, which instantly generate a personalized list of programs they qualify for, including help with energy bills. They can immediately see potential annual savings, including assistance with utilities, and access to step-by-step application guides. An interactive map highlights nearby resources, making it easy to navigate local services without guesswork.
By centralizing program data in one platform, Single Stop reduces the inequities caused by fragmented systems, making it easier for low-income households to discover and claim benefits.
The Impact in Numbers
The proof of Single Stop’s success is in the numbers.
A crucial part of this success lies in the partnerships. Single Stop has solidified its position as the nation’s go-to platform for benefits assistance, not as the hero but as the orchestrator. Empowering partners—the true changemakers—Single Stop facilitates transformative support through strategic alliances, technological advancements, and automation.
Single Stop partners with major utility companies like Pepco Holdings, Baltimore Gas and Electric, and EPCOR, which helped its customers access over $100 million in benefits in 2024 alone.
By combining smart technology with utility partnerships, Single Stop reduces the barriers that often prevent households from receiving support, ensuring fair and equitable access to essential energy resources.
Creating a Future of Accessible Support
By removing barriers and streamlining access, Single Stop’s public benefits screening platform is transforming the way Americans connect with the support they need – helping families achieve financial stability and peace of mind.
