In uncertain times, people turn to sources they trust for accurate, timely information. GovBenefits.gov is celebrating its 7th anniversary as that trusted source for millions of Americans. With over 1,000 Federal benefit and assistance programs, GovBenefits.gov provides valuable benefit information when you need it.

President Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act into law on February 17, 2009. This law will have a major impact on many benefit and assistance programs. As programs on GovBenefits.gov are affected by this legislation, we are prepared to make updates and keep you informed.

How can you keep up with these important changes to GovBenefits.gov?

Sign up for our email subscription service and receive the latest information on the benefits that matter most to you. Over 100,000 Americans are already receiving custom email updates. Look for the “Subscribe to email updates” link on any program description page and click to enter your email address; you will be notified of any future changes to that page.

This is a difficult time in our nation’s history, full of concern and doubt, but also great possibility. Check back often to see the latest in new benefit and assistance program information. GovBenefits.gov is here to help!

Closing the gap in health insurance coverage for children just got a shot in the arm – thanks to increased funding for the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).

As millions of American workers are laid off and lose their family health insurance, more and more children are left without medical coverage. SCHIP provides health coverage to uninsured children whose families earn too much to qualify for Medicaid but too little to afford private coverage.

GovBenefits.gov can help you and your family find healthcare benefits that meet your needs. You’ll want to review GovBenefits.gov’s main SCHIP program description for basic information. Then you’ll need to check with your individual State for specific eligibility requirements. Try one of the following options:

• Visit InsureKidsNow.gov and select your State from the drop-down menu.
• Select your State on the GovBenefits.gov State Benefits map for a complete list of benefit programs, including SCHIP.

It’s a good time to stay up to date on SCHIP eligibility requirements and program descriptions. Simply click “Subscribe to updates” in the right corner of GovBenefits.gov’s SCHIP “Benefit Details” page and receive email alerts when program information changes.

Make tax season a bit easier this year. Turn to GovBenefits.gov and review the 14 tax assistance programs featured on the site. Your individual circumstances may qualify you for special deductions and credits, or tax preparation assistance.

Here are just a few of the programs you’ll find on GovBenefits.gov.

Armed Forces Tax Benefits provide tax information or preparation assistance to taxpayers in active military service for 24 months or longer. This program also offers tax credit or relief for special tax situations, such as combat zone related tax forgiveness.

Are you responsible for one or more school age children or other dependents? The Child and Dependent Care Credit may reduce your Federal income tax by claiming a credit for dependent care expenses. Dependents are those who rely on you for support and can include qualifying parents or relatives.

Are you a community advocate who works with low income individuals or persons for whom English is a second language? The Low Income Taxpayer Clinic is specifically designed to assist those in controversies with the IRS, or those who need help understanding their tax rights and responsibilities.

Explore GovBenefits.gov. On the homepage, use the “Benefits Quick Search” menu to select “Tax Assistance” and click the “Go” button for a complete list of tax-related programs. Here are a few additional programs that may be of interest: Tax Counseling for the Elderly, Tax Benefits for Education and Farmer's Tax Guide.

The Internal Revenue Service also offers in-depth tax information for individuals on the agency’s website.

Let GovBenefits.gov help you discover information on Federal benefits affected by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Expanded funding may allow more citizens to qualify for benefits or could increase the amount of aid for current recipients. Be on the lookout for updates on GovBenefits.gov or use contact information on each “Benefit Details” page to monitor programs of interest to you.

A wide variety of assistance categories will receive increased funding, including:

Housing The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), will receive over $13 billion in increased funds. HUD will use 75% of this to fund tasks such as creating energy efficient homes and generating jobs.

Food/Nutrition The U.S. Department of Agriculture, which provides many food and nutritional services, will receive $19.7 billion. This funding will help food banks, food stamps and women, infants and children (WIC) special nutrition programs.

Healthcare Across the country, $59 billion will be spent on health benefits, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

GovBenefits.gov provides a description of each benefit program, lists the eligibility requirements and gives you contact information so you can begin applying right away. If you’re uncertain which benefits fit your needs, GovBenefits.gov can help your search with the following tools:

1. Keyword Search. Search by keyword at the top of every GovBenefits.gov webpage. Type in the name of a program and click “Search.”
2. Browse By Category. Select a category that best describes you (e.g. Farmer, Unemployed) or the benefit category of interest (e.g. Healthcare, Social Security).
3. Questionnaire. Take the GovBenefits.gov Questionnaire for a list of benefits tailored to your needs.

GovBenefits.gov wants to help you stay connected with Federal programs that offer assistance. For more information on programs that are receiving increased funding, visit Recovery.gov.

Whether you are unemployed, about to become unemployed, or just want to keep your options open, GovBenefits.gov can help.

The following benefit and assistance programs can help you search for a job, build your skills and pay certain bills between jobs.

• Employment and Training Assistance helps individuals look for a job or develop work skills. Services include referral and placement assistance, job market information and skill assessments.
• The U.S. Department of Labor’s One-Stop Career Centers are designed to help job seekers obtain employment and training services to enhance their careers. Services include assistance with applying for unemployment insurance, career counseling and job search and placement assistance.
• Unemployment Insurance provides temporary financial assistance to workers who are unemployed through no fault of their own, and who meet eligibility requirements established by state laws.
• Job Opportunities for Low-Income Individuals (JOLI) is for people receiving or eligible to receive Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. JOLI helps low-income individuals pursue self-employment, new business ventures or expand their existing businesses.
• Temporary Assistance for Needy Families helps needy families reduce welfare dependency by promoting job preparation, work and marriage.

You may be eligible for other benefit and assistance programs featured on GovBenefits.gov. Our confidential questionnaire will help you identify appropriate programs based on your specific needs. Just click “Start Here” on the GovBenefits.gov homepage.

GovBenefits.gov is committed to keeping citizens up to date on benefit and assistance programs. Ongoing outreach activities include participating in events, mailings to key citizen groups and working with the media. Check out the following activities.

2009 Project Management Excellence Award
The Government Information Technology Executive Council recognized GovBenefits.gov with its Team Award for exemplifying outstanding project management excellence in the award category of Collaborative Government/Web 2.0 Vision. GovBenefits.gov was recognized for the launch of the Social Security Administration’s Benefit Eligibility Screening Tool (BEST), a tool which screens citizens for Social Security programs. Implementing GovBenefits.gov’s search capabilities, pre-screening technology and program database eliminates redundancy, saves resources and reduces citizen effort.

The Link to GovBenefits.gov Campaign
GovBenefits.gov is making it easier for citizens to access benefit information. The team recently invited 18,000 organizations and individuals to place GovBenefits.gov links on their websites. For complete linking instructions, visit the Link to GovBenefits.gov page.

Email Subscription Service Usage
Visitors to GovBenefits.gov can now make sure they receive the latest information on specific programs. Click on “Subscribe to updates” on the homepage and check the programs you want to follow. More than 100,000 subscribers are getting the latest benefit and assistance updates. Since May 2008, more than 3.2 million emails have been sent notifying subscribers that content of interest was updated on the site.

Connecting with the GovBenefits.gov Connection
Over 28,000 citizens are reading this eNewsletter along with you, up 25% from the January eNewsletter! This readership reflects a growing interest in using GovBenefits.gov as the go-to resource for benefit and assistance information.

Various publications recently spotlighted GovBenefits.gov as a valuable resource for citizens. To read the full story, click on the article titles below.

Beware Schemes Promising Economic Stimulus Money, Better Business Bureau Warns
Wall Street Journal Online
The Better Business Bureau warns against schemes promising stimulus money and recommends that citizens visit www.GovBenefits.gov, and other government websites, for the most accurate information on legitimate government programs.

GovBenefits.gov: E-government Vision Realized
Government Computer News
Former Department of Labor Assistant Secretary Patrick Pizzella recounts how GovBenefits.gov, a program to connect citizens with government benefits, has become a model for E-government.

A Jump Start For Head Start: On the Ropes, Program Buoyed by New Funding
The Republican-Herald (Pennsylvania)
With increasing concerns about diminishing public funding, local governments are striving to preserve integral resources like community Head Start programs. The Obama administration’s stimulus plan has earmarked funds for such programs. GovBenefits.gov can help keep you informed on program changes.

Help Available to Pay Winter Heating Bills
The Reporter (Wisconsin)
The 2009 budget for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) has nearly doubled since last year. If you need help paying energy bills, visit GovBenefits.gov and select “Energy Assistance” from the “Benefits Quick Search” menu on the homepage.