MyFriendBen and United Way 211 Launch in Kansas and Missouri

Six, free, confidential minutes help families find assistance they qualify for food, housing, healthcare and more – making it easy to get the help they need to make ends meet

KANSAS CITY, MO and DENVER, CO — October 22, 2026 — MyFriendBen, the nonprofit civic tech company making it easier for families to find and access public benefits and tax credits, today announced its launch in Kansas and Missouri through a partnership with United Way of Greater Kansas City’s 211 service. Made possible by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, the expansion helps families identify assistance they may qualify for, but have difficulty finding. Every year, hundreds of millions of benefits and tax credits go unclaimed in Kansas and Missouri while families across both states are struggling.

Public benefits can help families afford essentials like food, housing and healthcare, but navigating eligibility rules and applications can be complicated. MyFriendBen brings that information together in one place, making it easy for people to understand their options and take the next step. People answer a short questionnaire, and MyFriendBen gives them a personalized report with which programs they likely qualify for, the estimated dollar value of each, how long each application takes, and what to do next.

“Every day, our 211 team helps neighbors through a crisis — a utility shutoff, a rent payment that exceeds their bank balance and so much more,” said Todd Jordan, Vice President of Community Impact at United Way of Greater Kansas City and Executive Director of 211. “MyFriendBen adds another valuable resource to our toolbox, helping families explore local, state, and federal benefits and tax credits that may support them long after their conversation with 211 has ended.”

Kansas and Missouri residents can use MyFriendBen to screen for more than 25 programs in each state, including SNAP, SSI, SSDI, TANF, KanCare and MO HealthNet, as well as state tax credits. The tool is free, anonymous, available in 18 languages and does not require a Social Security number or other identifying information.

“Too many families miss out on benefits and tax credits they’re owed, not because they’re not eligible, but because finding and applying for them is intentionally complicated,” said Laura Glaab, CEO of MyFriendBen. This leaves too many families going without, going into debt, or relying on charitable organizations when there are programs they pay into that are rightly theirs. We are grateful to community partners like 211 who’ve established a lifeline for people who need support, and to organizations like the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation for supporting a better way. We hope to one day serve every American community in getting the help they are owed.”

The partnership builds on United Way of Greater Kansas City’s established role connecting residents with help. In 2025, its 211 service handled nearly 350,000 contacts across 23 counties in Kansas and Missouri, with housing and utility assistance among the most common needs. MyFriendBen adds a way for 211 specialists and callers to identify longer-term support beyond an immediate crisis.

The model is already showing results in other states. An Urban Institute evaluation published in July 2026, examining nearly 100,000 MyFriendBen screenings in Colorado and North Carolina, found that 64% of users learned about at least one benefit or resource they did not know about. Among follow-up survey respondents, 86% had applied for at least one new benefit, and 85% of those applicants had been approved for at least one program.

The Kansas and Missouri launch expands MyFriendBen’s growing network of partnerships with 211 services and community organizations, bringing benefits navigation closer to the people who need it.

You can find benefits and tax credits you may qualify for in Kansas here, or in Missouri here, or by calling 211.

About MyFriendBen

MyFriendBen is a nonprofit civic tech company making benefits navigation easy and dignified for individuals and families. Its multilingual platform helps users identify public benefits and tax credits they may qualify for, estimate their value and learn how to apply in about six minutes. Learn more at myfriendben.org.

About United Way of Greater Kansas City

United Way of Greater Kansas City connects people and resources to advance solutions to local challenges. Its 211 service connects residents across 23 counties in Kansas and Missouri with information and referrals for essential needs, including housing and utilities. Learn more at unitedwaygkc.org.

Media contacts:

Kera Mashek
United Way of Greater Kansas City
kera.mashek@uwgkc.org

Danielle Anjeh
The Key PR for MyFriendBen
danielle@thekeypr.com