Continue reading if you are a low-income resident of South Dakota. You may qualify for a free government cell phone and free monthly voice and text usage.
If you ask most people what they know about South Dakota, they might say, “Isn’t that where Mount Rushmore is located?” But they wouldn’t be able to tell you much more about the state.
We’re happy to report that we know one other important thing about the Mount Rushmore state — financially-strapped citizens of the state can now get free government cell phones through the Lifeline Assistance program.
The population of the state now stands at a relatively-modest 833,000 and there can be no doubt that some of them are in great need of the kind of financial assistance that led to the creation of the free government cell phone program.
Government officials tell us the economy is getting stronger, but unemployment rates still plague all fifty states. For example, the national unemployment rate was a horrible 7.3%. South Dakota’s rate, on the other hand, was an admirable 3.8%. Clearly, that indicates that the economy is stronger in South Dakota than in the rest of the country, but that is of little importance to those who are unemployed and underemployed.
The faces of famous American presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln are carved into Mount Rushmore. We think of of these great leaders would approve of Lifeline Assistance’s efforts to help needy South Dakotans communicate with potential employers, stay in touch with their families, and talk to medical professionals.
Whether you live in thriving metropolises like Sioux Falls and Yankton or farms and Native American lands across the state, the free government cell phone program is now here to help you.
Free Cell Phone Providers in South Dakota:
Unfortunately, there is only one choice for free Lifeline cell phones in South Dakota. But it’s a major brand.
Budget Mobile
Lifeline Discount Companies in South Dakota
If you qualify for Lifeline Assistance, but you find that none of the companies offer free government cell phones where you live, you have another option. The companies below, while not offering free cell phone plans, do offer substantial Lifeline discounts off their regular mobile phone plans in South Dakota:
ATT Mobility
Lifeline Cell Phone Eligibility in South Dakota:
You may be eligible if you receive benefits from any of the following programs:
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (Food Stamps or SNAP)
Medicaid
Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
Federal Public Housing Assistance (Section 8)
Veterans Pension and Survivor’s Benefit.
Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance (BIA)
Tribally Administered Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (Tribal TANF)
Tribal Head Start (only those households meeting its income qualifying standard)
Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR)
In South Dakota, you may also qualify if your Total Household Income is at or under 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines.