Welcome to South Dakota Lifeline Free Government Smartphones and Free Government Cell Phones Page!
Mount Rushmore State is home to eight hundred thirty thousand Americans. It is considered to be an agricultural state. However, not everybody has a job here. Moreover, many people are living in poverty. As of today, the poverty rate, according to U.S. Census Bureau data, is 13.8%. It places South Dakota in the middle of the national list. Indeed, there are 114,000 living in poverty, and even more South Dakotans who have their low incomes are just on the edge of it. A good thing to do for these Americans is to learn about all federal and state authorities’ assistance programs. For instance, South Dakota Lifeline free government cell phones and free government smartphones are available for eligible South Dakotans.
Lifeline Free Government Cell Phones Program in South Dakota
Because there are not many residents of the State, there are only several free cell phone companies that bring Lifeline assistance to South Dakota subscribers. The list below includes the ones that offer their service here.
Who is eligible for free government smartphones and free government cell phones in South Dakota?
If you participate in any or several of the following government assistance programs, you are probably eligible for a free phone from the government:
- Medicaid
- Food Stamps/ Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Veterans Pension and Survivor’s Benefit
- Section 8/ Federal Public Housing Assistance
- Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
- Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance (BIA)
- Tribal Head Start (only those households meeting its income qualifying standard)
- Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR).
You can also qualify based on the household income rule: your household income has to be lower or at the level of 135% of Federal Poverty Guidelines for South Dakota. For 2022 this number is shown in the table below.
| Household size (number of people) | Eligible annual income per household |
|---|---|
| 1 | $17,388 |
| 2 | $23,517 |
| 3 | $29,646 |
| 4 | $35,775 |
| 5 | $41,904 |
| 6 | $48,033 |
| 7 | $54,162 |
| 8 | $60,291 |
| For each additional person, add | $6,129 |
Click here to see all steps needed to enroll in South Dakota Lifeline free government smartphones and a free government cell phone program.