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Connecting the Commonwealth. WWW. MASSBROADBAND .ORG. MassVetsAdvisor.org. An easy to use website that combines Veteran benefits and broadband adoption. What does it do?.
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Connecting the Commonwealth WWW.MASSBROADBAND.ORG MassVetsAdvisor.org An easy to use website that combines Veteran benefits and broadband adoption.
What does it do? • MassVetsAdvisor.org focuses on relevance and meaningful use by offering a guide for anyone searching for benefits and programs for Veterans and their family members. • MassVetsAdvisor.org sorts through the “sea of goodwill” with a guided search wizard that provides search results from our complete, accurate and up to date database of Massachusetts and Federal resources, listing only the benefits and services the Veteran is qualified for, and, where available, an "action plan" to apply for the benefit.
MassVetsAdvisor.org • There are over 375 federal, state, and non-profit benefits and services on MassVetsAdvisor.org. • Benefits from different levels of government and different executive agencies are now easy to find.
Search Tools There are three distinctive ways that a Veteran or Family Member could search for benefits: • By clicking on “Find Your Benefits” a user may input generic information such as their branch of service and conflict era in order to generate the benefits and services that they are eligible for. • The green search box allows a user to search the entire site for key words. • Users can search for specific categories of benefits and services such as education, employment, and housing, by click on the “Benefit Categories” box.
Finding local government • Each city and town in Massachusetts has a Veterans' Service Officer (VSO). • They are knowledgeable about an array of federal, state, and local benefits to which Veterans and dependents may be entitled. His or her job is to help Veterans in the community learn about, apply for, and in some cases, receive benefits. Every VSO is a Veteran. • MassVetsAdvior.org makes it easy to find a VSO.
Bridges to Benefits • In order to assists residents who digitally illiterate or are uncomfortable with computers, such as the elderly and poor, the Massachusetts Broadband Institute has inserted Bridges to Benefits into MassVetsAdvisor.org. • On bridgestobenefits.org users learn the basic skills needed to use a computer and the internet, such as how to use a mouse or compose an email.
Outreach • MassVetsAdvisor.org staff has conducted an aggressive, grass roots outreach strategy including: • Events across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in order to engage the populace. • Internet and radio advertisements. • Social media campaign on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. • Monthly Newsletter.