Benefit Bridge

Inspiration

What it does

How we built it

Challenges we ran into

Accomplishments that we're proud of

What we learned

BenefitBridge — AI-Powered Public Benefits Navigator

Inspiration

Many people who need support programs such as food assistance, childcare subsidies, or emergency relief often struggle to understand whether they qualify and where to start. Information is usually spread across different websites, forms can be confusing, and eligibility requirements are difficult to interpret.

We built BenefitBridge to make this process simpler. Our goal was to create a platform that helps users understand what benefits they may qualify for and guides them toward the right resources, while still keeping humans involved in important decisions.

What We Built

BenefitBridge is a web platform that combines AI-powered document understanding, conversational guidance, and a transparent eligibility engine.

Users can answer simple questions about their household and financial situation, optionally upload documents such as pay stubs or benefit letters, and receive guidance on programs they may qualify for. The platform also allows users to save results and connect with local case managers for additional support.

How We Built It

We used a three-service architecture:

Next.js for the frontend user interface.
Node.js, Express, and MongoDB for authentication, data storage, and eligibility logic.
Flask and Python for OCR and AI-based intake parsing.

Instead of letting AI make eligibility decisions, we use a rules-based engine to evaluate program requirements. This makes the system more transparent, explainable, and trustworthy.

Challenges We Faced

One of our biggest challenges was balancing AI with reliability. We wanted to use AI to simplify data collection without letting it make final eligibility decisions.

Another challenge was extracting information from different document formats while keeping the user in control of reviewing and correcting the extracted data.

What We Learned

Through this project, we learned how to build a full-stack AI application, integrate OCR and language models into real-world workflows, and design responsible AI systems that keep humans in the loop.

Most importantly, we learned that technology can be most impactful when it helps people navigate complex systems and access support more easily.

Impact

BenefitBridge helps turn complex benefit programs into clear next steps. By combining AI assistance with transparent rules and human support, we aim to make public assistance information more accessible and easier to understand for everyone.