SC Thrive (Free Help Applying for Benefits)
Last updated August 2026
SC Thrive is a statewide nonprofit that connects South Carolinians to benefits and resources and simplifies the enrollment process. It is not a government agency and does not decide your eligibility; the state makes final decisions. What it does is help you find and complete applications, which can be the hardest part.
Its online platform is the Thrive Hub, at scthrive.goodgrid.com, used to screen for and complete applications for benefit programs. You can use the tools yourself, or work with a trained community partner or counselor who uses the Thrive Hub to help you apply. As a nonprofit navigation hub, it is designed to help applicants without charging them; confirm any specifics with the partner you work with.
The programs it helps with are the big ones: SNAP food assistance, Medicaid and other healthcare coverage, plus financial wellness and senior services. If you find the applications confusing, this is a place to get a knowledgeable person on your side.
It reaches beyond a single form, linking people to resources across food, financial support, healthcare access, mental wellness, and elder care. So one conversation can surface help you did not know to ask for.
The scale is real. SC Thrive reports serving more than 100,000 people, completing more than 80,000 applications, and helping bring about half a billion dollars in benefits into South Carolina. That is a lot of families who got help they might otherwise have missed.
Think of SC Thrive as the on-ramp, and the state programs as the destination. Use it to apply for SNAP and Healthy Connections Medicaid, and pair it with 2-1-1 for local emergency help.
Phone 1-800-726-8774
Help available in English and Spanish.
Updated August 2026 Program details can change — confirm with the program directly.
Who qualifies
- Open to South Carolina residents who want free help checking eligibility for and applying to SNAP, Medicaid, and other benefits
- SC Thrive does not decide your case; it helps you apply, and the state agency makes the final decision
You may qualify. The program makes the final decision.
How to apply
- 1
Start at the Thrive Hub (scthrive.goodgrid.com) to screen and complete applications.
- 2
Or find a trained community partner or counselor to help you apply.
- 3
Apply for SNAP, Medicaid, and other coverage through the platform.
- 4
Remember the state makes final eligibility decisions; SC Thrive helps you get there.
What the application looks like
Common questions
Is SC Thrive a government agency?
No. It is a nonprofit enrollment and navigation hub. The state makes final eligibility decisions; SC Thrive helps you apply.
What does it help with?
Enrolling in SNAP, Medicaid, and other healthcare coverage, plus financial wellness and senior services, at no cost.
How do I use it?
Use the Thrive Hub tools yourself at scthrive.goodgrid.com, or work with a trained community partner or counselor who uses the platform to help you apply.
Who makes the final decision on my benefits?
The state does. SC Thrive is a nonprofit that helps you screen and complete applications; the benefit agencies decide eligibility.
Not sure this is the right program for your situation?
See all South Carolina programs →Free · Private · No account needed