800-464-0258

Helping Hands in the Heartland

The Rural Response Hotline has been strengthening rural communities in Nebraska since 1984 by providing valuable information and resources in times of crisis.

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Call Today

Agriculture is the heart of Nebraska’s economy and that economy depends of Nebraska farmers, ranchers and rural residents. Your call to the Hotline will be met by friendly, knowledgeable staff ready to provide help and hope during your time of need.

Call Now: 800-464-0258

PSA - Rural Response Hotline

Financial Assistance

Through the Rural Response Hotline, you can consult experts in the areas of farm finance and management, for help in analyzing a financial situation, exploring options, and making informed decisions. These one-on-one consultations with financial counselors are free and confidential.

Disaster Relief

Floods, fires, storms, drought, and other natural disasters can have devastating and long-lasting effects on farm and ranch operations. The Rural Response Hotline can refer you to resources during these difficult times.

Legal Assistance

In the face of legal issues and sometimes daunting decisions, it is critical to know and understand your legal rights. Free and confidential one-on-one consultations with an experienced attorney can be scheduled through the Rural Response Hotline.

Emotional Support

Financial worries, mental and emotional distress, substance abuse, anxiety, depression, and suicide take a toll on farm families; however, there is hope. Emotional and behavioral health can be achieved. Free mental health vouchers for counseling sessions may be obtained through the Counseling Outreach and Mental Health Therapy (COMHT) program, administered by the Rural Response Hotline.

Hotline staff were extremely helpful and polite. I would more than likely have not received counseling services if it were not for the Hotline.

I am so grateful for these vouchers to help with the expense of counseling. Especially living on a fixed income. Thank you!

Thank you so much for your help. I can now continue my therapy. Keep up with your program as I know there are others out there needing help too!

I appreciated the Hotline person who returned my tear-filled phone message. She showed up with compassion and understanding, and she listened even when she only needed basic information to start the process. We were grateful for our therapist too. She met us right where we needed to start and has been so helpful! Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Counseling has helped me with my current depression & without it, it would be very difficult to move forward. COMHT has allowed me to seek the help I much needed!

The information on business entities presented at a clinic was useful and easy to understand.

The clinic we attended helped us explore options to transition our farm to the next generation.

The financial counseling I received helped prepare me for mediation with my lender.

Rural Resources

Check out our list of extensive resources for rural support.

View Resources

Clinics and Workshops

Free monthly clinics, held at various sites throughout Nebraska, provide one-on-one confidential consultations with experienced professionals in farm finances and agricultural legal matters to help you with your specific issue. Topics include, but are not limited to, financial planning, estate and transition planning, succession planning as it pertains to the beginning farmer tax credit act (NextGen), farm loan programs, debtor/creditor law, fence law, and mediation.

Workshops, offered periodically, are educational opportunities provided in a classroom setting on topics such as succession planning, business entities, enterprise structure, and other relevant matters.

About the Rural Response Hotline

Created in 1984 during the 1980s farm crisis, the Nebraska Rural Response Hotline continues to be a valuable and proven resource for farmers, ranchers and rural residents who experience hard times. Natural disasters in recent years have made these hard times even harder. More and more studies shine a light on the need for support in our rural communities. The Hotline provides that support to help you navigate these difficult times.

Whether you’ve been affected by a recent natural disaster or a health or financial crisis, our trained and experienced staff will help you assess your needs and direct you to resources specific to those needs.

A coalition of farm organizations and religious denominations, led by Interchurch Ministries of Nebraska, were instrumental in establishing the Hotline. The Hotline is administered by the Rural Response Council and the Farm and Ranch Project in Legal Aid of Nebraska’s Bancroft office. It is supported through grants and by private, industry and charitable donations.