Amid a pandemic causing a reported 79% increase in calls to Benefits Data Trust (BDT), the Center City-based nonprofit connecting people to public benefits announced that it had partnered with the College Board to create an SMS chatbot for any students who need assistance filling out college applications and the Free Application of Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

The chatbot, named Penny, is powered by customer engagement platform Twilio and gives students free and personalized digital assistance. The tool is usually only available to students in the College Board Opportunity Scholarship Program, but because of hardships caused by COVID-19, it will be available to anyone who can benefit from it starting in May.

BDT Chief Strategy Officer Pauline Abernathy told Technical.ly the creation of Penny was an opportunity to supply the org’s expertise and technology to help students access federal, state and local aid such as grants, loans and scholarships. While College Board funded the initiative, BDT led the chatbot’s technical development.

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