Financial assistance programs to help pay rent, utility bills, food, and other basic needs
Most people who come to this site are behind on rent, a utility bill, or the cost of food. Those are the three most common hardships, but the programs listed here cover much more than that. There is also help for medical and dental care, child care, car repairs, debt, housing, and free household items. Whatever the bill or basic need, this page is the starting point for finding programs that may be able to help.
NeedHelpPayingBills.com is an independent information site that has listed verified assistance programs since 2008. Every resource is a legitimate nonprofit, government agency, church, or charity. Our team checks each one by hand, and we never charge for information. Programs are organized by state, county, and type of need, so this page works as both a guide to the main kinds of help and a directory to the local pages where you can find them. The main types of assistance covered on this page include the following.
Start by selecting your state
Most visitors start here. Each state page links to county and city resources as well as statewide agencies. The lists include smaller local charities that do not show up in standard searches, which is the kind of help we specialize in finding. Before you call or apply anywhere, it helps to review what documents most agencies ask for.
Alabama
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
Washington DC
West Virginia
Wisconsin
If your state is not listed, use the site search to look up your city or county, or send your city and state through the contact page and our team will look up local resources for you.
Rent, housing, and eviction help
Housing problems run on court and landlord deadlines, so this section comes first. The guides cover national programs plus rent and housing directories for every state and county, and depending on funding, a local agency may cover back rent or pay the landlord directly
Utility, energy, and water bill help
If a shut-off date is coming, start with the state utility guide, which lists the charities, government programs, and utility company payment plans that may stop or delay a disconnection where you live. The other guides cover specific bill types:
Free food and groceries
Free food is usually the fastest kind to get. Many pantries ask few questions, and groceries may be available the same day you visit. The main programs are:
- Food banks and food pantries — free groceries, and some locations serve meals
- SNAP food stamps — monthly benefits on a card for households that qualify; known federally as SNAP, though some states use their own name
- WIC for income-qualified pregnant women and families with young children
- Meals on Wheels — home-delivered meals for seniors and people with disabilities where programs operate
Government benefits and cash assistance
Government benefit programs are meant for long-term stability rather than one-time emergencies, and most applications run through your state or county social service office. Many of these programs go by different names depending on the state, and each guide lists what your state calls it:
The federal government also runs a benefit finder at https://www.usa.gov/benefits. Answer a few questions there and it lists national programs you may qualify for.
Charities and churches that help with bills
Charities and churches serve people of any faith or none at all, and what each location offers depends on its funding. Coverage is uneven — many smaller rural counties have no national charity nearby — so these guides list the national groups along with local alternatives by state and county:
Free items, furniture, and clothes
Free household goods lower the bills you have to pay, and each of these guides links to national programs plus local giveaways organized by state and county. Most are income-based:
- Free stuff such as hygiene products, school supplies, and household goods
- Furniture banks that may have beds or appliances, based on what has been donated
- Clothing closets with free work or everyday outfits
To cut regular expenses beyond free items, there is also a guide to ways to save money on monthly bills.
Medical, dental, and health care
Medical care may be available even with no insurance, and there are separate options for bills that already exist. These guides cover national programs, clinic directories by location, and nonprofit services:
Car repairs, gas, and transportation
Losing transportation often means losing a job, so several kinds of programs focus on exactly this problem. Supply is limited everywhere — donated vehicles especially — and the guides list what exists by state:
- Free cars from a small number of charities — demand far exceeds the supply of donated vehicles
- Car repair grants that may be available when a vehicle is needed for work
- Free gas vouchers that some organizations may distribute for interviews or medical appointments
- Car payment assistance for people who are behind on an auto loan:
Help with debt
Debt that has already built up is a different problem from this month's bills, and the options depend on what kind of debt it is. These guides cover the nonprofit, government, and lender programs that may lower payments or reduce what is owed:
How to apply and stay safe
Legitimate assistance programs never charge a fee to apply, and no real charity or government agency will ask for payment by gift card or wire transfer. If you are unsure about an offer, check it against our guide to avoiding financial assistance scams before sending anyone money or personal information.
Applying goes faster when the paperwork is ready. Most agencies ask for a photo ID, proof of income, and proof of the hardship, and the step-by-step application guide explains how to prepare each one.
Need more help?
Two tools cover everything on this site. The search page looks up programs by city or by need, and the directory of financial help lists every county page in one place. If neither turns up an answer, send your city and state through the contact page and our research team will look for local options.
Beyond this site, dialing 211 reaches the United Way's free referral line at any hour, with more information at https://www.211.org/. There is also the Needhelppayingbills community forum, where more than 12,000 members share questions and experiences. The forum is a good place to learn what has worked for other people, but it is not a substitute for contacting an agency directly.
Information on NeedHelpPayingBills.com is compiled using public records, government sources, nonprofit websites, and direct review of local agency information which you can read about on the why you can trust NeedHelpPayingBills page. There you will find more details on sourcing, updates, and transparency - all of which are explained in further detail.
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