YOU MATTER. HELP SHOULD BE FINDABLE.
I NEED HELP.
Start with what you need today. Find somewhere to stay, food, care, recovery support, or someone to talk to. You can use this guide for yourself or someone you care about.
U.S. resources · All 50 states + Washington, D.C. · No signup needed to use this guide
Start here if you need support now.
SUICIDE & EMOTIONAL DISTRESS
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
For anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress in the United States and its territories. Connect with a crisis counselor by phone, text, or online chat.
Visit the 988 Lifeline website →LGBTQ+ RESOURCES & GUIDES
The Trevor Project
You belong here. Explore Trevor’s resources on mental health, identity, coming out, and finding community. Young people and those supporting them can start with the topic that fits.
Trevor Project resources →LGBTQ+ mental-health guides →NOT SURE WHERE TO START?
Local help through 211
Call 211 or search by ZIP code or county for local housing, food, bills, and other resources. Say what you need and ask which nearby programs are accepting people now.
If dialing 211 does not connect, use the finder for local contact options.
ONE NEED. ONE USEFUL NEXT STEP.
Find help with the essentials.
HOUSING & HOMELESSNESS
I need somewhere to stay.
Search HUD’s shelter tool, then contact the local provider about intake, current space, and the right place to go. Ask about access for your household and what to bring.
Find shelter near me →What to ask & longer-term housing
“Is intake open today? Is there space for my household? What if I do not have the requested documents? If you are full, where should I try next?” Ask about accessibility and whether family members can stay together.
For ongoing rental help, find your public housing agency and ask which programs and waiting lists are open. A housing application is a separate route from finding somewhere to sleep tonight.
FOOD & BASIC NEEDS
I need food.
Search your ZIP code through Feeding America. Open your food bank’s pantry or meal-program information and confirm today’s hours and pickup location.
Find food near me →First visit & continuing food help
Ask where food is distributed, whether an appointment is needed, and what is requested for a first visit. If you lack documents or cannot travel, ask about alternatives or accessible pickup options.
For help beyond today, explore SNAP, WIC, school meals, and other food assistance. Your state’s benefits agency below can help identify the application route. Ask local 211 about clothing, hygiene supplies, and other essentials.
ADDICTION & RECOVERY
I need help with alcohol or drugs.
Use SAMHSA’s FindTreatment.gov to search substance-use and mental-health treatment providers. Review service and payment filters, then ask a provider about assessment, intake, and the earliest next step.
Find treatment near me →Cost, ongoing support & family support
Ask: “Are you taking new patients? What insurance or payment assistance do you accept? What assessment do I need, and when can I be seen?” Explore SAMHSA’s lower-cost treatment guidance.
For an additional support route, find a free SMART Recovery peer-support meeting. Read the meeting type, participation instructions, time, and time zone; Family & Friends meetings are also listed. Peer support can complement professional care.
MEDICAL, DENTAL & ONGOING MENTAL-HEALTH CARE
I need care I can afford.
HRSA’s health-center finder connects you with community clinics serving people with or without insurance. Ask about new-patient appointments, income-based fees, and the services offered at that location.
Find a health center →Dental care, medicines & health coverage
Ask whether dental or mental-health appointments are available and what documents are needed for a fee discount. NIH’s lower-cost dental-care guide also explains dental-school and local options.
For care costs, explore medical-bill and prescription assistance and ask the provider about its financial-assistance application. If you have Medicare, check prescription-cost help.
For eligibility, applications, renewals, or a provider search, find your state’s Medicaid / CHIP contacts. For ongoing mental-health treatment, use FindTreatment.gov.
A listing does not reserve a bed or appointment. Contact the provider for current availability, cost, eligibility, and intake. If one route cannot help, ask for another local referral.
YOUR SAFETY AND CHOICES MATTER
Support for abuse or sexual violence.
I am unsafe in a relationship.
National Domestic Violence Hotline advocates can help you discuss options, safety planning, and local support. Ask about a safe way to contact you and which local provider can help.
Find local relationship-abuse services →I need support after sexual assault.
RAINN can help you explore options and find local sexual-assault services. Ask about emotional support, medical-care resources, and what different next steps involve.
Explore care and reporting options →If someone may monitor your device, consider a safer device and read the provider’s digital-safety guidance. Each service explains its own privacy and reporting rules. In an emergency or immediate danger in the U.S., call 9-1-1.
KEEPING THE BASICS WITHIN REACH
Rent, bills, and legal help.
I am behind on rent.
Find local rent-assistance routes and ask what is accepting applications now. Mention any notice or deadline. If you have eviction or court papers, contact civil legal aid too.
Find rent-assistance routes →I need help with energy bills.
Use the official guide to find LIHEAP and other energy assistance. Tell the local office about a shutoff notice or loss of service. Ask your utility about its assistance and payment options.
Find energy-bill help →I need a working phone or internet.
Check Lifeline’s eligibility and application route for your state. If approved, follow the instructions to choose a participating company. Ask about the actual service and cost.
Explore Lifeline options →I need civil legal help.
For housing, benefits, family, or another civil legal problem, use LSC’s local finder and contact the provider about intake. Tell them about court papers or a deadline.
Find civil legal aid →Providers decide eligibility and whether they can accept a case. This is a civil legal-aid route, rather than a criminal-defense directory.
50 STATES + WASHINGTON, D.C.
Find your benefits starting point.
Choose your state for its official benefits or social-service agency. The relevant program may have a separate local, tribal, or state office; ask which office handles your need.
This selector does not use geolocation or ask for your address. Use location searches and applications on the official provider’s site.
Browse every state’s benefits link
Explore government benefits by need → · Official directory including U.S. territories →
Getting an application started
- Ask about documents, cost, eligibility, and how to apply before travelling.
- Ask for interpretation or an accessible format if needed.
- Save the application confirmation, the next step, and any follow-up date.
- If documents are missing, ask what alternatives the program accepts.
- If a notice is unclear or a deadline is approaching, contact the agency or legal aid directly.
WHEN YOUR SITUATION NEEDS A MORE SPECIFIC ROUTE
More support for everyday life.
Older adults, meals & caregivers
The Eldercare Locator connects you with local aging services. Ask about meals, help at home, transportation, caregiver support, fees, and waiting lists.
Find older-adult and caregiver support →
For help with shopping or cooking, find a local meal provider and ask about delivery, eligibility, cost, and availability.
Disability & independent-living support
Use the Disability Information and Access Locator to find local organizations, independent-living support, and help navigating services. Ask about the specific need and any accessibility requirements.
For income-support programs, explore SSI or Social Security disability information. The agency determines eligibility.
Veterans: housing & benefits
If you are a veteran facing housing instability or homelessness, VA’s own help team can connect you with the right housing route. Family and friends can also ask how to help someone connect.
For a benefit claim, find an accredited representative. Ask an accredited VSO representative about free claims help; attorneys or claims agents may charge fees.
Child care & early childhood
Explore state child-care assistance and ask about eligibility, open places, waiting lists, and provider inspection information.
Explore child-care assistance →
For young children, find a Head Start or Early Head Start program and ask the local program how to apply and whether places are available.
Transportation to care & essential services
Ask local 211, the aging network, or DIAL about nearby rides. If you have Medicaid, ask your plan or state agency about non-emergency medical transportation before booking or paying for travel.
Ask how far ahead to book, whether the trip is covered, accessibility options, and how the return trip works.
I am helping someone else
Ask what support they want. Offer to help find a service or make a call with their permission. Let them choose what to share and keep control of their accounts, documents, and decisions.
If you are ready to volunteer, advocate, or support an organization, visit Take Action.
Make the first contact easier.
You can start with: “I’m in [city/county]. I need help with [need]. Are you accepting people? How do I apply, what does it cost, and what should I bring? If you cannot help, who should I contact next?”
If the first place cannot help
Ask for another local referral, a waiting-list or cancellation option, and a clear next step. If you cannot reach a program, try local 211. Ask about language support, accessibility, and transportation when they affect your ability to use a service.
Keep a small record
Write down the provider, contact route, next step, and deadline. Keep private addresses, diagnoses, identification, and case documents with the responsible service’s intake process.
DaddyBruce95 connects you with independent resources. This website does not provide emergency response, medical treatment, legal representation, or individual case management. Providers control availability and eligibility. Outside the U.S., use your local emergency number and services.
Sources, link checks & corrections
Resource directories reviewed November 5, 2026. This is a guide to contact routes, rather than a live list of available beds, appointments, or funding. Check the current provider before travelling or applying.
Emergency guidance: National 911 Program. Crisis support: 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. LGBTQ+ resources come from The Trevor Project; abuse support links come from The Hotline and RAINN.
Community and service routes are linked to their responsible providers or public agencies above. Health-center access: HRSA eligibility guidance. Benefits links are drawn from USAGov’s state directory, with current Iowa, Ohio, and West Virginia destinations where older targets were less useful or outdated.
Found a broken resource link? Use our corrections process and include the page and link. For personal help or an urgent need, contact the relevant service directly; the Justice Tip Line is not an emergency or confidential case-intake channel.