Financial Resources

If you're struggling with your finances, housing, or food, we are collecting resources to help you navigate your bills, mortgage, taxes, find a food pantry, and more.

Financial Assistance and Information

Government Help with Bills

The U.S. has a website dedicated to helping you find financial lifelines: https://www.usa.gov/benefits-grants-loans Please check it for help with phone bills, affordable housing, financial aid, and more. Some of the government assistance programs include:

• Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)

• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

• The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)

• Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8)

• The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

• Benefits.gov Benefit Finder

Healthcare

If you've lost your insurance, you may be eligible for coverage under the ACA healthcare exchanges or Medicaid. Special enrollment periods under the ACA apply if you've lost access to your insurance due to a job loss and in other special circumstances. Medicaid signup periods are year-round.

You may also seek low or no-cost medical assistance from a community health center near you.

Housing

• Find a homeless shelter near you

• HUD: Avoiding foreclosure

• Coalition for the Homeless Eviction Prevention Hotline: 212-776-2039

• If you can't pay your mortgage or rent, contact your lender or landlord and try to work out your options.

Organizations Providing COVID-19 Assistance Funds

The following organizations are providing assistance to target groups; apply for assistance on their websites.

• One Fair Wage Emergency Fund for tipped workers affected by COVID-19 including "restaurant workers, car service drivers, delivery workers, personal service workers and more who need the money they aren’t getting to survive."

• Restaurant Workers' Community Foundation COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund for restaurant workers.

• The Domestic Workers Alliance Coronavirus Care Fund for home care workers, nannies and house cleaners.

• US Bartenders Guild Covid-19 Relief Fund

• Children of Restaurant Employees' COVID-19 Relief Fund

Stimulus Bill - Coronavirus Stimulus Package

• IRS Economic Impact Payments: What You Need to Know

• New York Times "F.A.Q. on Stimulus Checks, Unemployment and the Coronavirus Bill"

• StudentAid.gov Coronavirus and Forbearance Info for Students, Borrowers, and Parents

  • Note: If you have a private student loan, many lenders are offering assistance.

• Freelancers Union "What the CARES Act means for freelancers"

Taxes

• IRS Coronavirus Tax Relief https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus

• IRS Customer service phone number (800) 829-1040

• IRS free tax return preparation assistance https://www.irs.gov/individuals/free-tax-return-preparation-for-you-by-volunteers

Unemployment

• If you've recently become unemployed, please check with your state for your unemployment compensation website to apply for assistance. You can also access your state's information here: State Resources

• Disaster Unemployment Assistance benefit information for those who have been impacted by the coronavirus national emergency

Additional Links

• 211.org - Find your local 211 for information about essential human services in your area.

• Consumer Financial Protection Bureau "Protect yourself financially from the impact of the coronavirus"

• Debt.org "Financial Help for Those Impacted by COVID-19"

• Debt.org "Financial Assistance for Senior Citizens"

• GoFundMe's "Need Emergency Financial Assistance? These Resources Can Help"

• Keep America Connected: A list of companies who have pledged to keep Americans connected to their services during the pandemic.

• MoneyCrashers "How to Get Emergency Financial Assistance & Help With Bills – Free Resources"

• NFCC's list of free financial counselors

• Small Business Administration "Coronavirus (COVID-19): Small Business Guidance & Loan Resources"

• Tax deadlines have moved due to the COVID-19 pandemic. See state-by-state deadline information or Federal tax deadline information.

• U.S. Department of Labor: "Coronavirus Resources"

Food Resources

If you're struggling to feed yourself or your family, here are some resources to help you.

SNAP, WIC, and other federal food programs

The USDA operates nutrition assistance programs that may assist individuals with financial need to reduce hunger. Please visit their website to learn more about each program and to see if you qualify: https://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/usda-nutrition-assistance-programs

Find your local food bank

Check with your local officials for food banks in your region. SNAP, Ample Harvest, and other groups operate a number of independently operated food banks.

If you need help finding a food bank near you, Feeding America has 200 food banks around the United States. Find one near you: https://www.feedingamerica.org/find-your-local-foodbank

Meals on Wheels

Meals on Wheels has a network of more than 5,000 independently-run programs around the U.S. that deliver meals to people in need. You can search for a program near you: https://www.mealsonwheelsamerica.org/find-meals