See How The Government And Nonprofits Can Help Pay Your Bills

See how the government and nonprofits can help via various forms of financial assistance.

Thinking of the bills you have to pay every month can be overwhelming. First, housing takes a considerable chunk of your budget when you pay your landlord. Next comes food, which can be quite expensive if you have a large family to feed. After that comes the rising costs of utilities so you can keep the lights on and the water running. And once you’re finished paying all of that, you may have super expensive emergencies related to medical care.

Those monthly expenses don’t even consider things like clothes, childcare, transportation, and even a bit of entertainment to help you take a load off. Factor everything in, and it’s no wonder why so many households find themselves in a financial crisis.

You could get an extra job to try to keep up, but that comes with sacrifices of time, added costs of childcare, or fatigue. You could also get a loan from friends and family or a financial institution, but that will put you in debt and could only make your problems worse.

Where should you turn to, then? The government and nonprofit organizations that have several programs to help people in your exact situation. Here is just a sampling.

Where to Get Free Food

You have to eat to live, which is why food gets listed first. If you’re on the brink of starvation as you read this, you can get emergency food assistance by calling 211 or contacting every local church in your phone book. You could also visit these sites that can connect you to food pantries and food banks:

• Feeding AmericaAmple Harvest
• Foodpantries.org

To ensure you never go hungry again, you should apply for food assistance from the government. You’ll find various options on USA.gov’s Food Assistance page. From there, you can apply for SNAP benefits, WIC, and more.

Get Help Paying Rent

There may be no need to ask for friends or family for a loan so you can pay your landlord. You can get temporary rent assistance from nonprofits like these:

• Catholic Charities
• Salvation Army
• Volunteers of America
• Modest Needs

If you don’t have luck with those, or by calling 211 and asking the operator for rent assistance, try setting up a GoFundMe campaign.

Does the government offer emergency rent assistance? On the federal level, not really. However, they can help you avoid future issues with paying your rent through the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program.

Assistance Paying Your Utilities

Some of the resources listed above also offer help with paying your utilities, so you can get a lot done by simply contacting them.

You can also keep the lights on in your home via the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).

Help With Medical Bills

Don’t let a costly medical emergency put you on the streets. Learn more about the government’s Medicare Savings Programs or contact these two nonprofits:

The National Association of Free & Charitable Clinics (NAFC)
The HealthWell Foundation