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Where to Get Help in Corpus Christi and Nueces County, Texas
Residents of Corpus Christi, Robstown, Port Aransas, Calallen, and communities throughout Nueces County can access emergency financial assistance, food, shelter, utility help, affordable housing, and free medical care through a range of nonprofits, government agencies, and faith-based organizations. This page covers verified local resources organized by service type, with addresses and phone numbers.
Corpus Christi Metro Ministries is the county's largest integrated nonprofit for homeless services, free meals, and medical care. The Salvation Army of the Coastal Bend provides emergency shelter for families, veterans, and single adults alongside utility and rent assistance. The Coastal Bend Food Bank supplies food to more than 150 partner agencies and runs direct distributions throughout the county.
Start Here — Find Help Fast
- Utility bill assistance (CEAP), weatherization, emergency food, rent help: Nueces County Community Action Agency (NCCAA) — (361) 882-4193
- Emergency shelter (families, veterans, single adults), rent & utility help: Salvation Army Coastal Bend — (361) 884-9497
- Emergency financial aid, food, clothing, housing counseling, SNAP help: Catholic Charities of Corpus Christi — (361) 884-0651
- Free meals, homeless shelter, free medical clinic, social services: Corpus Christi Metro Ministries — (361) 887-0151
- Food bank, pantry locator, senior food boxes, SNAP outreach: Coastal Bend Food Bank — (361) 887-6291
- Food pantry, utility help, childcare (Corpus Christi & Robstown): Wesley Community Center — (361) 880-8300
- Free/sliding-scale primary care, HIV services, behavioral health, food pantry: Coastal Bend Wellness Foundation — (361) 814-2001
- Section 8 vouchers & public housing: Corpus Christi Housing Authority — (361) 889-3300
- Rent, utilities, bus passes, burial assistance (county-funded): Nueces County Dept. of Social Services — (361) 888-0111
- Regional CAP — utility, weatherization, Head Start, senior meals, housing: Community Action Corporation of South Texas (CACOST) — (361) 664-0145
- Don't know where to start? Dial 2-1-1 — free, available around the clock, covers all of Nueces County in English and Spanish.
- For additional local resources beyond what is listed on this page:
Community Action & Emergency Financial Assistance
These organizations offer the broadest direct emergency assistance for Nueces County residents. Start here if you need help with utility bills, rent, food, or other basic needs.
Nueces County Community Action Agency (NCCAA)
NCCAA is the federally designated Community Action Agency for Nueces County, committed to helping residents transition out of poverty through direct services and community partnerships. Its Community Services division operates two locations — one in Corpus Christi and a Rural Service Center in Robstown for residents in rural Nueces County. Services are provided on a first-come, first-served basis, with priority given to seniors aged 60 and older, people with disabilities, and families with children aged 5 and under. Income eligibility is required. Programs include:
- Comprehensive Energy Assistance Program (CEAP): Federally funded electric utility bill assistance for qualifying low-income households. Applications are distributed on a seasonal schedule — the NCCAA website noted that 2025-2026 application intake dates were posted on social media. Check the website or call before applying, as funding is limited and exhausted quickly.
- Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP): Free home energy improvements — weather stripping, caulking, insulation, HVAC repair or replacement — for qualifying owners and renters. Reduces long-term energy costs.
- Emergency rental assistance: Limited rental help for households in crisis when funding is available through CSBG or other grant sources.
- Emergency food assistance: Available at NCCAA service centers when funding allows.
- Head Start and Birth-to-Five programs: Early childhood education and comprehensive family support for qualifying low-income families with young children.
- Free notary services: Available at both service center locations.
- Information and referrals: Staff connect clients with additional community resources available throughout Nueces County.
Locations are Corpus Christi Community Services: (361) 882-4193 | 101 South Padre Island Drive, Corpus Christi, TX 78405 as well as Robstown Rural Service Center: (361) 387-1527 | 801 East Main Street, Robstown, TX 78380. Main office: (361) 883-7201. https://www.nccaatx.org/
Catholic Charities of Corpus Christi Est. 1965
Catholic Charities of Corpus Christi has provided social services to Nueces County and the wider Coastal Bend region since 1965. Services are open to all regardless of faith or background. The organization operates an Emergency Aid program, a transitional shelter for women, housing counseling, and SNAP application assistance. Programs include:
- Emergency Aid Program: Direct assistance for rent, utility bills, food, clothing, bus tokens, and prescriptions for qualifying households in an emergency. Case managers assess eligibility; all are welcome regardless of race, gender, or creed. Call (361) 884-0651 to schedule an appointment.
- Mother Teresa Shelter: A transitional shelter for women at 513 Sam Rankin Ave, Corpus Christi, TX 78401. Contact: (361) 883-7372.
- HUD-approved housing counseling: Free foreclosure prevention, mortgage default assistance, and housing stability counseling.
- SNAP application assistance: Help applying for SNAP (food stamps) food benefits. Call (361) 884-0651, ext. 240 for an appointment. Serves residents of Nueces County and 11 surrounding counties.
- Debt and budget counseling: Free credit counseling, budget planning, and debt management guidance.
- Food pantry: On-site food distribution open to qualifying clients seeking emergency food assistance.
- Hygiene Closet (third Wednesday monthly): Hygiene item distribution at Holy Family Catholic Church, 2509 Nogales Street, Corpus Christi. Open to all families in need.
- Holiday assistance: Holiday food and gift programs for working poor, immigrant, and Spanish-speaking families.
Contact: (361) 884-0651 | 615 Oliver Court, Corpus Christi, TX 78408. https://catholiccharities-cc.org/
Salvation Army of the Coastal Bend
The Salvation Army Coastal Bend is headquartered on Buford Street in Corpus Christi and is the only shelter in the area that houses entire families together as a unit. Programs include:
- Emergency shelter: Capacity for families, single men, and veterans. Family shelter houses all members together regardless of family makeup. Veteran-specific housing and case management are available. Single men and women are housed in separate programs. Call to confirm current bed availability and intake procedures.
- Rapid Rehousing and Permanent Supportive Housing: Case-managed programs that help individuals and families transition from emergency shelter into stable, permanent housing. The organization is one of the only providers of Permanent Supportive Housing for chronically homeless individuals in South Texas.
- Utility and rental assistance: Emergency help for qualifying Nueces County residents facing utility disconnection or eviction. Bring documentation and call for an appointment.
- Veterans Services: Specialized case management and financial assistance for veterans experiencing homelessness or housing instability.
- Angel Tree / Christmas assistance: Holiday gifts for children of qualifying families. Back-to-school supplies also distributed seasonally.
- Disaster Services: Emergency relief and recovery services for Nueces County residents affected by hurricanes or other disasters.
- Youth programs and adult ministries at the Corps location.
- Family Thrift Store: Donated clothing, furniture, and household goods at low cost. Location: 5042 S. Padre Island Drive, Corpus Christi, TX 78411, (361) 851-0723.
Contact: (361) 884-9497 | 1804 Buford Street, Corpus Christi, TX 78404. https://southernusa.salvationarmy.org/corpus-christi/emergency-shelter-programs
Community Action Corporation of South Texas (CACOST)
CACOST is a regional nonprofit established in 1967 and headquartered in Alice, Texas, serving South Texas including Nueces County. The organization provides services across health care, energy assistance, senior nutrition, early childhood education, and workforce development. Programs available to Nueces County residents include:
- Utility and energy assistance: CEAP energy bill help and weatherization for qualifying low-income Nueces County households.
- Head Start and Early Head Start: Federally funded early childhood education and family support for qualifying families in the region. Multiple program sites serving Corpus Christi and the surrounding area.
- Community Health Centers (FQHC): Federally Qualified Health Center sites providing primary care, dental, and behavioral health services on a sliding-scale basis to all regardless of insurance status or ability to pay. Locations across South Texas; call for the nearest Nueces County site.
- Senior nutrition programs: Congregate and home-delivered meals for seniors aged 60 and older throughout the region.
Housing 4 Texas Heroes: Veteran-specific housing assistance program.
- Workforce development: In partnership with government agencies, provides employment support for unemployed and underemployed individuals.
- Community Services Block Grant (CSBG): Emergency financial assistance and self-sufficiency services for qualifying low-income families.
Contact: (361) 664-0145 | Main office in Alice, TX (serves Nueces County). https://cacost.org/
Wesley Community Center Est. 1948
Wesley Community Center has served families in the Coastal Bend, operating from two locations in Corpus Christi and Robstown. The Corpus Christi location primarily serves families with children. Programs include:
- Food pantry: Supplemental groceries for individuals and families in need of food assistance. Available on weekdays; call ahead to confirm current schedule and requirements.
- Utility assistance: Limited help with utility bills for qualifying residents on an as-available basis.
- Children's day care: Quality childcare for low-income families, including homeless children and children in child protective services. Transportation to local schools is provided. Subsidies and vouchers accepted.
- Clothing assistance: Gently used clothing available to qualifying residents.
- Social services referrals: Staff connect clients with additional community resources throughout the Coastal Bend.
Locations are Corpus Christi: (361) 880-8300 | 4015 MacArthur Street, Corpus Christi, TX 78416 as well as Robstown: (361) 387-1451 | 414 N. Matiana Ortiz Blvd., Robstown, TX 78380. https://www.wesleycommunitycenter.org/.
Society of St. Vincent de Paul — Nueces County
St. Vincent de Paul operates through local parish-based conferences in Nueces County, providing neighbor-to-neighbor emergency assistance to anyone in need regardless of faith. Assistance may include referrals and direct help with water bills, rent, electric bills, and other essential needs. Availability and scope of assistance vary by local conference and current funding. Residents should call the parish nearest them to inquire about the local SVdP conference. A sub-page on the NHPB site provides additional details: SVDP Nueces County assistance programs.
Food Assistance
Catholic Charities, the Salvation Army, and Metro Ministries also operate significant food programs — see their entries in adjacent sections.
Coastal Bend Food Bank
The Coastal Bend Food Bank has been fighting hunger in the Coastal Bend since 1982. It is a Feeding America member food bank serving an 11-county region of South Texas, including all of Nueces County. The food bank does not typically distribute directly to individuals from its warehouse; it works through a network of more than 150 partner pantries, soup kitchens, and social service agencies. Programs include:
- Partner pantry network: More than 150 partner agencies throughout Nueces County and the surrounding region receive food from the Food Bank to distribute locally. Use the agency locator on the website to find the nearest pantry by zip code.
- Senior Food Box Program (CSFP): Monthly food boxes for qualifying low-income seniors aged 60 and older. Boxes contain shelf-stable items including canned goods, peanut butter, and other staples. Call the Food Bank for distribution sites and eligibility requirements.
- The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP): USDA food commodity distributions available through the Food Bank and its partner agencies throughout the county.
- Social Services Programs: Free application assistance for SNAP, Medicaid, CHIP, WIC, and other benefits for qualifying Nueces County residents.
- Diabetes Hands On Self-Management Education Program: Free nutrition education and chronic disease management classes for individuals with diabetes, with a dedicated diabetes food pantry.
- Nutrition education: Community classes and programs promoting healthy eating on a limited budget.
Contact: (361) 887-6291 | 5442 Bear Lane, Corpus Christi, TX 78405. Use the pantry finder at the website to locate the nearest food distribution site. https://coastalbendfoodbank.org/
Homeless Shelter & Transitional Housing
The Salvation Army shelter (above) is the primary emergency shelter for families, veterans, and adults. Metro Ministries also operates transitional housing for women and those completing residential programs.
Corpus Christi Metro Ministries
Founded in 1982 as a collaborative effort among Corpus Christi's major downtown churches, Metro Ministries is the city's largest integrated nonprofit serving the homeless and working poor. All programs are free. The organization operates five distinct programs from its Leopard Street campus:
- Loaves & Fishes Cafeteria: Free nutritious lunches and dinners served on weekdays, plus three meals per day for residential program participants. Open to anyone in the community who is hungry.
- Rainbow House: Transitional housing program for homeless women and mothers with children. Provides living facilities, daily necessities, case management, and a structured path toward self-sufficiency for up to 60 or more residents.
- Rustic House: Residential recovery program for homeless men, offering structured housing, meals, and programming to support recovery and reintegration.
- The Vineyard Social Services: Comprehensive social services hub providing case management, employment assistance, resource referrals, hygiene supplies, clothing, and connections to mainstream benefits for clients and community members. Approximately 7,000 services delivered annually.
- Gabbard Memorial Health Clinic: Free primary care medical clinic for residential program participants and uninsured or under-insured community members. Staffed by volunteer physicians and health professionals. Services include primary care, prescriptions, eye care, vision testing, exams, and eyeglasses for qualifying patients.
- Christmas Toyland: Annual holiday toy distribution for children of qualifying Nueces County families.
Contact: (361) 887-0151 | 1919 Leopard Street, Corpus Christi, TX 78408. https://ccmetro.org/
Free & Low-Cost Health Care
Coastal Bend Wellness Foundation (CBWF) Est. 1986
Founded in 1986 as the Coastal Bend AIDS Foundation, CBWF has grown substantially since rebranding in 2012 and becoming a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) in 2015. The organization now serves all community members regardless of HIV status, insurance, or ability to pay. As an FQHC, CBWF accepts all patients on a sliding-scale fee basis. Two locations serve Nueces County. Programs include:
- Primary care: Adult primary care for all patients regardless of insurance status or ability to pay. Sliding-scale fees based on household income.
- HIV/AIDS treatment and support services: Comprehensive HIV care including medical treatment, case management, mental health support, substance use counseling, and financial assistance for housing, utilities, transportation, dental care, medications, and health insurance premiums for qualifying HIV-positive individuals.
- HIV prevention — PrEP/PEP: Pre-exposure and post-exposure prophylaxis for HIV prevention.
- Free HIV, STI, and hepatitis C testing: Walk-in testing available at the Holly Road location during posted testing hours.
- Behavioral health and counseling: Individual and group counseling, substance misuse treatment, and integrated mental health care.
- Pharmacy: On-site pharmacy services including 340B discounted medications for eligible patients.
- Women's health: OB/GYN and women's health services.
- Services for the unhoused: Dedicated outreach and care programs for people experiencing homelessness.
- Food pantry: On-site food pantry available to CBWF clients.
- Elder and youth programs: Dedicated wellness and support programs for older adults and youth.
- LGBTQIA+ care: Affirming and inclusive healthcare services.
Locations include the primary location: (361) 814-2001 | 2882 Holly Road, Corpus Christi, TX 78415 as well as HIV/STI testing site: (361) 826-7200 | 1702 Horne Rd., Corpus Christi, TX 78416. https://www.cbwellness.org/
County & State Government Programs
Nueces County Department of Social Services
Nueces County administers several locally funded direct-assistance programs for qualifying low-income residents through its Social Services division. Case workers are active in the community and provide referrals and advocacy for the county's indigent population. Services include emergency financial assistance for rent, utilities, food, and transportation; bus passes; and indigent burial or cremation assistance for qualifying families. Contact: (361) 888-0111 | 901 Leopard Street, Room 302, Corpus Christi, TX 78401. https://www.nuecesco.com/county-services/veterans-and-social-services
Texas Health and Human Services (HHS) ACCESS
Texas HHS administers state and federal benefit programs for qualifying Nueces County residents. Programs include SNAP (food stamps / EBT card), Medicaid and CHIP health insurance, TANF cash assistance for families, and WIC nutrition assistance for women, infants, and children. Applications can be submitted online at https://yourtexasbenefits.com or in person at a local HHS office. 2-1-1 Texas can also connect residents with the nearest application site. Contact: (877) 541-7905 (SNAP/Medicaid application help). https://www.hhs.texas.gov/
Military Families & Veterans
Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society — Corpus Christi Naval Air Station
The Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society (NMCRS) provides emergency financial assistance to active duty and retired Navy and Marine Corps members and their families. Assistance comes in the form of interest-free loans or grants depending on the situation. Qualifying uses include emergency rent, utility bills, food, medical and dental expenses, childcare, car repairs, and other family emergencies. Appointments are recommended. Contact: (361) 961-3482 | 10133 E Street, Building 1738, Corpus Christi Naval Air Station, TX 78419.
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