Churches may offer some of the fastest help available during a financial crisis. A congregation may hand you a bag of food the same day you ask, put money toward a past-due light bill, cover a night in a motel, or send your kids home with winter coats - usually with far less paperwork than a government office requires.

This page is both a guide to how church assistance works and a directory for finding it. The sections on this page explain the types of help local churches most often provide, the national church networks that run programs in most communities, what to realistically expect when you ask, and where to find church assistance programs listed by city and county.

NOTE: Resources are often limited. Keep in mind that every congregation decides for itself what it can offer based on donations and volunteers, so help is always local and often limited - but most churches will assist anyone who is truly struggling, regardless of their religion, background, or immigration status.

How local churches may help pay rent, utility bills, and other expenses

Many churches keep a small fund - often called a benevolence fund or deacons fund - set aside for members of the community in a financial emergency. The amounts are usually modest and the help is generally a one-time payment made directly to a landlord or utility company rather than cash handed to you. To understand how this works, it helps to know that a church is usually trying to close a gap: cover the last hundred dollars of rent so an eviction stops, or pay enough of an electric bill to keep the power on.

Stopping evictions and homelessness is a priority for most congregations. A church may contribute its own funds, and many also take part in wider community efforts that pool money from several congregations and charities as part of local emergency rent assistance programs. The same thinking applies to keeping utilities connected, since a shut-off can quickly snowball into a housing crisis - this guide to programs for electric bill help covers what churches and other groups can do.

Churches are also one of the few places that will sit down with someone who has nothing at all - no income, no savings, and nowhere else to turn. Even when a congregation has no money to give, staff and volunteers tend to be tied into the local support network and can point you to charities, community action agencies, and government programs with funds available. If you are starting from zero, this page on getting assistance when you have no money walks through where to begin.

Free food, clothes, and other items from a church

Free food or a meal is always always the single most common form of church assistance. Congregations run food pantries, serve hot meals, host soup kitchens, and hand out grocery boxes, with many operating as official distribution sites for their regional food bank. The section of this site on how food pantries and food banks work explains what to expect and how to find one.

Beyond food, churches frequently give away clothing through closets and donation rooms - find locations on the page about churches and charities with free clothes. During November and December, holiday programs add free Christmas gifts, toys, and meals, often run jointly with other local groups; see the guide to free Christmas assistance programs. Some congregations can also help with transportation costs in an emergency, such as a tank of gas or a volunteer mechanic who fixes a car at no labor cost, as covered on the page about car repairs and gasoline help from churches.

National church organizations that help in most communities

Several denominations run charitable networks with a presence in most counties, which means a local branch is often the practical way to get help even though there is no single national application. (Separately, a number of national Christian charities offer services like credit counseling - those are covered on the page about Christian organizations that help low-income families.)

Catholic Charities is one of the largest, with agencies serving most of the country. Local offices may offer emergency financial help, food, free or low-cost counseling, and support for immigrants and refugees regardless of faith or status. Learn what is available from Catholic Charities assistance programs, or locate your nearest agency through the Catholic Charities USA website at https://www.catholiccharitiesusa.org..

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul works through volunteers, known as Vincentians, based in Catholic parishes. They are known for home visits, help with rent and utility bills as parish funds allow, and low-cost thrift stores. The page on Saint Vincent de Paul financial assistance explains how to reach a local conference.

The Salvation Army one of the most extensive charity networks in the country. Depending on the location, services range from emergency food and help with rent or light bills to homeless shelters, free Christmas gifts through the Angel Tree, and free or low-cost substance abuse rehabilitation. Find details on Salvation Army programs for struggling people.

Love INC, short for Love In the Name of Christ, coordinates volunteers from many churches in a community through what it calls a Clearinghouse. Affiliates commonly provide free groceries, furniture, diapers, and other essentials, with some offering limited financial help. Read about Love INC assistance programs to see how the Clearinghouse model works.

United Methodist Church congregations support short-term relief such as help with back rent, utility bills when funds allow, free groceries, and items for children like school supplies and winter coats. What is offered depends entirely on the congregation, as explained on the page about help from a local UMC church.

Episcopal Church ministries address hunger, housing, and access to health care in many communities, with each parish running its own application process. More information is on the page about help from an Episcopal Church.

Lutheran Social Services agencies operate across much of the country and serve people of any background, with programs that can include rent or utility help, senior services, and family support. See how to get help from Lutheran Services.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints runs one of the most organized church welfare systems in the country, including free food through bishops' storehouses and emergency bill help arranged through a local bishop - and you do not need to be a member. The guide to LDS Church assistance programs explains how to ask.

National Church Residences focuses on housing, offering affordable apartments mostly for seniors, people with disabilities, and some families. Demand is high and income rules apply, as covered on the National Church Residences housing page.

Help from other faith communities

Faith-based help is not limited to Christian churches or the organizations previously covered. As with churches, most of these organizations help people of any faith or no faith.

Jewish Family Services agencies serve many metro areas with a focus on seniors, families with young children, and people with disabilities, offering everything from meals on wheels to interest-free loans - see the programs from Jewish Family Services.
Mosques and Islamic centers also assist struggling neighbors through zakat, the Islamic practice of charitable giving, and the national charity ICNA Relief runs food pantries, transitional housing for women, and emergency assistance in communities across the country; details are at https://icnarelief.org.

What to expect when you ask a church for help

Churches focus on solving a one-time emergency rather than providing ongoing support, so be prepared to explain what caused the crisis - a job loss, an illness, an unexpected bill - and how you will stay stable afterward. Most will ask for some documentation, such as a copy of your lease, the past-due bill, a pay stub, or an ID showing your address. Priority usually goes to seniors, people with disabilities or serious illness, and families with children.

It also helps to know the limits going in. Funds run out, especially late in the month and outside the holiday season, and a congregation that helped your neighbor last week may have nothing left this week. If one church says no, that is a reflection of its budget, not your situation - ask whether they can refer you to another congregation or charity, since faith groups in an area usually know who currently has funds.

Community forum - feedback from across the county

You can also read real experiences and tips from people across the country in the moderated community forum dedicated to getting help from a church. It's moderated and free to read or participate.

Find church assistance programs by city and county

There is no national application for church help; everything runs through individual congregations and local ministries, and what is offered in one county can be completely different one county over. Before you start calling, the 3-step application strategy on this site can improve your odds. You can also dial 211 or search https://www.211.org to find church and charity programs operating near you.

The locations listed here include details on churches and faith-based organizations known to offer assistance in their communities.

Alameda County and Oakland

Allegheny County

Atlanta area

Austin and Travis County

Birmingham

Broward County

Buffalo and Erie County