Start with 211
If you need shelter tonight or are at risk of losing housing, tell 211 whether you are already homeless, facing eviction, leaving abuse, have children, have a disability, or have pets.
FIND YOUR LOCAL 211 ↗HELP AVAILABLE TODAY
You don’t have to know where to start.
Start with what is happening. We’ll help you jump to established resources and practical next steps that may fit.
This guided resource finder is what Help Finds a Way can provide today while the larger vision continues taking shape. You do not need to know the name of a program or category before you begin.
Important: Help Finds a Way does not operate these services and is not an emergency, crisis, clinical, legal, or case-management service. Availability and eligibility can vary by location.
FIND THE HELP THAT FITS →WHAT IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW?
Start with what is happening.
More than one thing can be true. Pick the biggest problem first. You can always come back and follow another path.
1 Choose what is happening
2 Jump to the closest pathway
3 Use an established resource or next step
I don't feel safe
I need somewhere to stay
I need food or basic necessities
I'm overwhelmed or in crisis
Grief, loss, or a major life change
Drugs or alcohol are involved
I need medical care or medication
I can't pay for something essential
Benefits, paperwork, or navigating a system
Aging, caregiving, or staying at home
I have a disability or accessibility problem
I can't get where I need to go
Pregnancy, parenting, or a major life decision
A child or family needs help
I have a legal problem
I'm a Veteran or military family member
A disaster displaced or affected me
My pet is part of the problem too
I want faith or community support
Everything is happening at once / I'm not sure where to start
HOUSING & HOMELESSNESS
Do you need somewhere safe to stay?
HUD Find Shelter
Search for shelters, food pantries, health clinics, clothing resources, and local homelessness-response pathways.
HUD FIND SHELTER ↗FOOD & BASIC NECESSITIES
Do you need food today or ongoing help?
Food today
Use Feeding America's locator to find the food bank serving your area and nearby pantries or meal programs.
FIND A FOOD BANK ↗Food over time
Apply for SNAP through your state. Also ask about WIC, school meals, senior meals, and home-delivered food when they apply.
FIND YOUR STATE SNAP OFFICE ↗MENTAL HEALTH & EMOTIONAL DISTRESS
Do you need someone now, or ongoing care?
I need someone right now
Call or text 988, or use online chat. You do not need to be suicidal to reach out.
988 LIFELINE ↗I need ongoing treatment
Search confidentially for mental-health and substance-use treatment providers through FindTreatment.gov.
FIND TREATMENT ↗ADDICTION & RECOVERY
What kind of help are you looking for?
Treatment navigation
Think about whether you need detox, residential treatment, outpatient treatment, medication treatment, recovery support, or help for someone else.
FIND TREATMENT ↗SAMHSA National Helpline
Call 1-800-662-HELP (4357) for treatment information and referrals. For an emotional or substance-related crisis, 988 is also available.
CALL 1-800-662-4357ABUSE, VIOLENCE & PERSONAL SAFETY
Your safety comes first.
If someone may monitor your device or browsing, consider using a safer device when possible and use the Quick Exit button on this page.
Domestic violence
National Domestic Violence Hotline: 800-799-SAFE (7233) or text START to 88788. Advocates can help with safety planning and local referrals.
THE HOTLINE ↗Sexual assault
RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline: 800-656-HOPE (4673), with confidential support and local referrals.
RAINN ↗Human trafficking
National Human Trafficking Hotline: 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733.
TRAFFICKING HOTLINE ↗Immediate danger
If someone's life or immediate safety may be in danger, use emergency help first.
CALL 911MEDICAL CARE & MEDICATION
Cost should not be the end of the search.
I need a doctor but don't have insurance
HRSA-funded health centers provide care regardless of insurance status and use sliding fees based on ability to pay.
FIND A HEALTH CENTER ↗I may qualify for Medicaid
Eligibility and enrollment are state-administered. Find your state Medicaid agency to apply or check coverage.
MEDICAID HELP ↗I can't afford a medication
Tell the prescriber, pharmacist, or clinic that cost is preventing you from filling it. Ask about generics, alternatives, assistance programs, or emergency supply options.
Poisoning or medication exposure
Poison Control provides free expert assistance at 1-800-222-1222. Collapse, seizure, inability to breathe, or inability to awaken requires 911.
POISON CONTROL ↗DISABILITY & ACCESSIBILITY
Disability assistance isn't one thing.
Community living & local supports
DIAL connects people with disabilities to local organizations, including Centers for Independent Living and resources for transportation, housing, legal assistance, and community supports.
DIAL ↗Cash benefits
Social Security administers SSDI and SSI. They are different programs and may interact with other help such as health coverage, food, housing, and transportation.
SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY ↗PREGNANCY, PARENTING & MAJOR LIFE DECISIONS
Are you pregnant, parenting, or facing a decision that feels too heavy to carry alone?
Start with what you need most right now — health care, food, housing, emotional support, safety, transportation, parenting support, or simply a place to sort out the next step. You do not have to fit neatly into one category.
211: local practical support
211 can connect you with local food, housing, transportation, health care, parenting, benefits, and other community resources. Tell them if pregnancy, children, safety, housing, or transportation are part of the situation.
FIND YOUR LOCAL 211 ↗National Maternal Mental Health Hotline
Free, confidential 24/7 support for pregnant people, new parents, and families who are overwhelmed, anxious, depressed, or simply need someone trained to listen and connect them with care.
CALL, TEXT OR CHAT ↗Find a community health center
HRSA-funded health centers provide primary and preventive care in communities across the U.S. and can be a starting point for prenatal, postpartum, and family health needs.
FIND A HEALTH CENTER ↗Never Carry Alone
Never Carry Alone is a developing pathway intended for people carrying a pregnancy, parenting, hardship, safety, loss, or life-changing decision that feels too heavy to face alone. It is not yet a staffed service, so use the established resources on this page for help available today.
SEE THE BIGGER VISION →AGING, CAREGIVING & STAYING AT HOME
Are you trying to stay independent at home or care for someone who is aging?
Eldercare Locator
Connects older adults, families, and caregivers to local meals, home care, transportation, caregiver education, respite, and other aging-network services.
ELDERCARE LOCATOR ↗Look at the whole situation
Aging and caregiving often overlap with disability, transportation, medication, food, home safety, benefits, legal concerns, social isolation, and caregiver respite.
CHECK RELATED NEEDS ↑TRANSPORTATION & MOBILITY
What are you trying to reach?
Older adult or disability transportation
Start with Eldercare Locator for older adults or DIAL for disability/community-living supports. Ask about paratransit, Medicaid transportation, volunteer drivers, and accessible rides.
ELDERCARE LOCATOR ↗Local transportation options
Tell 211 whether the trip is for medical care, work, groceries, a wheelchair-accessible ride, or a rural/no-vehicle situation.
ASK 211 ↗MONEY, BILLS & BENEFITS
What is becoming unaffordable?
General benefit screening
USA.gov's Benefit Finder screens across food, health, housing, utilities, disability, disasters, Veterans, retirement, and other assistance.
BENEFIT FINDER ↗Older or disabled adults
BenefitsCheckUp can surface programs for food, prescriptions, utilities, health care, and other needs.
BENEFITSCHECKUP ↗Rent, utilities, or emergency bills
Tell 211 whether a bill is due soon, service is already disconnected, or there is a court/collection deadline. Timing can change the available options.
ASK 211 ↗VETERANS & MILITARY FAMILIES
Veteran status can open a different first door.
Veterans Crisis Line
Call 988, then press 1, or text 838255.
VETERANS CRISIS LINE ↗Homeless or at risk of homelessness
National Call Center for Homeless Veterans: 877-424-3838. Veterans, family, friends, and providers may call.
CALL 877-424-3838GRIEF, LOSS & MAJOR LIFE CHANGE
Has a loss or major change left you unsure what comes next?
Grief can affect housing, finances, caregiving, benefits, family roles, mental health, faith, work, and daily routines. Start with the part that is hardest today.
Start with 211 for local support
Ask about grief or bereavement groups, family support, food, housing, transportation, benefits, faith-community resources, or other practical needs that changed after the loss.
FIND YOUR LOCAL 211 ↗If grief becomes a crisis
If you are in severe emotional distress, having thoughts of suicide, or feel unable to stay safe, call or text 988 for immediate crisis support.
988 LIFELINE ↗Benefits after a death
USA.gov can help you find federal information about survivor benefits, Social Security, veterans benefits, housing, and other government programs that may matter after someone dies.
GOVERNMENT DEATH BENEFITS ↗CHILDREN, TEENS & FAMILIES
Start with the child's safety and situation.
Child abuse concern
Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline: call or text 800-422-4453. Immediate danger still goes to 911.
CHILDHELP ↗Runaway, homeless, or unsafe youth
National Runaway Safeline: 1-800-RUNAWAY / 1-800-786-2929, with phone, text, chat, and referrals.
NATIONAL RUNAWAY SAFELINE ↗LEGAL PROBLEMS
Is there a deadline or court date coming soon?
Civil legal aid
The Legal Services Corporation locator finds LSC-funded legal-aid organizations for qualifying low-income people. Common issues include housing, domestic violence, custody, benefits, and family stability.
FIND LEGAL AID ↗When you contact legal help
Have court papers, notices, deadlines, contracts, and identification if you can. If a court date is near, say that immediately.
DISASTER & DISPLACEMENT
Safety first. Recovery comes next.
I need shelter now
American Red Cross disaster shelters can provide a safe place to sleep, meals, water, health assistance, emotional support, and connections to recovery resources.
FIND AN OPEN SHELTER ↗I need disaster assistance
Use DisasterAssistance.gov for federal disaster-assistance pathways. FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers can also help with applications, letters, status, and referrals.
DISASTER ASSISTANCE ↗PETS & ANIMALS DURING HUMAN CRISIS
Your animal can be part of the safety plan.
Leaving abuse with a pet
Tell the domestic-violence advocate immediately that you have animals. Ask about pet-friendly sheltering, foster care, or temporary boarding. RedRover offers domestic-violence pet-safety resources.
REDROVER ↗Disaster with pets
Tell shelter or emergency personnel about pets or service animals. Local arrangements vary, so communicate animal needs as early as possible.
RED CROSS SHELTER INFO ↗FAITH & COMMUNITY SUPPORT
Sometimes practical help starts with people nearby.
Community and faith-based help
Local churches, ministries, community organizations, and volunteer networks may be able to help with meals, clothing, transportation, short-term needs, pastoral care, or connections to other services.
ASK 211 ABOUT LOCAL COMMUNITY RESOURCES ↗Ask for the kind of support you actually want
If faith matters to you, say so. If you prefer secular community support, say that too. The goal is a connection that fits your needs and comfort level.
WHAT SHOULD I HAVE READY?
Bring what you have. Do not delay asking for help because something is missing.
Useful information can include your ZIP code or current location, household names and ages, identification if available, income and benefits, housing or utility notices, insurance, medical conditions and medications, court or shutoff deadlines, Veteran status, disability/accessibility needs, and whether children, older adults, caregivers, service animals, or pets are involved.
If you don't have these documents, call anyway. Ask what is actually required and whether someone can help replace missing documents.
IF THE FIRST PLACE CANNOT HELP
Don't assume that means no help exists.
Ask: “Why am I not eligible?” · “Is there another program I might qualify for?” · “Who handles this in my county?” · “Is there a waitlist or cancellation list?” · “Is there an emergency or hardship exception?” · “Can you make a referral or warm handoff instead of giving me a number?” · “What documentation would change this decision?”
If the pathways above do not point you in the right direction, you can share a little about what is going on. Help Finds a Way is still developing, so submitting this form does not mean Wellsprings can provide direct assistance or guarantee a response. It helps us understand needs and, where possible, point toward appropriate resources or developing pathways.
Tell us what you’re looking for.
Tell us a little about what’s going on and what kind of help you’re looking for. You do not need to share private medical, legal, financial, or other sensitive information here.
The resource finder above is the primary tool available today.
This form is a fallback, not a staffed help desk. For emergencies use 911, for mental-health or suicide crisis use 988, and for general community resources use 211.
THIS IS A STARTING POINT
Something useful today. Something much bigger ahead.
Help Finds a Way is being built to make finding the right help simpler, more connected, and more human. Today, the resource finder can point toward established options; the broader navigation and follow-through model will grow as capacity and partnerships develop.
SEE WHAT WE’RE BUILDING →