Your situation may worsen if you ignore calls or the mail if you need help paying your bills right away. The impact of an emergency on your finances can be devastating; it can wipe out your savings and leave you with a mountain of unpaid bills. Fortunately, many nonprofit and government programs and crowdfunding resources are available to help you get back on your feet. If you are scrambling to pay your bills now but need help, we have put together the best resources to help you overcome your financial difficulties.
You need to take care of your necessities if you may not be able to afford all of your bills. Failure to pay these expenses will likely hurt your quality of life and prolong the cycle you are already caught up in.
There are some expenses you simply cannot get by without. They include food, rent, utilities, and other necessities to keep working (uniforms, transportation, etc.). So long as you have enough to cover these bills, you will be able to survive until the next paycheck arrives. You can turn to government programs, nonprofit and private charities, and programs provided by individual providers for financial assistance when you are having difficulty paying your bills.
Call 2-1-1, the United Way’s confidential resource hotline, for free advice on programs available in your area. There is always someone available to assist you, no matter what time, and find out if you are eligible for any local resources.
Housing
Having an open and honest relationship with your landlord or lender will be a great first step to avoiding eviction or foreclosure. It may be possible for them to grant you some options without asking. It may also be possible to offer you some assistance if they do not want to cooperate.
US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
When a homeowner loses their job or suffers a significant decrease in income, the HUD may be able to reduce their mortgage payments or give them a forbearance period. For those who cannot pay their mortgages, HUD offers refinancing and loan modification programs that can lower their payment.
Gradient Gives Back Foundation
The Gradient Gives Back Foundation offers a full year of rent or mortgage payments to deserving families. Their website allows you to apply to the program or nominate a deserving family for consideration.
The Salvation Army
Through its Pathway of Hope program, the Salvation Army provides rent and utility payment assistance to those in need. To find out more about the Salvation Army services available to you in your community, please locate your local Salvation Army.
CoAbode
CoAbode is a non-profit program that provides home-sharing opportunities for single mothers. In the organization, single mothers are partnered with other single mothers who share expenses such as rent, groceries, babysitting, and carpooling to share the expenses.
Society of St. Vincent de Paul
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is an organization that offers financial assistance with mortgage and rent payments. Apart from mortgage and rent assistance, the organization also provides various other services. They send trained personnel to assess the applicant’s needs and decide whether or not they qualify for assistance.
Utilities
Utility companies often offer payment assistance programs and partner with financial institutions to assist their customers. Call your provider or visit their website to learn more about your options.
The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
Families who qualify for LIHEAP receive assistance with heating and air conditioning bills and repairs to their homes. Whether you qualify for the program can be checked online and how to apply.
Lifeline
The Lifeline program is a government-funded program created to ensure that people at the lowest income levels can access phone and internet service. Benefits include a monthly discount of up to $9.25 for eligible consumers. A discount of up to $34.25 each month is offered to consumers who live on tribal lands.
Dollar Energy Fund
The Dollar Energy Fund is a non-profit organization that provides utility assistance to clients of 49 utility companies across the country. Additionally, Dollar Energy Fund partnered with over 450 community-based organizations to provide more assistance to low-income households.
Food
To find out if there are emergency food providers in your area, contact the National Hunger Hotline at 1-866-348-6479, so you can connect with the National Hunger Hotline. There are several organizations and programs that offer long-term assistance. Here are some options to consider.
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
The SNAP program makes it possible for eligible low-income families to purchase more healthy foods by providing benefits. If you meet certain income and work requirements, you may qualify to receive SNAP benefits. You can apply online for these benefits.
Summer Food Service Program
Children and teens in low-income areas can find free healthy meals and snacks while school is out as part of the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), a federally-funded program administered by the state. The SFSP website allows you to apply and locate service sites.
Catholic Charities
Catholic Charities services are food banks, food pantries, and community farms that provide access to healthy foods. They provide more than just food through the services they offer. They have an online application system that allows you to apply for food, housing, medical assistance, etc.
Feeding America Network
Through its 200 food banks and 60,000 food pantries, Feeding America Network offers food assistance to millions of Americans every year. You can locate one of their food pantries near your location using the map on their website.
Medical bills
The Affordable Care Act and other reform measures have made it easier for people to get the healthcare they need when they need it. Some organizations are dedicated to helping ease the burden of healthcare expenses.
Medicaid
Medicaid is a federal and state-funded program that provides free or low-cost medical coverage to low-income adults, children, pregnant women, the elderly, and people with disabilities. Upon approval for Medicaid, you can retroactively apply for coverage up to three months before applying.
Modest Needs
Modest Needs is a non-profit organization that provides grants for unexpected expenses or expenses related to an unforeseen situation. In short, the Modest Needs program offers short-term financial support for people and families in crisis who are just above the income limits and aren’t eligible for most federal financial assistance programs.
Patient Access Network (PAN) Foundation
Underinsured people with chronic and rare diseases can rely on PAN for assistance with the out-of-pocket costs of medications. The PAN offers financial help for the costs of medications associated with more than 70 diseases.
Patient Advocate Foundation (PAF)
In addition to paying medical bills, PAF assists uninsured and insured individuals with chronic illnesses by navigating insurance providers, resolving billing issues, and more.
Patient Services Inc. (PSI)
PSI provides financial assistance to patients with certain chronic diseases by subsidizing the cost of their health insurance premiums and copays. PSI can also help with the cost of travel associated with treating those chronic diseases.
HealthWell Foundation
The HealthWell Foundation’s mission is to bridge the gap between what medical insurance pays and what it costs to receive treatment and take medicines. They can also help pay for any medical emergency, including travel costs, deductibles, prescription co-pays, and health insurance premiums.
Car payments
You can refinance your car, whether you’ve missed a few car payments or you’d like to get a loan extension and add the missed payments to the end of your loan term. There are some options available to you for assistance if you do not expect to be able to make those payments any time soon.
Working Cars for Working Families
If a low-wage worker cannot afford a new car, Working Cars for Working Families provides an opportunity to get a used car. Various programs are available in different areas. Those may include used car donations or special-term loans for those with bad credit and matching-saving programs that make it easier for people to save for a car.
Vehicles For Change (VFC)
With the help of their donors, VFC receives donations of cars and sells them to eligible families at a fraction of their real value to assist them in a time of need. Among the many services the VFC provides are low-interest loans to its members so they can build credit on the purchases they make.
Charity Cars Inc.
As part of its mission, Charity Cars Inc. donates vehicles to struggling families and helps them become self-sufficient by providing them with new automobiles in return for their support. You can apply for a free car by registering for a free account, earning votes from all your friends, and gaining votes from your family and friends.
Job Access Program
Lyft launched a new program for job seekers in 35 cities in 2019 called the Job Access Program to help people who struggle to access public transportation get to work and get job training or job interviews.
Credit cards
Whenever you have a problem making your credit card payment, you should first contact the credit card company to explain your situation. There are times when you might be able to get some of the late fees waived and your monthly bill lowered if you ask for help because you have encountered financial hardship.
If you need help moving forward with your debt management plan, some non-profit credit counseling organizations can assist you. There are several reasons why debt management plans differ from debt settlements, consolidations, or credit repair companies, which can cause considerable harm to your wallet and credit score.
National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC)
The National Foundation for Credit Counseling has served as a non-profit organization for over fifty years. Members of the NFCC can provide counseling for credit card debt and financial education on various other topics.
Take Charge America
Take Charge America can assist consumers with credit cards, student loans, and housing debt through its free credit counseling and debt management programs.
GreenPath
Another great credit counseling service that you can get help from is GreenPath. In addition to its online services, GreenPath also has more than 50 physical locations around the country where you can get help in person.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Charities and grants in the US can assist with various bills, including utility bills (electricity, water, gas), medical bills, housing costs (rent or mortgage payments), and food expenses. Programs and organizations typically target specific types of bills or expenses, so it’s essential to identify resources that align with your particular needs.
To find charities and grants that help with your bills, begin by searching for resources available in your local community, such as churches, nonprofit organizations, and government assistance programs. You can also explore national organizations like The Salvation Army, Catholic Charities, the American Red Cross, and the United Way. Reach out to your utility providers or social service agencies for information on available assistance programs or payment plans. Online resources like NeedHelpPayingBills.com can also help you find assistance programs.
When seeking help from charities and grants to pay your bills, consider factors such as eligibility criteria, application deadlines, and the types of bills covered by each program. Be prepared to provide documentation to verify your financial situation, such as proof of income, bills or invoices, and identification. Apply for assistance as soon as you anticipate difficulty paying your bills, as many programs have limited funds and waiting periods. Finally, explore multiple resources to maximize your chances of receiving assistance, and consider seeking financial counseling or budgeting advice to help prevent future financial difficulties.
If you need more help, visit our article about charities that help low-income families.
Are you interested in learning more about different grants and programs that can help you with your living situation? Check out the rest of Gov Relations’ blog section today!
