Resources
Survival Tools & Real Help
You’re not alone. These are real tools, real numbers, real organizations that can help. No judgment. No gatekeeping. Just access.
When you need help now
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
24/7, free, confidential. If you’re thinking about ending your life, or you’re worried about someone else, call or text 988. They get it. They won’t judge.
988lifeline.orgCrisis Text Line
Text HOME to 741741
24/7, free, confidential. Prefer texting? This is for you. Real crisis counselors respond.
crisistextline.orgNational Domestic Violence Hotline
Or text START to 88788. 24/7, free, confidential. If you’re experiencing abuse of any kind, trained advocates help you make a safety plan, find shelter, and understand your legal options.
thehotline.orgNational Sexual Assault Hotline (RAINN)
24/7, free, confidential. RAINN connects you to local services, helps you process what happened, and explains your options. Reporting is your choice, not a requirement.
rainn.orglove is respect (dating abuse)
Or text LOVEIS to 22522. 24/7, free, confidential. If you’re in an abusive dating relationship, they help you recognize abuse patterns and get safe.
loveisrespect.orgThe Trevor Project (LGBTQ+ crisis support)
Or text START to 678-678. Many domestic violence hotlines also specialize in LGBTQ+ abuse. Ask when you call.
thetrevorproject.orgVeterans Crisis Line
Dial 988, then press 1
24/7, free, confidential, for veterans, service members, and the people who love them.
veteranscrisisline.netFood, housing, utilities
211
Dial 2-1-1 or visit 211.org. This is the master resource. Search by zip code for food banks, food pantries, emergency housing, utility assistance, childcare, and disaster relief. Whatever you need, 211 can point you there.
FindHelp
Search for local health and human services in your area at findhelp.org.
Feeding America: Food Bank Locator
Search your zip code to find local food banks and food pantries. Free. No applications. No shame. Go get what you need. Find food banks near you
Food pantries: how they work
If you’ve never been to a food pantry, here’s what to expect:
- What they are: community places that give out free groceries, with no purchase required
- Who can go: usually anyone who needs it. Some ask income questions; most don’t.
- What you get: it varies: canned goods, fresh produce in season, dairy, eggs, meat, bread, pasta, rice
- No shame: everyone there is in survival mode. No judgment.
- How often: most let you come weekly or once a month, depending on the pantry
- What to bring: a bag or box (they might have bags), and your ID (optional, but helpful)
- Hours: they vary, so call ahead
Finding food pantries near you
- Call 211 and ask for “food pantries near me”
- Search Feeding America’s locator
- Call your local church, community center, or library. They often know.
- Many neighborhoods have pop-up pantries during farmers market hours
State emergency assistance
It’s different in every state, but most have emergency programs for utilities, rent, and food. Call 211 or visit 211.org to find your state’s programs.
SNAP (food stamps)
Need help buying food? Apply for SNAP. You may qualify even if you think you make too much money. SNAP puts money for groceries on an EBT card, which works like a debit card. You can buy fruits, vegetables, meat, dairy, eggs, grains, beans, and peanut butter. You can’t buy alcohol, cigarettes, or most hot prepared food.
Apply through your state’s SNAP website, call 211, or visit your local human services office. If you’re homeless, living in a shelter, or have very little money, you may qualify for expedited SNAP, which can be processed in 7 days or less.
No shame. If you need food, apply.
Benefits & financial help
USA.gov benefits
One place to search for food assistance, housing help, healthcare, utility help, and childcare support. You likely qualify for more than you think. Visit USA.gov benefits
Housing assistance & Section 8
HUD.gov lists the public housing authorities in your area. Section 8 waitlists are long, but they’re worth getting on.
TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families)
Cash assistance for families. Eligibility varies by state. Call 211, or search “TANF” plus your state, like “Colorado TANF.”
Medicaid & healthcare
Free or low-cost health insurance: Medicaid.gov. Your local health department also has applications and free or sliding-scale clinics.
Addiction & substance use
SAMHSA National Helpline
1-800-662-4357 (24/7, free, confidential). Struggling with drugs or alcohol? Call this number. They listen, and they refer you to treatment. No judgment. Visit the SAMHSA National Helpline
Treatment locator
At findtreatment.gov, search for medication-assisted treatment (MAT), methadone and buprenorphine clinics, and addiction counseling. Filter by what you need and what your insurance covers.
Narcotics Anonymous & Alcoholics Anonymous
Free peer support meetings almost everywhere. Not your only option, but a real resource. Find meetings at na.org and aa.org.
Harm reduction
Harm reduction saves lives. Needle exchanges and naloxone (Narcan) are available in many areas, often free. Search “harm reduction” plus your city, or call 211.
Treatment options (know you have choices)
- Inpatient or residential: you live at the facility, with 24/7 support and more intensive care
- Outpatient: you go to appointments and live at home. More flexible, less intensive.
- Medication-assisted treatment (MAT): medications like methadone or buprenorphine plus counseling. Very effective, especially for opioids.
- Detox: medical supervision while your body adjusts, often the first step before longer treatment
Most have sliding scales or take Medicaid. Ask about it.
Peer support & recovery communities
SMART Recovery, Celebrate Recovery, and Refuge Recovery are alternatives to 12-step programs, if those don’t work for you.
Domestic violence & abuse
Understanding abuse (because it’s not always what you think)
Abuse isn’t just physical violence. It includes:
- Emotional abuse: constant criticism, gaslighting, isolation
- Financial control: controlling access to money, keeping you from working
- Sexual coercion or assault
- Controlling behavior: where you go, who you see, what you wear
- Threats or intimidation
- Threatening to harm kids, pets, or themselves
Safety planning (do this before you need it)
- Identify safe people: who can you call or stay with if you need to leave quickly?
- Have emergency cash: even $20 to $50 hidden somewhere safe
- Keep important documents safe: birth certificate, ID, Social Security card. Ask a domestic violence shelter about safe storage.
- Know your escape routes: which doors, windows, or exits could you use?
- Set a code word with trusted people: a phrase that means “I need help, I’m in danger”
- Know where shelters are: many domestic violence shelters are confidential. Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline to find one near you.
Getting out safely (you don’t have to stay)
- Domestic violence shelters offer safe housing, legal advocacy, counseling, job help, and childcare support, usually for free
- Most are confidential, so your abuser won’t know where you are
- Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 to find a shelter in your area
- Many shelters help with protective orders, which are court orders that keep an abuser away from you
After you leave (the harder part)
- PTSD and trauma are normal responses to abuse. Get counseling if you can.
- Your nervous system has been in survival mode. Healing takes time.
- Protective orders are legal tools. Use them.
- Rebuilding trust, in others and in yourself, is possible, but it takes support
- If you have kids, many shelters help with custody and child support issues
If you’re supporting someone in an abusive relationship
- Believe them. Abuse is real.
- Don’t pressure them to leave. Timing and safety matter, and leaving is often the most dangerous time.
- Stay in their life. Abusers isolate people from their support.
- Help them make a safety plan
- Offer practical help: money, a place to stay, rides, childcare
- Don’t criticize their abuser, or they may pull away from you
Health & mental health
Mental health crisis
Call or text 988 for any mental health crisis, not only suicidal thoughts. For treatment referrals, call the SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357.
Local mental health services
Most communities have federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) that offer mental health services on a sliding scale, so you pay what you can afford. Search “FQHC near me,” or call 211.
Trauma & mental health (especially for system-involved people)
If you’ve been through the juvenile justice system, foster care, abuse, homelessness, or incarceration:
- You likely have trauma. That’s normal, not weakness.
- Look for trauma-informed therapists or counselors. They understand complex
