Practical Help
For When You Need More Than a Pep Talk
This is a starting point for the practical stuff: food, bills, housing, benefits, finding someone who actually gets your brain or your kid’s. Not advice on how to feel better about it. Actual places to start when the logistics are the thing drowning you.
If you’re in crisis right now, or worried about someone who is, that’s a different kind of urgent. Start here instead: Get Help Now.
A note on how I keep this list: I’m based in the United States, so most of what’s here is US-based, with a section in Spanish and a section for other countries further down. It’s not possible to list every resource, but hopefully something here can give you a little solid ground or at least some direction.
I keep this list current myself, but every resource is run by its own organization, not by me. I make no endorsements of any resources. I do try to exclude any “pay to be included” directories. I can’t vet individual providers, so please use your own judgment and reach out directly to any resource on this list to confirm it fits.
Where possible, I do center inclusive and affirming resources. Feel free to review my Values Statement for more context.
NONE of these are affiliate links. I don’t make anything from including these resources. I just want you to be able to find some help.
If you find a broken link or know of something that belongs here, I want to hear about it.
Last reviewed: June 2026
Looking for something specific? Jump straight to it.
- Central Resource Hubs
- Food
- Utilities & Energy Bills
- Housing & Rent
- Help Keeping Your Pets
- Medical Bills and Prescription Assistance
- Benefits & Legal Navigation
- Family and Community Support
- ND-Affirming Provider Hubs
- For Veterans
- Caregiving and Chronic Illness
- Grief and Loss
- End of Life Planning
- En español y otros idiomas / In Spanish and Other Languages
- International-Outside the United States
Central Resource Hubs
If you only have capacity for one thing, start here. These five act as a central hub to connect you to most of your basic needs: food, rent, utilities, childcare, and more, based on where you live. The remaining sections below help you dive deeper into specific care needs or find something more specialized to your situation.
211. The single best starting point in the US. Free, confidential, available 24/7, and it doesn’t ask about your immigration status. Trained specialists connect you to local help with food, rent, utilities, childcare, and more. Call or text 211, or search at 211.org.
También en español: es.211.org, o llama al 211 y pide español.
FindHelp. Search free and reduced-cost local programs by ZIP code: food, housing, financial assistance, and a lot more. At findhelp.org.
BenefitsCheckUp. Federal disability benefits work the same everywhere, but the state and county programs, things like cash supplements, Medicaid waivers, and help with food, utilities, and medicine, change depending on where you live and can be almost impossible to find on your own. Put in your ZIP code and it shows you what you might qualify for and how to apply, across thousands of programs.
It’s run by a nonprofit focused on older adults, so the wording leans older, but it serves older adults and people with disabilities of any age, and the screening is free and private.
Start at benefitscheckup.org, or call 1-800-794-6559.
También en español: buscabeneficios.org, o llama al 1-800-794-6559.
LawHelp.org. Lawyers are expensive, and when you’re already underwater, “just hire one” is useless advice. This is the free way in. Pick your state and it connects you to nonprofit legal aid near you, along with plain-language guides and court forms you can fill out yourself for free.
It covers the civil problems that actually derail a life: eviction and housing, debt and consumer trouble, family and custody, domestic violence, benefits denials, immigration, and more.
It does not handle criminal cases.
One thing worth knowing: plenty of sites advertise “legal aid” to sell you something, so starting here keeps you with the real, free programs. Start at lawhelp.org.
También en español: elige tu estado en lawhelp.org y busca la opción “Español” (varía según el estado).
Don’t underestimate your neighbors. Local Facebook groups, Nextdoor, Buy Nothing groups, places of worship, and community boards are often the fastest way to find specific local help, and you can usually ask anonymously. People share food pickups, free furniture, rides, lending libraries, and leads on assistance you’d never find in a directory.
Food
Needing help feeding yourself or your family is one of the most common struggles today, and one of the hardest to say out loud. It shouldn’t be. What’s below runs from national programs to a free pantry box that might be sitting on a street near yours.
Feeding America. Find your local food bank, pantry, and free meal programs. At feedingamerica.org/find-your-local-foodbank.
For specific needs (baby formula and food, kids, seniors, disabilities), they have more resources at feedingamerica.org/need-help-find-food.
También en español: encuentra tu banco de alimentos en feedingamerica.org/en-espanol, o llama al 1-877-842-6273.
No Kid Hungry. Find free meals for kids near you. Text FOOD to 304-304, or visit nokidhungry.org/find-free-meals.
They also have specific resources for summer meals for school children at nokidhungry.org/summer-food-resources.
También en español: envía COMIDA al 304-304, o busca comidas en nokidhungry.org/find-free-meals-es.
A free, private map of food pantries, soup kitchens, and school meal sites near you, covering all 50 states. Enter your ZIP or open the map and tap a pin to see hours, what’s offered, and directions. Often easier to scan than a long list.
At foodfinder.us, or the FoodFinder app.
SNAP. Monthly grocery benefits through your state. Find your state’s office at the USDA directory: fna.usda.gov/snap/state-directory.
Little Free Pantry. A loose, neighbor-run network of small public food pantries, the food-pantry cousin of those little free libraries. The whole idea is simple: take what you need, leave what you can, no questions asked. Find one near you on the map at mapping.littlefreepantry.org.
The map isn’t complete, so if there’s nothing listed nearby, ask in a local group (Facebook, Nextdoor) where pantries are, many aren’t mapped. And if you know of one, you can add it to help the next person.
If you feel comfortable, a lot of local faith communities or places of worship, schools, and community centers run weekly food pickups, no membership or questions required. School programs especially ramp up over the summer when kids lose access to school meals. A quick call to a local church office or your school district can point you to what’s nearby. And neighbors who garden or have fruit trees often are happy to share extra produce so it doesn’t go to waste (be certain to ask, not just assume you can take it!).
Utilities and Energy Bills
A shutoff notice has a way of making everything else feel urgent at once. Falling behind on power, heat, water, or internet is incredibly common, and many states have protections and assistance programs built specifically for it, including seasonal rules that limit when service can be cut off. What’s below can help you catch up, get current, or keep service on while you sort out the next step.
LIHEAP. Help paying heating and cooling bills, plus emergency help if your utilities were shut off. Find your state’s program at usa.gov/help-with-energy-bills, or call the National Energy Assistance Referral line at 1-866-674-6327.
También en español: usa.gov/es/ayuda-pagar-luz-gas, o llama al 1-866-674-6327 y pide ayuda en español.
211. Utility help is one of the most-requested things 211 handles. If LIHEAP isn’t enough or you need help fast, call or text 211, or search at 211.org.
También en español: es.211.org, o llama al 211 y pide español.
Lifeline is a federal program that offers monthly discounts on phone and internet services. It is income-based and does have other restrictions. You can learn more at lifelinesupport.org, or call the Lifeline Support Center at 1-800-234-9473.
Local agencies often run programs for energy, heating, cooling, and crisis assistance, as well as early childhood and employment and education services (job training, resume building, GED prep). Most counties in the United States have a local, private nonprofit or public organization offering these services. You can search for local agencies and view lists of state association contacts at communityactionpartnership.com/find-a-cap.
Dollar Energy Fund partners with utility companies around the United States to provide assistance grants and other programs to help utility customers maintain basic gas, water, wastewater and electric services. Not available in every state or with every utility company. Learn more at dollarenergy.org, or call 1-888-282-6816.
También en español: dollarenergy.org/es.
Many utility providers have their own funded assistance programs (often called Universal Service Funds) to help in times of hardship. Reach out to your providers and ask what options are available to you.
Housing and Rent
Few things spike panic like a rent you can’t cover or a notice on the door. Being behind on housing doesn’t make you a failure, and you have more options than it feels like right now, especially if you reach out early. Timing matters more here than almost anywhere else: the sooner you ask, the more doors are still open. What’s below can help whether you need emergency rent help today or a steadier footing for the months ahead.
211. Housing is the most-requested kind of help 211 sees. If you’re trying to stay where you are, they can point you toward rent and utility assistance and eviction prevention.
If you need a place for the night, they can find you a bed, a meal, and somewhere to shower. They have staff who can find shelter for your specific needs: for a family, for a woman, for a young person on their own, or one that takes your pet so you don’t have to choose.
Call or text 211, or search at 211.org. It’s free, confidential, and answered around the clock in many languages.
También en español: es.211.org, o llama al 211 y pide español.
If you’re behind on your rent or mortgage, this is the call to make first. It’s a free, confidential hotline run by a national nonprofit, staffed by HUD-certified housing counselors, available 24/7 in over 200 languages. A counselor will look at your situation, explain your options in plain language, and can even get on the phone with your mortgage servicer with you.
If you’re struggling to keep up with rent, a HUD-certified counselor can help you sort out what to pay first, apply for assistance, communicate with your landlord, and build a plan to stay ahead of eviction.
Call early. The sooner you call, the more options you have. Call 1-888-995-4673, or start at 995hope.org.
También en español: llama al 1-888-995-4673; hay asesores de vivienda que hablan español (la línea atiende en más de 200 idiomas).
A nonprofit search tool that maps over 600 local organizations working to prevent eviction and keep families housed. Built by the team behind Evicted, the book that put this crisis on the map. Enter your area and see who’s nearby. At justshelter.org.
LawHelp.org. If you’re facing eviction or a landlord problem, or possible foreclosure as a homeowner, you have rights, and you don’t have to figure them out alone. LawHelp connects you to free legal aid in your state and has a plain-language Rent and Eviction Help Guide. For renters at lawhelp.org/resource/rent-and-eviction-help-resources. For homeowners, search your state and you’ll be connected with resources similar to this: lawhelp.org/dc/issues/housing/home-ownership-foreclosures.
También en español: elige tu estado en lawhelp.org y busca la opción “Español” (varía según el estado).
Know the words first. Foreclosure has its own vocabulary, and walking into a servicer call knowing it changes how that call goes. Loan modification, forbearance, repayment plan, short sale, deed in lieu: each fits a different situation and affects your credit differently. 995hope.org has plain-language explainers for each, or the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau lays them out side by side.
One rule that protects you everywhere: real foreclosure help does not require money out of your pocket. Anyone asking for a fee upfront, or telling you to stop paying your mortgage and pay them instead, is running a scam.
También en español: la CFPB explica las opciones ante la ejecución hipotecaria en consumerfinance.gov/es, o llama al 1-855-411-2372 y pide español.
HUD. To find affordable housing, rental assistance, and a free HUD-approved housing counselor near you, start at hud.gov/counseling.
To find your local public housing agency directly, select your state at hud.gov/contactus/public-housing-contacts.
If you need shelter now, HUD’s Find Shelter tool maps nearby shelters, plus health care and clothing, at hud.gov/findshelter.
USA.gov Rental Assistance. A plain-language map of federal rental help in one place: Section 8 housing vouchers, subsidized housing, public housing, and programs for veterans, people with disabilities, and seniors. A good place to see what you might qualify for before you start applying. At usa.gov/rental-housing-programs.
También en español: usa.gov/es/programas-ayuda-pagar-renta.
Avoid foreclosure. If you’d rather start from the official source, the government’s plain-language foreclosure page pulls the pieces together: what to do first, how to find a free HUD-approved counselor, your state’s homeowner assistance programs, and how to spot relief scams. At usa.gov/avoid-foreclosure. One rule worth burning in: legitimate help never charges a fee upfront.
También en español: usa.gov/es/ejecucion-hipotecaria.
Help Keeping Your Pets
Your pets are family. Needing help feeding them or providing veterinary care doesn’t change that, and you shouldn’t have to give them up over a rough stretch. Here’s where to start.
Pet Help Finder. A national search tool from Humane World for Animals (formerly the Humane Society). Enter your ZIP and search for free pet food, food pantries, or low-cost vet and spay/neuter services nearby. When your one local option falls through, this is how you find the next one. At pethelpfinder.org.
También disponible en español: esta herramienta tiene versión en español. Abre pethelpfinder.org y cambia el idioma dentro de la página.
Most local animal shelters and humane societies run a pet food pantry, specifically so people don’t have to give up pets they can’t temporarily afford to feed. Many don’t require an application. Search “[your city] pet food pantry,” ask your local shelter directly, or call or text 211, or search at 211.org, to find one nearby.
También en español: es.211.org, o llama al 211 y pide español.
As a note, many human food banks now include pet food in their boxes, often with no income check. When you call or visit, just ask.
RedRover Relief. Emergency financial assistance when your pet needs urgent, life-saving vet care and you can’t cover it. Grants are paid directly to the vet, and they aim to respond within a business day or two. Income limits are more generous than most people expect. Apply online at redrover.org/relief. One tip the experts repeat: if the bill is large, apply to several grant programs at once rather than waiting on one.
Before you panic, ask. Two moves help more than people realize. First, ask your own vet directly whether they have a hardship fund or can set up a payment plan. Many do, especially for clients in good standing, and almost none advertise it.
Second, mention any assistance you already receive, like SNAP or SSI; it can open doors. For larger bills, payment services like Scratchpay (no credit card, soft credit check) spread the cost over time. (I’ve used this myself when my pup got cancer.)
And a veterinary teaching college nearby may run a low-cost clinic.
You have more room to negotiate than the moment makes it feel.
Feeding Pets of the Homeless. A national nonprofit for people experiencing homelessness or housing instability, including veterans. They help with pet food and emergency vet care so you don’t have to choose between a roof and your animal. Their site maps food and resources near you, and they take emergency vet care applications directly. At petsofthehomeless.org.
Finding a service dog you can afford. A trained service dog can cost tens of thousands of dollars, but you don’t have to pay that, and you shouldn’t pay a stranger promising one fast. Many of these organizations can also point you towards assistance for your service dog’s needs in times of hardship or crisis.
Assistance Dogs International keeps a search tool for accredited, legitimate programs near you, filterable by need (including veterans). Going through an accredited program is how you avoid the scams in this space. At assistancedogsinternational.org (use “Member Search”).
Canine Companions places service dogs with adults, children, and veterans entirely free, including follow-up support. At canine.org.
Medical Bills and Prescription Assistance
Medical bills and prescription costs can take a budget that was already stretched and break it, and the systems around them are intentionally built to be hard to navigate. That is not a personal failing. Reach out and ask these organizations for guidance on your specific situation.
NOTE: This section is for medical bills, insurance, and prescription costs. If what you’re really up against is disability benefits, like SSI, SSDI, or appealing a denial, that lives in the Benefits and Legal Navigation section.
Dollar For. Most nonprofit hospitals are required by law to forgive or heavily discount bills for people under a certain income, a program called charity care, and they are not in a hurry to tell you it exists. Dollar For is a free national nonprofit that checks whether your bill qualifies, then fills out and submits the hospital’s application for you. It works even if your bill has already gone to collections, and if you qualify after you have already paid, you may get that money back. Start at dollarfor.org.
NeedyMeds. A national nonprofit that pulls the scattered ways to lower drug costs into one place. Its free discount card can cut the price of most prescriptions, with no income limit, no insurance needed, and no sign-up required, and it works at most pharmacies. The site also tracks manufacturer assistance programs and help organized by diagnosis. Start at needymeds.org, or call the helpline at 1-800-503-6897.
NOTE: If you have insurance, you usually cannot combine discount card programs with your insurance, but you can ask the pharmacist which method may be cheaper, and choose to use one or the other. However, if you choose to pay out of pocket using a discount card program, be aware the amount you spend will typically not count towards your insurance deductibles or out-of-pocket maximums. Weigh the costs for your situation before deciding.
Also, if you happen to have a secondary insurance, be aware that in certain cases you maybe able to get coverage on a medication through the secondary insurance that your primary insurance may not offer. Contact a case manager with your insurance company (or through one of the other resources listed here) to ask specifics about your situation.
Patient Advocate Foundation. If you have a diagnosed condition and the copays, coinsurance, or premiums are what’s drowning you, this national nonprofit runs disease-specific funds that help cover those costs across more than a hundred conditions. They offer case management assistance along with financial support options. Start at patientadvocate.org, or call 1-800-532-5274.
One note: as of July 1, 2026, these funds are merging with the PAN Foundation’s into a single program called TotalAssist, so the application path may move, but the same help is there.
NORD, the National Organization for Rare Disorders. Rare conditions often fall through every other net, because the big funds don’t cover them. NORD’s RareCare program helps people with eligible rare diseases pay for medication, copays, insurance premiums, and diagnostic testing, and some programs can approve you the same day. Start at rarediseases.org/patient-assistance, or call 1-800-999-6673.
Healthcare.gov. Free, unbiased help with signing up for coverage exists in almost every community, through trained people called navigators or assisters. They help you apply for a marketplace plan, check whether you qualify for subsidies that bring the premium down, or enroll in Medicaid or CHIP, and they never take a commission for pointing you toward one plan over another. You can find free local help by ZIP code.
A few moves can shrink a bill before you hand over a cent. Ask for an itemized bill and read it for mistakes, because billing errors are common and you only have to pay for care you received.
Remember that charity care at a nonprofit hospital is a legal right, not a favor, so it is worth asking about even on bills you have already started paying.
And on your credit: you may have heard medical debt was banned from credit reports. That rule was struck down in 2025, so medical debt can still affect your credit. But paid medical bills and any medical collection under $500 are already removed by the credit bureaus, and you can check your reports and dispute errors for free at annualcreditreport.com.
Benefits and Legal Navigation
NOTE: This section is information, not legal advice. I’m not a lawyer, and nothing here is a substitute for one. Decisions about disability benefits, guardianship, or conservatorship have real, lasting consequences, so please talk them through with a qualified disability-rights attorney or advocate before you act. And be sure to look into local resources and regulations for your state or county.
If you are living with a chronic illness, or caring for someone who is, the Caregiving and Chronic Illness section offers help with case management and support groups. The Medical Bills and Prescription Assistance section would also be a good place to check out resources for financial support and medical management navigation.
Protection & Advocacy agencies. Many people don’t know this exists: every state and U.S. territory has a federally mandated, free, legal disability rights agency. They help when benefits get cut off, when an accommodation or service animal is denied, when a school won’t follow an IEP, or when someone in a facility is being mistreated. They serve the person with a disability and the family advocating for them. Find your state’s agency through the National Disability Rights Network directory at ndrn.org.
Parent centers (one in every state). If you’re fighting to get your child the right support at school, or just trying to understand what an IEP is and what you’re allowed to ask for, you don’t have to figure it out alone. Every state has a free, federally funded Parent Training and Information Center that helps families through evaluations, IEP meetings, and their rights under the law.
Find yours, plus plain-language guides to the whole IEP process, through the Center for Parent Information and Resources at parentcenterhub.org.
If a school won’t follow an IEP that’s already in place, that’s also exactly what your state’s disability rights agency (NDRN) can step in on.
También disponible en español: guías y recursos en parentcenterhub.org/recursos-en-espanol. (Ver la sección En español más abajo.)
The Arc. Support for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families, including future planning, special needs trusts, ABLE accounts, and local-chapter advocacy. Their Center for Future Planning walks you through it step by step, at futureplanning.thearc.org.
También disponible en español: guías de planificación en lenguaje sencillo, incluida la comparación entre fideicomisos y cuentas ABLE, en futureplanning.thearc.org (Recursos en Español). (Ver la sección En español más abajo.)
As a child with a disability approaches 18, families are often told guardianship or conservatorship is the only option. It may not be. Supported decision-making lets a person keep their legal rights while getting help with specific decisions or areas of life, and it’s increasingly recognized as the option to consider first. The federal Administration for Community Living explains the full range of choices at acl.gov/programs/empowering-advocacy/alternatives-guardianship.
Free benefits counseling (WIPA). One of the biggest fears on SSI or SSDI is that taking a job means losing everything, the cash and the healthcare. The rules are genuinely complicated, but they’re built to let you test work without your benefits dropping out from under you. A WIPA counselor will run your actual numbers, for free, before you commit to anything. Find one through Social Security’s Ticket to Work program at choosework.ssa.gov/findhelp, or call the helpline at 1-866-968-7842.
If you or someone you love has a disability, you may already know the cruelest math in the system: benefits like SSI cut off once you have more than about $2,000 to your name, so saving anything at all can feel impossible.
An ABLE account is the legal way around that trap. You can save, and even invest, money for disability-related costs, and up to $100,000 in the account doesn’t count against SSI. Medicaid isn’t affected by the balance at all.
As of January 2026, the door opened wider: if your disability began before age 46, which used to be 26, you may qualify now even if you were turned away before.
Each state runs its own ABLE program, and the fees, investment choices, and any state tax break vary, so it’s worth comparing before you pick one. You do not have to choose the program run by the state you live in, but you might miss out on tax breaks if you select a different one.
Compare all state programs side by side at ABLE National Resource Center – ablenrc.org.
Or if you want a jumping off point, ABLEnow is a solid national option open to people in any state, and its site walks you through the current limits and how to open one. Start at ablenow.com, or call 1-844-669-2253.
SSI and SSDI. Disability income for you or a family member who can’t work due to documented conditions, or has limited income. SSDI is also available for children with disabilities. Official information and applications at usa.gov/disability-services.
Free help first, if you qualify for it. Getting approved for disability benefits is hard, and most first applications get denied, often over missing paperwork or medical evidence rather than the disability itself. You don’t have to do it alone. Your state’s disability rights agency can help, free, and can step in if you’ve been denied. Find it through the National Disability Rights Network directory at ndrn.org. Free legal aid is another option: LawHelp.org can connect you to your local legal aid program, which often handles public benefits.
If you want a professional in your corner. A Social Security representative can handle the application and any appeal for you. The honest part: they’re usually paid only if you win, taken as a set percentage of your back pay, capped by law, with nothing out of pocket up front. To find a qualified one near you, the nonprofit NOSSCR runs a free referral line at 1-845-682-1881, or nosscr.org.
Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP). If you’re an active-duty military family with a member who has ongoing medical, mental health, or special education needs, EFMP Family Support helps you navigate the systems of care, especially through a PCS move when every program changes name and agency. It offers case management, information and referral, and respite care, which now covers adult dependents, not just children. Start at militaryonesource.mil/special-needs/efmp, or call 1-800-342-9647 and ask for a special needs consultant.
JAN, the Job Accommodation Network. When your brain or body is making work harder than it should be, the fix is often a change to how the job gets done, not walking away from the job. JAN gives free, confidential, one-on-one help figuring out what accommodation might actually work and how to ask for it, and they can walk you through your rights under the ADA if an employer pushes back. You don’t need a diagnosis on file or a lawyer to call. Reach them at askjan.org, or call 1-800-526-7234.
También disponible en español: especialistas que atienden en español y una página de recursos en askjan.org/espanol. (Ver la sección En español más abajo.)
Family and Community Support
This section is for connection and belonging, for the times the hardest part is feeling like you are carrying it alone. What’s below is support for a few different kinds of alone: single parents, new and expecting parents, LGBTQ+ people and the people who love them, men with ADHD (or the families supporting them), and anyone who just needs a voice on the other end of the line. Pick the door that fits where you are.
If you’re looking for affirming mental health support specifically, the ND-Affirming Provider Hubs section is built for that. If you are navigating loss, the Grief and Loss or the End of Life Planning supports are there too.
Warmline Directory. Some days the heaviest thing is that there is no one to just talk to. A warmline is a free, confidential phone line staffed by trained peers who have been there, for the ordinary hard days, not emergencies. This directory lists warmlines across the country so you can find one in your state. Browse at warmline.org/directory.
If you are in crisis, the Get Help Now page has direct support.
Parents Helping Parents. Raising a child on your own is a particular kind of tired, and a room full of people who get it helps. This nonprofit runs a free, confidential weekly online support group open to any single parent, anywhere, facilitated by trained volunteers. You register once and join by Zoom as often as you need. Sign up at parentshelpingparents.org/single-parents.
National Diaper Bank Network. Diapers are a relentless cost, and most assistance programs do not cover them. This network connects you to a community diaper bank near you that gives out free diapers, with member programs across most of the country and some territories. Some diaper banks may also stock formula. Find the community-based nonprofit in your area distributing diapers at nationaldiaperbanknetwork.org/member-directory.
Feeding your baby is not optional, and running low is its own specific kind of fear. I’m not aware of any single national directory or program supplying free formula. The fastest paths are local. Two doors to start with right now:
For urgent needs, 211.org can connect you to local food pantries and community programs that stock formula and baby food. Search “formula” or “baby food” with your zip code.
WIC is the federal program that provides formula, infant cereal, baby food, and feeding support from pregnancy through age five, and with changing regulations you may qualify even if you didn’t before or thought you earned too much. You apply through your local agency, often online or by phone. Start at fna.usda.gov/wic/apply. Or you can locate your local office at fna.usda.gov/wic/locator.
If you are breastfeeding and struggling with supply, the Postpartum Support International resource below can connect you with support, and HMBANA (also below) handles donor milk for fragile infants.
Human Milk Banking Association of North America. If you have more milk than your baby needs, or you have a premature or medically fragile baby who needs donor milk, this is the safe, nonprofit way to give or receive it. HMBANA accredits nonprofit milk banks across the US and Canada, where donated milk is screened, pasteurized, and tested before it reaches a baby, which is the careful path that informal milk-sharing can’t promise. The milk bank doesn’t have to be in your state. Find one at hmbana.org/find-a-milk-bank.
Postpartum Support International. The stretch during pregnancy and after a new baby can get heavy in ways nobody warned you about. You are not the only one, and you are not to blame. PSI’s free helpline connects you with a trained volunteer who calls or texts you back, in English or Spanish, and they run more than fifty free online peer support groups, including ones for dads. This is support and connection, not crisis care. Call or text 1-800-944-4773 (press 1 for Spanish), or start at postpartum.net.
También disponible en español: la línea de ayuda de PSI atiende en español (oprime 1), con mensajes de texto en español al 971-203-7773 y grupos de apoyo en español. Ver la sección En español más abajo.
PFLAG. When someone you love comes out and you want to get it right but don’t know where to start, this is the room for that. PFLAG is the country’s largest network for parents, families, and allies of LGBTQ+ people, with local chapters where you can ask the questions you’re scared to ask out loud and sit with people who have been exactly where you are. Support, education, and a place to stop feeling alone in figuring it out. Find a chapter at pflag.org/findachapter.
También disponible en español: PFLAG ofrece apoyo, recursos y publicaciones en español para familias latinas con seres queridos LGBTQ+. Ver la sección En español más abajo.
Family Equality. Building or raising a family as an LGBTQ+ parent comes with questions and barriers that most parenting resources never mention. This national nonprofit is built around exactly that: family-building guidance, know-your-rights information on the laws that affect your family, and in-person and virtual events where your kids meet other kids with families like theirs. Community, resources, and the reminder that you belong. At familyequality.org.
Trans Lifeline. Sometimes you just need someone trans on the other end of the line, whether you’re in a hard moment or not, and whether you’re sure of who you are or still figuring it out. This is a peer support line run by and for trans people, for you or for the person you love. They will not call 911 or emergency services without your explicit say-so, which makes it a safer call if that fear is part of what’s stopping you. Call 1-877-565-8860 (US) or 1-877-330-6366 (Canada). Learn more at their website – translifeline.org.
More crisis-specific support is on the Get Help Now page.
También disponible en español: marca al 1-877-565-8860 (EE. UU.) y oprime 2 para hablar con un operador trans en español. Ver la sección En español más abajo.
Men’s ADHD Support Group. A national nonprofit building community and acceptance for men (and those who identify as male) with ADHD, with a free online community and a free weekly virtual circle, open to all regardless of race, orientation, gender identity, or background. Peer connection, not treatment. Join the free community at mensadhdsupportgroup.org.
ND-Affirming Provider Hubs
A note on these directories: I list them as starting points, not endorsements. I am not a medical professional. I can’t vet individual providers, and being in a website directory isn’t a guarantee of fit or quality. Trust your gut, ask questions, and take your time finding someone right for you. You know your own needs better than any directory does.
If a chronic health condition is part of your picture too, the Caregiving and Chronic Illness section has resources built for that, for you and for anyone you’re caring for.
Inclusive Therapists. A standard therapist can do real harm to a neurodivergent person, reading autistic traits as resistance or treating ADHD lateness as a character flaw. You want someone who gets it. Inclusive Therapists is a nonprofit directory built around neurodivergence, disability, racial, and LGBTQ+ justice, where you can filter for affirming providers, bilingual providers, and for what you can pay. At inclusivetherapists.com.
Open Path Collective. If cost is the wall between you and a therapist, this is one of the most legitimate ways through it. Open Path is a nonprofit that connects you with licensed therapists offering sessions at a reduced sliding-scale rate, after a one-time membership fee, for as long as you need the lower cost. It’s meant for people who are uninsured or whose copay or deductible puts regular therapy out of reach. At openpathcollective.org.
Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN). Run by and for autistic people, ASAN is a trustworthy starting point for plain-language information about autism, your rights, and self-advocacy, written from the inside rather than about you. Their free resource library covers everything from new-diagnosis basics to navigating services. At autisticadvocacy.org.
PDA North America. If demands, even ones you want to meet, trigger a wall of resistance you can’t think your way past, that pattern has a name, and the usual behavior-and-reward advice tends to make it worse. PDA North America is a nonprofit offering information, peer support groups, and a directory of PDA-affirming providers and educators, built for this specific profile (that a majority of clinicians still don’t understand). At pdanorthamerica.org.
For multiply-marginalized neurodivergent people. If you’re neurodivergent and also navigating life as a Black, Indigenous, or other person of color, or as a queer or trans person, or a person with chronic illness or other disabilities, you’ve likely experienced providers who only see part of the picture. Many people at these intersections are missed, misdiagnosed, or talked over because systems and provider trainings are often built around a much narrower understanding of what neurodivergence looks like. A few resources built for those intersections:
Inclusive Therapists (above) centers exactly these communities. Find one at inclusivetherapists.com/.
The Autistic People of Color Fund offers community and resources by and for autistic people of color, at autismandrace.com.
Fireweed Collective runs free, peer-led online support spaces including ones specifically for QTBIPOC and for BIPOC disabled, chronically ill, and neurodivergent folks, at fireweedcollective.org.
This one’s not a care center you can sign up with, unless you happen to be in Vermont. It’s a free toolkit built by an autistic family physician and her team to help your existing providers actually listen.
The standout piece is a one-page letter, written in language doctors already use, that you print and hand to your primary care or specialty provider at your next appointment. It explains how the medical conditions common in autistic and ADHD adults connect, so the doctor you already have can treat the whole picture instead of one piece at a time.
Start with the patient page: All Brains Belong patient resources.
Check out their free community programs (virtual and accessible): allbrainsbelong.org/community/.
A door, not a directory. If you’re stuck and don’t even know what to search for, this is where a real person helps you figure out the next step. AANE is a nonprofit that’s spent close to 30 years serving more than 88,000 autistic and neurodivergent people, families, and the professionals who work with them, all of it grounded in a disability-justice and neurodiversity-affirming approach.
The free way in is a one-on-one information and resource call with their staff, plus online support groups for adults, teens 14 and up, parents, and partners.
Worth knowing up front: AANE doesn’t provide therapy or other services itself, but it will help you find the tools and providers that fit. Think of it as navigation and connection, not treatment.
Check out their free programs, including support groups, workshops, online art and music classes (note that some services are in the Boston, MA area only): Services & Programs
Or schedule a call and get one-on-one direction for what you need: Free Personalized Call.
Center for Chronic Illness. One of the heaviest parts of being sick long-term is how alone it makes you feel, and how few people around you really get it. This nonprofit runs free, online support groups for people living with chronic illness and for those caring for them, not built around any one diagnosis, just the shared reality of it. They have specific recurring support groups focused on neurodivergence and chronic illness, teens with chronic illness, BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ support groups, living with chronic pain, and many more. At thecenterforchronicillness.org.
For Veterans
The VA isn’t always the best fit for services, and the wait or the red tape can be its own barrier. (Spouse of a medically retired career veteran here…Ask me how I know.) Included below are additional options that may help you get focused care from people who get it with fewer hoops to jump through.
Vet Centers. This is the one not enough people know about. Vet Centers are community counseling centers, deliberately kept separate from the main VA system, where a lot of the counselors and staff are veterans themselves. That changes everything about walking in: you’re talking to someone who’s been there, not someone just reading your file.
They offer individual, group, and family counseling, help with the transition to civilian life and with trauma including military sexual trauma, plus connections to other benefits and services.
Services are free and confidential, and the counseling records are kept out of the regular VA medical system.
Eligibility covers veterans and service members who served in a combat zone or area of hostility, survivors of military sexual trauma (MST) from any era, and, importantly, military family members.
Many keep evening hours, but not every area has one, so it’s worth a call to check.
NOTE: This was the first place my husband actually felt seen, by people who’d been there and knew what he was carrying. And they offered free assistance with his disability benefits rating claim.
Reach the Vet Center Call Center line 24/7 at 1-877-927-8387, or find your nearest center at va.gov/find-locations. Be sure to select “Vet Centers” from the “facility type” dropdown.
Wounded Warrior Project. For post-9/11 veterans living with a service-connected injury or illness, physical or mental, and their families. The part that sets it apart: your whole support system can register, not just the veteran. Spouses, partners, parents, kids, caregivers, even a close friend can sign up, and family can register on their own. Everything is free.
Programs run from mental health support and peer connection groups to benefits navigation, financial counseling, career help, and family events, so you’re not piecing it together alone.
No disability rating required, and you don’t need to have served in a combat zone.
This one has made a real difference for my own family, and my kids have loved some of the activities we’ve been able to attend.
Start at woundedwarriorproject.org, or call the Resource Center at 1-888-997-2586.
También disponible en español: el sitio completo de Wounded Warrior Project, incluyendo el centro de recursos, en es.woundedwarriorproject.org.
VA accredited representatives. Free, official help filing and navigating VA benefits claims. A Veterans Service Organization (VSO) is a nonprofit, like the Wounded Warrior Project, American Legion, VFW, or DAV, that helps veterans file for and navigate their benefits, and their representatives do it free of charge. (Accredited attorneys and claims agents can charge a fee, but only on appeals after VA has issued a decision, never for an initial claim.) You can search for specific ones or download a full spreadsheet list at va.gov/ogc/apps/accreditation.
Cohen Veterans Network. Mental health clinics and telehealth for post-9/11 veterans and their families. Accepts most insurance, including TRICARE, and works with those who can’t pay. At cohenveteransnetwork.org.
Headstrong Project. Confidential trauma and PTSD therapy for veterans and their families, regardless of discharge status. The first 30 sessions are free; if you need more, later sessions carry a copay paid to the therapist. At theheadstrongproject.org.
Give an Hour. Free counseling from volunteer mental health professionals for veterans and service members, and in some cases their spouses and caregivers. At giveanhour.org.
Vets4Warriors. 24/7 peer support, veteran to veteran, for whatever’s on your mind. You don’t have to be in crisis to call. Call 1-855-838-8255, or visit vets4warriors.com.
Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF). VA-funded help for low-income veterans and their families who are homeless or about to be. Rapid re-housing if you’ve already lost housing, and prevention help if you’re at risk, through local organizations. Find a provider near you at va.gov/homeless/supportive-services-for-veteran-families or call 1-877-424-3838.
National Call Center for Homeless Veterans. Free, confidential, 24/7. If you’re a veteran without stable housing or worried you might lose it, a trained VA counselor will talk through your situation and connect you to help nearby. Call 1-877-424-3838, or chat online at va.gov/homeless/nationalcallcenter.asp.
VA loan technicians. If you’re a veteran or surviving spouse behind on your mortgage, the VA will help you avoid foreclosure, and you don’t need a VA loan to get that counseling. Their loan technicians can talk through your options and step in with your servicer when it stalls. They’ll explain repayment plans, forbearance, and loan modification. If your loan is VA-backed, you may also qualify for the newer Partial Claim program, an interest-free, no-payment loan that moves your overdue balance to the end of the loan to bring you current. Call 1-877-827-3702 (choose option 5), or start at va.gov/housing-assistance/home-loans/trouble-making-payments.
VA Caregiver Support Program. If you care for a veteran, the VA has a program built for you, not just the veteran. There are two tracks: general support (coaching, peer mentoring, skills training, available to caregivers of any veteran enrolled in VA health care, simple registration) and a comprehensive program for caregivers of veterans with a serious service-connected injury (disability rating of 70% or higher, and needs regular personal-care help), which can include a monthly stipend, health insurance if you’re uninsured, respite services, and telehealth therapy.
Start at caregiver.va.gov, or call the Caregiver Support Line at 1-855-260-3274, Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm ET. Application materials are offered in multiple languages.
Canine Companions. Trained service dogs for veterans, free of charge, including a program built specifically for PTSD. The dogs are trained for tasks like interrupting nightmares, creating space in crowds, and turning on lights, and the support continues after placement. Their Veteran Programs Manager is a veteran and a service-dog partner himself. At canine.org/service-dogs/our-dogs/service-dogs-for-veterans, or call 1-800-572-2275.
Caregiving and Chronic Illness
This section includes resources for caregivers of people of any age, and for people who have chronic illnesses or care for those who do. What’s below is case management, support groups, and practical backup for the day-to-day.
For the financial side, prescription costs, copays, and medical bills, the Medical Bills and Prescription Assistance section is built for exactly that. If you need mental health resources, check out the ND-Affirming Provider Hubs section. For disability benefits, future planning, and legal questions, the Benefits and Legal Navigation section is your target. If you are navigating loss or end of life issues, please visit the Grief and Loss or End of Life Planning supports.
Parent to Parent USA. Free one-on-one support that matches you with a trained parent who’s raising a child with similar needs and gets it. Find your state’s program at p2pusa.org.
Family Voices. Help navigating health care and services for children with special health care needs and disabilities, through free Family-to-Family Health Information Centers in every state. At familyvoices.org/findhelp.
También disponible en español: Family Voices, con ayuda para familias de niños con necesidades médicas especiales, en familyvoices.org/findhelp-spanish. Ver la sección En español más abajo.
Center for Parent Information and Resources. Every state has a federally funded Parent Center that helps families of children with disabilities, birth to 26, understand special education, navigate services, and plan for the move toward adulthood. This is the national directory. Pick your state to find yours. At parentcenterhub.org/find-your-center.
The Arc. The nation’s largest organization for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families, including Down syndrome and autism. Local chapters help caregivers navigate services as needs change across a lifetime, from school-age support to adult day programs, residential options, and respite. Find your local chapter at thearc.org/find-a-chapter.
Got Transition. Moving from a pediatrician to adult medical care is its own hurdle, and it often catches families off guard. This national resource center helps youth, young adults, and parents prepare for that shift, with plain-language tools, readiness checklists, FAQs, and a toolkit made specifically for families of young people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. At gottransition.org.
Administration for Community Living – Eldercare Locator. When you’re helping an aging parent or older relative and don’t know where to start, this is the national front door. A public service of the Administration for Community Living, it connects you to local help: meals, in-home care, transportation, elder-rights support, and respite so you can catch your breath. Search by zip code, or call 1-800-677-1116, Monday to Friday, 8am to 9pm ET. At eldercare.acl.gov.
VA Caregiver Support Program. If you care for a veteran, the VA has a program built for you, not just the veteran. There are two tracks: general support (coaching, peer mentoring, skills training, available to caregivers of any veteran enrolled in VA health care, simple registration) and a comprehensive program for caregivers of veterans with a serious service-connected injury (disability rating of 70% or higher, and needs regular personal-care help), which can include a monthly stipend, health insurance if you’re uninsured, respite services, and telehealth therapy.
Start at caregiver.va.gov, or call the Caregiver Support Line at 1-855-260-3274, Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm ET. Application materials are offered in multiple languages.
Patient Advocate Foundation. Chronic illness is expensive and exhausting to manage, and the paperwork alone can become a second job. This national nonprofit helps with both halves: free case managers who help you navigate insurance, appeal a denial, and sort out medical bills, and a financial resource directory that finds assistance programs matched to your specific diagnosis, across nearly a thousand conditions. It works whatever your illness is. Start at patientadvocate.org, or call 1-800-532-5274.
211 offers resources for specific caregiving situations, from caring for a loved one with dementia, cancer, or lupus to caring for veterans, young people, and aging seniors. They can connect you with respite resources, support groups, and even scholarships. Learn more at 211.org/get-help/caregiver-resources.
Grief and Loss
Grief can come after any loss, not just a death. This section covers the loss of a person or pet companion you love, and also living losses and grief: a diagnosis, a marriage, a community, a faith you were raised inside, a body that used to do more (or never could). Dedicated resources are available for both adults and children navigating loss. Many resources overlap across grief types, but where there is a specific focus, I have tried to highlight it to help you get directly to what you need.
If you are in crisis right now, Get Help Now is the faster door, or call or text 988. For end of life planning, funeral arrangements, hospice, and palliative care resources, please look through the End of Life Planning supports. If you need mental health resources or are navigating chronic pain or illness, check out the ND-Affirming Provider Hubs section.
For when someone you love has died
Actively Moving Forward (AMF), a program of HealGrief, is a national peer network for adults grieving a death. It runs two communities, one for young adults 18 to 30 and one for adults over 30, so you are alongside people in roughly your stage of life. The virtual support groups are free, joined through the AMF app, so you can find others who get it from wherever you are. Start at healgrief.org/virtual-support.
The Dougy Center is where children, teens, and young adults grieve, and where the adults raising them get support too. They pioneered peer grief groups for kids and share their approach freely, so even if you cannot get to Portland (their base) for in-person connection, their guidance travels. To find a grief program near you, search their worldwide directory of over 500 centers at dougy.org/program-finder. Call 1-866-775-5683, or start at dougy.org.
También disponible en español: el programa Esperanza ofrece recursos y grupos de duelo, en Duelo, apoyo, recursos y grupos. Ver la sección En español más abajo.
The National Alliance for Children’s Grief helps you find grief support for a child near you, including local children’s grief centers and camps across the country. If your family is grieving and you do not know where to turn for the kids, this is the map. Call 1-866-432-1542 or search at nacg.org/find-support.
Rainbows for All Children runs free peer groups for kids and teens working through loss of every kind, not only death but divorce, a parent’s deployment or incarceration, deportation, or serious illness in the family. Trained adults lead the groups, often through schools, faith communities, and local sites. Find one at rainbows.org/find-a-group.
Soaring Spirits International is for losing a spouse or partner, built to be secular and open to everyone, whatever your beliefs or who you loved. It is free, with online groups, a program that pairs you with someone further along the same road, and Camp Widow gatherings in person. Start at soaringspirits.org.
The Compassionate Friends is for the death of a child, at any age, and it holds bereaved siblings and grandparents too. Local chapters and online groups put you with people who have survived the loss you are not sure you can. Call 1-877-969-0010 or begin at compassionatefriends.org.
Return to Zero: HOPE is for pregnancy and infant loss, the grief that so often gets met with silence. Their drop-in workshops are pay-what-you-want, so cost does not keep you from getting in the door, and they run multi-week support groups and retreats when you want to go deeper. Start at rtzhope.org.
Alliance of Hope is for surviving someone’s suicide, with a free online community that is staffed and moving at every hour, because this grief does not keep daytime hours. It is peer support and understanding, not crisis intervention, so if you are in danger right now, Get Help Now is the faster door. Find the community at allianceofhope.org.
TAPS, the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, is for anyone grieving the death of someone who served in the military, however they died. Their helpline answers around the clock at 1-800-959-8277, and they connect you with others carrying the same loss. Start at taps.org.
The Association for Pet Loss and Bereavement treats the death of an animal as the real grief it is, including the particular loss of a service animal. You can talk with a trained volunteer in their free chat support, and there is a separate free chatroom for the anticipatory grief of knowing it is coming. Find both at aplb.org.
For living losses
The Center for Chronic Illness names a grief that rarely gets called grief: the life you planned, the body you had, the independence that illness quietly took. Their free virtual support groups are led by licensed facilitators and include groups for neurodivergent and chronically ill people, for chronic pain, and for BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ members. Call 1-425-296-2705 or see the current groups at thecenterforchronicillness.org/programs.
Recovering from Religion is for the loss that comes with leaving a faith: the community, the certainty, the version of yourself that belonged there. A trained peer helpline answers by phone and chat at 1-844-368-2848, and there are more than sixty ongoing groups, including ones for LGBTQ+ people, parents, and disabled members. They have an explicit secular focus. Start at recoveringfromreligion.org.
They also run the Secular Therapy Project, a free and anonymous way to find a prescreened therapist who practices evidence-based, secular care and pays nothing to be listed; you register and search the database yourself at seculartherapy.org. Remember to make your own decisions about whether they are a match for you. No endorsements are implied.
Reclamation Collective is for religious trauma and spiritual abuse. They don’t position themselves as secular, so if you still hold faith but are struggling with changes, this may feel like a better fit than Recovering from Religion (above). They offer virtual support groups and a directory of clinicians who understand religious trauma. Start at reclamationcollective.com.
ShareWell runs peer support groups for divorce and separation, the slow unraveling of a life and a future you built with someone. It is a for-profit platform, but the peer support groups are free to join with no credit card; paid Pro plans add expert-led coaching groups, workshops, and one-on-one sessions if you want more. See the divorce support groups at sharewellnow.com, or browse for other specific support needs.
Welcome to Holland, a short essay by Emily Perl Kingsley, has put words to one specific grief for decades: raising a child whose life looks nothing like the one you pictured. It reframes that loss as arriving somewhere unplanned rather than somewhere lesser, and many special-needs parents return to it for years. Read it on her own site at emilyperlkingsley.com/welcome-to-holland.
When you want people rather than words, Parent to Parent USA in our Caregiving section will match you with another parent who gets it.
End of Life Planning
This section is for the planning, not the grieving. It is for the version of you that can deal with paperwork and decisions today, precisely so a future version of you, or the people you love, will not have to make them inside the fog of a crisis. Hospice and palliative care, advance directives, the money and the legal documents, funeral arrangements and the choices about what happens to a body.
Some of the daily legal side (special needs trusts, guardianship, and related topics) are covered in our Benefits and Legal Navigation section. For the prescription costs, copays, and medical bills, the Medical Bills and Prescription Assistance section is built for exactly that. If you need mental health resources or are navigating chronic pain or illness, check out the ND-Affirming Provider Hubs section. For living with grief, the Grief and Loss section has something for you.
Care and comfort
For serious illness and the long stretches of heavy care, whether the timeline is months or many years.
GetPalliativeCare.org is for finding palliative care, the specialized medical support that eases pain, symptoms, and stress at any age and any stage of a serious illness, not only at the very end. That distinction matters when a child or a parent lives for years with extreme needs and hospice rules do not fit. There is a short quiz to see whether it is a fit, plain guidance on how to ask a doctor for it, and a directory you can search by setting, whether care is needed in a hospital, at home, in a nursing home, or a clinic. A handout is available in English and Spanish. Start at getpalliativecare.org.
CaringInfo is the plain-language hub for serious illness and end-of-life care, from a national nonprofit, the National Alliance for Care at Home. It explains what hospice and palliative care actually mean and how to decide between them, links you to a provider finder covering thousands of agencies, and offers free, state-specific advance directive forms you can download or have mailed by calling 1-800-658-8898.
So you do not land on heavy material before you are ready, the care basics are at caringinfo.org/types-of-care and the forms are at caringinfo.org/planning/advance-directives.
For a deeper explainer on what hospice is and is not, the Hospice Foundation of America sits alongside it at hospicefoundation.org.
También disponible en español: CaringInfo tiene un sitio completo en español sobre los cuidados paliativos, los cuidados de hospicio y la planificación del final de la vida, en caringinfo.org/es. Ver la sección En español más abajo.
Courageous Parents Network is for parents and caregivers of a child with a serious medical condition, built by a family who lived it. It is free, made with both parents and clinicians, and organized into portals: one for navigating medical complexity, one called NeuroJourney for families facing severe neurological impairment, and one called Coping with Loss for after a child dies. If you are carrying a child’s serious illness, this is a place where other people have already thought the thoughts you are afraid to say. Start at courageousparentsnetwork.org.
The National End-of-Life Doula Alliance keeps a free public directory of end-of-life doulas, the non-medical companions who help a dying person and their family through the practical and emotional work of that time. You search by location, and the alliance offers plain tips for choosing someone. The doulas set their own fees, but finding one costs nothing. Search at nedalliance.org.
Decisions, documents, money
What you want, who speaks for you if you cannot, and how the money and paperwork get handled.
PREPARE for Your Care is a gentle on-ramp to advance care planning, and it is free. Built at UCSF for people who find medical forms overwhelming, it uses short videos and plain, step-by-step questions to help you decide what matters to you, choose someone to speak for you, and then create an advance directive that is legally valid in all fifty states, in English, Spanish, and a growing list of other languages.
There is a separate PREPARE for THEIR Care track for when you are planning on behalf of someone else, like a parent or a child you care for. Start at prepareforyourcare.org.
También disponible en español: PREPARE para su cuidado ofrece el programa completo de planificación anticipada de cuidados en español, incluida la directiva anticipada con validez legal, en prepareforyourcare.org/es. Ver la sección En español más abajo.
The Conversation Project is for the part paperwork cannot do: saying it out loud to the people in your life. The free guides walk you through what you want, how to start the talk, and how to choose or be someone’s health care proxy, in a calm worksheet format you can do in pieces. A Spanish toolkit is available. Download the guides at theconversationproject.org/get-started.
También disponible en español: las guías de conversación del Conversation Project, incluida la guía para empezar la conversación, descargables en theconversationproject.org/get-started.
The National Institute on Aging’s Getting Your Affairs in Order is a free, plain checklist of the documents to gather and where to keep them: your will, powers of attorney, a living trust if you have one, advance directives, insurance, and account information, all in one place your people can actually find. It is available in English and Spanish. Read or download it at nia.nih.gov.
También disponible en español: la guía “Ponga sus asuntos en orden” del Instituto Nacional sobre el Envejecimiento, en nia.nih.gov/espanol/ponga-sus-asuntos-orden. Ver la sección En español más abajo.
AARP’s Financial Workbook for Family Caregivers is for the heavy, unglamorous work of managing another person’s money: bills, accounts, benefits, and the paper trail of caring for someone who can no longer handle it themselves. The workbook is free and comes in English, Spanish, Chinese, and a Military and Veterans version, and AARP’s wider guidance covers the snags, like banks that resist a power of attorney. Find it in AARP’s financial and legal caregiving hub at aarp.org/caregiving/financial-legal.
También disponible en español: la Guía de asuntos financieros para cuidadores familiares de AARP, en formato PDF.
Two cross-pointers so you are not hunting. Free blank state advance directive forms live at CaringInfo above, straight to the forms at caringinfo.org/planning/advance-directives.
And disability-specific planning, guardianship, special needs trusts, and ABLE accounts, is at The Arc’s Center for Future Planning in our Benefits and Legal section, futureplanning.thearc.org.
After death
The funeral, the burial or cremation, and the other options.
The Funeral Consumers Alliance exists so that grief is not also a bill you did not understand. It is a national nonprofit, run by volunteers, with no ties to the funeral industry, and it lays out your legal rights under the federal Funeral Rule, how to compare prices (the same service can cost double down the street), and neutral information on every option: burial, cremation, green burial, body donation, alkaline hydrolysis (the water-based option), and human composting. Local affiliates run price surveys in their own areas. Start at funerals.org, and find a local group at funerals.org/find-an-affiliate.
The Green Burial Council is the nonprofit that decides what counts as a green burial, so the word means something and you are not sold a greenwashed version. They certify and map genuine natural-burial cemeteries, funeral homes, and products across the country. They certify natural burial specifically; for the water-based and composting options, the Funeral Consumers Alliance above is your information door. Search the provider map at greenburialcouncil.org, or call 1-888-966-3330.
En español y otros idiomas / In Spanish and Other Languages
En esta sección / In this section:
Multilingual Hubs / For languages beyond Spanish / Para otros idiomas
For Deaf and hard-of-hearing readers, ASL / Para personas sordas (ASL)
Salud mental y apoyo emocional / Mental health
Ayuda legal / Legal help
Comida, vivienda, cuentas y beneficios / Food, housing, bills, benefits
Familia y comunidad / Family and community
Conseguir ayuda es más fácil en el idioma en que piensas, sobre todo para la terapia, los asuntos legales y los beneficios. Ya sea que te sientas más cómoda en español, o que leas en inglés y estés ayudando a alguien que amas cuya primera lengua es el español, esta es un punto de partida hacia el camino más claro para conseguir ayuda real. La mayoría de estos recursos son en español, donde existen las redes nacionales más fuertes. Algunos sirven en muchos idiomas, incluido el lenguaje de señas americano (ASL).
Una nota: Estos son puntos de partida, no recomendaciones personales. Ten cuidado con cualquier persona que cobre tarifas altas por ayuda migratoria o que prometa un resultado garantizado. La ayuda legal confiable suele ser gratuita o de bajo costo.
Getting help is easier in the language you think in, especially for therapy, legal questions, and benefits. Whether you are more comfortable in Spanish than English, or you read English and you are helping someone you love whose first language is Spanish, this is a starting point toward the clearest path to real help. Most of these resources are in Spanish, where the strongest national networks exist. A few serve many languages, including American Sign Language (ASL).
A note: These are starting points, not personal endorsements. Be careful with anyone who charges high fees for immigration help or promises a guaranteed outcome. Trustworthy legal help is often free or low cost.
Multilingual Hubs (For Languages Beyond Spanish)
988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, in any language. For anyone going through a hard time: suicidal thoughts, a mental health crisis, substance use, or just needing someone to talk to. You do not have to be at your lowest to call. Free and confidential, 24/7. In Spanish, call 988 and press 2, or text AYUDA to 988. Interpreters are available in over 240 languages. Deaf and hard-of-hearing callers can dial 988 from a videophone or use ASL Now at 988lifeline.org/help-yourself/for-deaf-hard-of-hearing. TTY users dial 711, then 988.
Para cualquier persona que esté pasando por un momento difícil: pensamientos suicidas, una crisis de salud mental, el consumo de sustancias, o simplemente la necesidad de hablar con alguien. No tienes que estar en tu peor momento para llamar. Es gratis y confidencial, las 24 horas. En español, llama al 988 y oprime el 2, o envía la palabra AYUDA al 988. Hay intérpretes disponibles en más de 240 idiomas. Si eres una persona sorda o con dificultades auditivas, marca el 988 desde un videoteléfono o usa la opción ASL Now en 988lifeline.org/help-yourself/for-deaf-hard-of-hearing. Con TTY, marca 711 y luego 988.
USAHello. Plain-language guidance on US systems, legal processes, and daily life, written so anyone can follow it and available in multiple languages, not only Spanish. Its FindHello tool maps local help near you. At usahello.org.
USAHello explica los sistemas de los Estados Unidos (procesos legales, salud, trabajo, vida diaria) en lenguaje sencillo y en varios idiomas, escrito para personas que apenas empiezan a aprender inglés. Para encontrar ayuda local cerca de ti, llama o visita el 211 (más abajo). En usahello.org.
211 is the strongest single starting point in the US for basic needs: food, rent, utilities, childcare, benefits, and more, connected to local help based on where you live. Call or text 211 and ask for your language; interpreters are available in more than 180 languages. It is free, confidential, available 24/7, and never asks about your immigration status. The website is in English and Spanish, switchable from the menu at the top; for any other language, the phone line is your door. English site is 211.org. Spanish site: es.211.org.
El 211 es el mejor punto de partida en EE. UU. para las necesidades básicas: comida, renta, servicios públicos, cuidado de niños, beneficios y más, conectándote con ayuda local según donde vives. Llama o envía un mensaje de texto al 211 y pide tu idioma; hay intérpretes disponibles en más de 180 idiomas. Es gratis, confidencial, disponible las 24 horas, y nunca pregunta por tu estatus migratorio. El sitio web está en inglés y español, y puedes cambiar de idioma en el menú de arriba; para cualquier otro idioma, la línea telefónica es tu puerta de entrada. Sitio en español: es.211.org. Sitio en inglés: 211.org
AMHC runs a national directory of more than 3,000 Asian and Asian-American therapists. The site is in English, but you can filter the directory by the language you speak (Korean, Vietnamese, Mandarin, Cantonese, Tagalog, and more), along with treatment focus. At asianmhc.org/find-support.
AMHC tiene un directorio nacional de más de 3,000 terapeutas asiáticos y asiático-americanos. El sitio está en inglés, pero puedes filtrar el directorio por el idioma que hablas (coreano, vietnamita, mandarín, cantonés, tagalo y más), además del enfoque de tratamiento. En asianmhc.org/find-support.
For Deaf and hard-of-hearing readers (ASL)
For an immediate crisis, dial 988 from a videophone to reach an ASL-fluent counselor (see above). The doors below are for therapy and ongoing support.
Para una crisis inmediata, marca el 988 desde un videoteléfono para hablar con un consejero que domina el ASL (ver arriba). Las siguientes opciones son para terapia y apoyo continuo.
National Deaf Center is a nonprofit hub that explains how to find mental health and other providers experienced with Deaf people, and points you to your state agency for referrals. Start here if you are not sure where to look. At nationaldeafcenter.org.
National Deaf Center es una organización sin fines de lucro que explica cómo encontrar profesionales de salud mental y otros servicios con experiencia atendiendo a personas sordas, y te orienta hacia la agencia de tu estado para obtener referencias. Empieza aquí si no sabes por dónde buscar. En nationaldeafcenter.org.
Deaf Counseling Center has provided therapy by Deaf, ASL-fluent therapists for over 35 years, available across many states by videophone or secure video. Sliding-scale fees and many insurance plans accepted. At deafcounseling.com.
Deaf Counseling Center ofrece terapia con terapeutas sordos que dominan el ASL, desde hace más de 35 años, disponible en muchos estados por videoteléfono o video seguro. Aceptan tarifas según tus ingresos (escala móvil) y muchos seguros médicos. En deafcounseling.com.
National Deaf Therapy offers tele-mental-health care by Deaf, ASL-fluent therapists, with an ASL therapist locator on its site. It is licensed in a set of states, so check whether they serve yours. At nationaldeaftherapy.com.
National Deaf Therapy ofrece tele-terapia de salud mental con terapeutas sordos que dominan el ASL, e incluye un localizador de terapeutas de ASL en su sitio. Tiene licencia en algunos estados, así que verifica si atienden el tuyo. En nationaldeaftherapy.com.
NASADHH lists the state agencies (about 38 of them) that help Deaf and hard-of-hearing people with benefits, vocational rehabilitation, interpreter access, and daily-life navigation. If your state has no agency, it points you to vocational rehabilitation. At nasadhh.org/state-agency.
NASADHH enumera las agencias estatales (alrededor de 38) que ayudan a las personas sordas y con dificultades auditivas con beneficios, rehabilitación vocacional, acceso a intérpretes y la navegación de la vida diaria. Si tu estado no tiene una agencia, te orienta hacia rehabilitación vocacional. En nasadhh.org/state-agency.
Salud mental y apoyo emocional / Mental health and emotional support
Latinx Therapy es un directorio nacional de terapeutas latinos e hispanohablantes que ofrecen terapia con sensibilidad cultural para la comunidad latina. En latinxtherapy.com.
Latinx Therapy is a national directory of Latinx and Spanish-speaking therapists offering culturally affirming therapy for the Latine community. At latinxtherapy.com.
Inclusive Therapists es un directorio orientado a la justicia social para encontrar un terapeuta hispanohablante que afirme tu cultura, tu identidad y tu forma de ser. Tiene una página en español. En inclusivetherapists.com/spanish.
Inclusive Therapists is a social-justice-oriented directory for finding a Spanish-speaking therapist who affirms your culture, identity, and full self. It has a Spanish page. At inclusivetherapists.com/spanish.
Trans Lifeline es una línea de apoyo dirigida por y para personas trans. Marca al 1-877-565-8860 en EE. UU. o al 1-877-330-6366 en Canadá y oprime el 2 para conectarte con operadorxs que hablan español. No practican el rescate activo sin tu consentimiento: no llaman al 911 ni a servicios de emergencia sin tu permiso. Su página en español: translifeline.org/es/linea-de-ayuda.
Trans Lifeline is a support line run by and for trans people. Call 1-877-565-8860 in the U.S. or 1-877-330-6366 in Canada and press 2 for Spanish-speaking operators. They follow a no-nonconsensual-active-rescue policy: they do not call 911 or emergency services without your permission. Spanish page: translifeline.org/es/linea-de-ayuda.
La Línea de Ayuda de PSI ofrece atención en español para el embarazo y el posparto. Llama al 1-800-944-4773 y oprime el 1, o envía un mensaje de texto al 971-203-7773. Es apoyo e información, no es una línea de crisis, y devuelven los mensajes. Más en postpartum.net/en-espanol.
PSI’s HelpLine offers care in Spanish for pregnancy and the postpartum period. Call 1-800-944-4773 and press 1, or text 971-203-7773. This is support and information, not a crisis line, and they return messages. More at postpartum.net/en-espanol.
El Dougy Center ofrece recursos y guías de duelo en español, gratis y en línea, para niños, adolescentes, padres y cuidadores que están en duelo antes o después de una muerte. Sus grupos presenciales del programa Esperanza son en Portland, Oregón; en línea encontrarás materiales en español y un localizador para encontrar uno de los más de 500 centros que usan su modelo. En dougy.org/grief-support-resources/duelo-apoyo-recursos-y-grupos.
The Dougy Center offers free Spanish grief resources and guides online for grieving children, teens, parents, and caregivers, before or after a death. Their in-person Esperanza groups are in Portland, Oregon; online you will find Spanish materials and a locator to find one of the 500+ centers using their model. At dougy.org/grief-support-resources/duelo-apoyo-recursos-y-grupos.
Ayuda legal / Legal help
Este directorio enumera solo organizaciones sin fines de lucro que ofrecen ayuda legal de inmigración gratuita o de bajo costo, en los 50 estados. Puedes buscar por estado, condado o centro de detención, y filtrar por el idioma que se habla. En immigrationadvocates.org/legaldirectory. La versión para el público también está en immigrationlawhelp.org.
This directory lists only nonprofit organizations that provide free or low-cost immigration legal help, in all 50 states. You can search by state, county, or detention facility, and filter by language spoken. At immigrationadvocates.org/legaldirectory. The consumer-facing version is also at immigrationlawhelp.org.
LawHelp.org te conecta con ayuda legal gratuita o de bajo costo para problemas civiles: desalojo y vivienda, deudas, familia y custodia, violencia doméstica, y la negación de beneficios públicos, entre otros. No cubre casos penales. Eliges tu estado y te lleva a los programas de asistencia legal sin fines de lucro cerca de ti, con guías en lenguaje sencillo y formularios para tribunales que puedes llenar gratis. La disponibilidad en español varía según el estado: muchos sitios estatales tienen versión en español y muchas guías se pueden leer en español. En lawhelp.org, elige tu estado y busca la opción “Español”.
LawHelp.org connects you with free or low-cost help for civil legal problems: eviction and housing, debt, family and custody, domestic violence, and denied public benefits, among others. It does not cover criminal cases. You choose your state and it routes you to nonprofit legal aid programs near you, with plain-language guides and court forms you can fill out for free. Spanish availability varies by state: many state sites have a Spanish version and many guides can be read in Spanish. At lawhelp.org, choose your state and look for the “Español” option.
JAN ofrece ayuda gratuita y confidencial para conseguir adaptaciones en tu trabajo cuando una condición de salud, física o mental, te dificulta cumplir con tus tareas. La solución muchas veces es un cambio en cómo se hace el trabajo, no dejarlo. Sus especialistas atienden en español y también traducen documentos cuando los necesitas, y te explican tus derechos bajo la ley ADA si tu empleador se resiste. No necesitas un diagnóstico en archivo ni un abogado para llamar. Tiene una página de recursos en español en askjan.org/espanol, o llama al 1-800-526-7234.
JAN offers free, confidential help getting accommodations at work when a physical or mental health condition makes your job harder than it should be. The fix is often a change to how the job gets done, not leaving it. Their specialists assist in Spanish and will translate documents when you need it, and they explain your rights under the ADA if an employer pushes back. You don’t need a diagnosis on file or a lawyer to call. There is a Spanish resource page at askjan.org/espanol, or call 1-800-526-7234.
Comida, vivienda, cuentas y beneficios / Food, housing, bills, and benefits
El 211 te conecta con ayuda local: comida, renta, servicios públicos, beneficios y más, sin importar tu estatus migratorio. Llama o envía un mensaje de texto al 211 y pide español, o visita es.211.org. Las llamadas son confidenciales y puedes hacerlas de forma anónima, con ayuda disponible en 180 idiomas.
211 connects you with local help: food, rent, utilities, benefits, and more, regardless of immigration status. Call or text 211 and ask for Spanish, or visit es.211.org. Calls are confidential and can be made anonymously, with help available in 180 languages.
No Kid Hungry te ayuda a encontrar comidas gratis para niños y adolescentes menores de 18 años cerca de ti. Envía la palabra COMIDA por mensaje de texto al 304-304, o usa el buscador en español en nokidhungry.org/find-free-meals-es. Es gratis, no preguntan tu estatus migratorio, y los programas de verano aumentan cuando los niños pierden las comidas escolares.
No Kid Hungry helps you find free meals for children and teens under 18 near you. Text the word COMIDA (or FOOD) to 304-304, or use the Spanish finder at nokidhungry.org/find-free-meals-es. It is free, does not ask about immigration status, and summer programs expand when kids lose school meals.
Feeding America tiene una red nacional de bancos de alimentos y despensas en los 50 estados, el Distrito de Columbia y Puerto Rico. Ingresa tu código postal para encontrar comida gratis cerca de ti en feedingamerica.org/en-espanol. Para ayuda adicional, llama a la línea en español al 1-877-842-6273 (lunes a viernes, de 8 a. m. a 8 p. m., hora del este).
Feeding America runs a national network of food banks and pantries across all 50 states, D.C., and Puerto Rico. Enter your ZIP code to find free food near you at feedingamerica.org/en-espanol. For extra help, call the Spanish line at 1-877-842-6273 (Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern).
Tus mascotas son familia, y necesitar ayuda para alimentarlas o llevarlas al veterinario no cambia eso. Esta herramienta nacional te ayuda a encontrar comida gratis para mascotas, despensas de comida, y servicios veterinarios y de esterilización de bajo costo cerca de ti. Ingresa tu código postal y busca lo que necesitas. Cuando tu única opción local no funciona, así es como encuentras la siguiente. El sitio está disponible en español: usa el selector de idioma dentro de la página. En pethelpfinder.org.
Your pets are family, and needing help feeding them or getting them to the vet doesn’t change that. This national tool helps you find free pet food, food pantries, and low-cost vet and spay/neuter services near you. Enter your ZIP and search for what you need. When your one local option falls through, this is how you find the next one. The site is available in Spanish: use the language selector inside the page. At pethelpfinder.org.
USAGov en español reúne en un solo lugar los programas federales de ayuda con la renta: vales de la Sección 8, vivienda subsidiada, vivienda pública, y programas para veteranos, personas con discapacidad y adultos mayores. Es un buen punto de partida para ver para qué podrías calificar antes de empezar a solicitar. En usa.gov/es/programas-ayuda-pagar-renta.
USAGov in Spanish gathers the federal rental-help programs in one place: Section 8 vouchers, subsidized housing, public housing, and programs for veterans, people with disabilities, and seniors. A good place to see what you might qualify for before you start applying. At usa.gov/es/programas-ayuda-pagar-renta.
Si eres dueño de tu casa y te atrasaste con la hipoteca, esta página oficial del gobierno explica en español qué hacer primero: cómo hablar con tu prestamista, cómo encontrar un asesor de vivienda gratuito aprobado por el HUD, los programas de ayuda de tu estado, y cómo reconocer las estafas. Una regla que te protege siempre: la ayuda legítima nunca cobra por adelantado. En usa.gov/es/ejecucion-hipotecaria.
If you own your home and have fallen behind on the mortgage, this official government page explains in Spanish what to do first: how to talk to your lender, how to find a free HUD-approved housing counselor, your state’s assistance programs, and how to spot scams. One rule that always protects you: legitimate help never charges upfront. At usa.gov/es/ejecucion-hipotecaria.
LIHEAP es un programa federal que ayuda a los hogares de bajos ingresos a pagar las facturas de calefacción y aire acondicionado, y ofrece ayuda de emergencia si te cortaron los servicios. La elegibilidad depende de tus ingresos, y cada estado tiene sus propias reglas. Empieza en español en usa.gov/es/ayuda-pagar-luz-gas, o llama a la línea nacional de referencia (NEAR) al 1-866-674-6327 y pide ayuda en español.
LIHEAP is a federal program that helps low-income households pay heating and cooling bills, with emergency help if your utilities were shut off. Eligibility is based on income, and each state sets its own rules. Start in Spanish at usa.gov/es/ayuda-pagar-luz-gas, or call the national referral line (NEAR) at 1-866-674-6327 and ask for Spanish.
Patient Advocate Foundation ayuda con facturas médicas, acceso a tratamiento y gestión de casos, sin costo. Tiene un sitio completo en español en espanol.patientadvocate.org.
Patient Advocate Foundation helps with medical bills, access to treatment, and case management, at no cost. It has a full Spanish site at espanol.patientadvocate.org.
CuidadoDeSalud.gov es el sitio oficial del gobierno para conseguir un seguro médico del Mercado, todo en español. Puedes comparar planes, ver si calificas para ayuda que baje el costo de tu prima mensual, e inscribirte en Medicaid o CHIP. La inscripción abierta tiene fechas fijas cada año, pero ciertos cambios en tu vida (perder el trabajo, mudarte, tener un bebé) abren un periodo especial para inscribirte fuera de esas fechas. En cuidadodesalud.gov/es.
CuidadoDeSalud.gov is the official government site for getting Marketplace health insurance, entirely in Spanish. You can compare plans, see if you qualify for help that lowers your monthly premium, and enroll in Medicaid or CHIP. Open enrollment has set dates each year, but certain life changes (losing a job, moving, having a baby) open a special period to enroll outside those dates. At cuidadodesalud.gov/es.
The Arc apoya a las personas con discapacidades intelectuales y del desarrollo (IDD) y a sus familias a planificar para el futuro: fideicomisos para necesidades especiales, cuentas ABLE, alternativas a la tutela, y cómo elegir un abogado. Su Centro para la Planificación del Futuro tiene una página de recursos en español, escrita en lenguaje sencillo, que te guía paso a paso. En futureplanning.thearc.org (Recursos en Español).
The Arc supports people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and their families in planning for the future: special needs trusts, ABLE accounts, alternatives to guardianship, and how to choose a lawyer. Its Center for Future Planning has a Spanish resource page, written in plain language, that walks you through it step by step. At futureplanning.thearc.org (Spanish Resources).
BuscaBeneficios es la versión en español de BenefitsCheckUp, una herramienta gratuita y confidencial de la organización sin fines de lucro NCOA. Pones tu código postal y te muestra los programas para los que podrías calificar (comida, Medicare, ayuda con medicamentos, servicios públicos y más) y cómo solicitar cada uno. Sirve a adultos mayores y a personas con discapacidad de cualquier edad. En buscabeneficios.org, o llama al 1-800-794-6559 (lunes a viernes, de 8 a. m. a 7 p. m., hora del este).
BuscaBeneficios is the Spanish version of BenefitsCheckUp, a free and confidential tool from the nonprofit NCOA. Enter your ZIP code and it shows the programs you might qualify for (food, Medicare, medication help, utilities, and more) and how to apply for each. It serves older adults and people with disabilities of any age. At buscabeneficios.org, or call 1-800-794-6559 (Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern).
USAGov en español es el sitio oficial del gobierno de los EE. UU. en español, con información sobre beneficios, vivienda, ayuda económica y más. Incluye un buscador de beneficios para ver para cuáles podrías calificar. En usa.gov/es.
USAGov en Español is the official U.S. government site in Spanish, with information on benefits, housing, financial help, and more. It includes a benefit finder to see what you might qualify for. At usa.gov/es.
Familia y comunidad / Family and community
El Centro de Información y Recursos para Padres (CPIR) ofrece guías en español sobre la transición a la vida adulta para jóvenes con discapacidades: educación, empleo, vida independiente y la mayoría de edad. En parentcenterhub.org/transicion-adulta.
The Center for Parent Information and Resources (CPIR) offers Spanish guides on the transition to adulthood for young people with disabilities: education, employment, independent living, and reaching the age of majority. At parentcenterhub.org/transicion-adulta.
Family Voices ayuda a las familias que tienen un niño o joven con necesidades médicas especiales o una discapacidad: prematuridad, autismo, una condición genética, problemas de salud mental, emocionales o del comportamiento, y más. A través de los Centros de Información de Salud Familia a Familia (F2F) en cada estado, te ayudan a entender el sistema de salud, encontrar financiamiento y responder tus preguntas. Tiene una página en español en familyvoices.org/findhelp-spanish.
Family Voices helps families who have a child or young person with special health care needs or a disability: prematurity, autism, a genetic condition, mental, emotional, or behavioral health concerns, and more. Through the Family-to-Family Health Information Centers (F2F) in every state, they help you understand the health system, find funding, and answer your questions. Spanish page at familyvoices.org/findhelp-spanish.
PFLAG Comunidad Latina es un espacio virtual de apoyo para familias latinas e hispanohablantes con seres queridos LGBTQ+. Se reúne en línea el primer jueves de cada mes. PFLAG también ofrece publicaciones en español. En pflag.org (Comunidad Latina).
PFLAG Comunidad Latina is a virtual support space for Latino and Spanish-speaking families with LGBTQ+ loved ones. It meets online the first Thursday of each month. PFLAG also offers Spanish-language publications. At pflag.org (Comunidad Latina).
Wounded Warrior Project apoya a los veteranos heridos después del 9/11 y a sus familias con salud mental, bienestar físico, apoyo entre pares, orientación con beneficios del VA y más, todo sin costo. Sus cónyuges, parejas, padres, hijos, cuidadores y amigos cercanos también pueden registrarse por su cuenta. No se necesita calificación de discapacidad ni haber servido en zona de combate. En español en es.woundedwarriorproject.org, o llama al centro de recursos al 1-888-997-2586.
Wounded Warrior Project supports post-9/11 wounded veterans and their families with mental health, physical wellness, peer support, VA benefits navigation, and more, all at no cost. Their whole support system can register, not just the veteran. No disability rating required, and no combat zone service required. Spanish site at es.woundedwarriorproject.org, or call the Resource Center at 1-888-997-2586.
El programa de Apoyo para Cuidadores del VA ayuda a quienes cuidan a un veterano. Llama a la Línea de Apoyo para Cuidadores al 1-855-260-3274 (lunes a viernes, de 8 a. m. a 8 p. m., hora del este). Tiene una página en español en caregiver.va.gov/Spanish.
The VA Caregiver Support Program helps people caring for a veteran. Call the Caregiver Support Line at 1-855-260-3274 (Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern). It has a Spanish page at caregiver.va.gov/Spanish.
PREPARE para su cuidado es un programa gratuito de la Universidad de California en San Francisco (UCSF) que te ayuda, paso a paso, a planificar el cuidado médico que quieres y a poner por escrito tus deseos. Usa videos cortos y preguntas en lenguaje sencillo para que decidas qué es importante para ti, elijas a alguien que hable por ti si tú no puedes, y crees una directiva anticipada con validez legal en los cincuenta estados. Hay una vía aparte, PREPARE para SU cuidado, para cuando estás planificando en nombre de otra persona, como un padre, una madre o un hijo. Todo el sitio está en español. En prepareforyourcare.org/es.
PREPARE for Your Care is a free program from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) that walks you, step by step, through planning the medical care you want and putting your wishes in writing. It uses short videos and plain-language questions to help you decide what matters to you, choose someone to speak for you if you cannot, and create an advance directive that is legally valid in all fifty states. There is a separate PREPARE for THEIR Care track for when you are planning on behalf of someone else, like a parent or a child. The entire site is in Spanish. At prepareforyourcare.org/es.
CaringInfo, un programa de la organización sin fines de lucro National Alliance for Care at Home, explica en lenguaje sencillo qué son los cuidados paliativos y los cuidados de hospicio, en qué se diferencian, y cómo planificar el cuidado del final de la vida antes de una crisis. Tiene un sitio completo en español que cubre los tipos de cuidado, la planificación, el cuidado de un ser querido y el duelo. Las directivas anticipadas gratuitas, específicas para cada estado, están en formato PDF en inglés. En caringinfo.org/es.
CaringInfo, a program of the nonprofit National Alliance for Care at Home, explains in plain language what palliative care and hospice care are, how they differ, and how to plan end-of-life care before a crisis. It has a full Spanish site covering types of care, planning, caring for a loved one, and grief. The free, state-specific advance directives are PDFs in English. At caringinfo.org/es.
El Instituto Nacional sobre el Envejecimiento (NIA), parte de los Institutos Nacionales de la Salud (NIH) del gobierno federal, tiene un sitio completo en español sobre el envejecimiento: la enfermedad de Alzheimer y la demencia, el cuidado de un ser querido, la planificación anticipada de cuidados, y el cuidado del final de la vida. Es información oficial, gratuita y confiable, escrita en lenguaje claro. Para organizar tus documentos legales y financieros, su guía “Ponga sus asuntos en orden” está en nia.nih.gov/espanol/ponga-sus-asuntos-orden. El sitio completo en español está en nia.nih.gov/espanol.
The National Institute on Aging (NIA), part of the federal government’s National Institutes of Health (NIH), has a full Spanish site on aging: Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, caring for a loved one, advance care planning, and end-of-life care. It is official, free, reliable information written in plain language. To organize your legal and financial documents, its “Getting Your Affairs in Order” guide is at nia.nih.gov/espanol/ponga-sus-asuntos-orden. The full Spanish site is at nia.nih.gov/espanol.
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International – Outside the United States
This page is written from the US, but you’re welcome here no matter where you are. These are good starting points for several countries, plus directories that cover many others. If you have a resource you think belongs here, let me know.
Find A Helpline lists verified emotional and mental health support lines in over 170 countries at findahelpline.com.
Befrienders Worldwide offers emotional support centers globally (over 190 countries and over 40 languages) at befrienders.org.
Men’s ADHD Support Group runs a free online community for men with ADHD (and those who identify as male), with a free online community and a free weekly virtual circle, open to all regardless of race, orientation, gender identity, or background. Peer connection, not treatment, and open to members anywhere in the world, at mensadhdsupportgroup.org.
Assistance Dogs International lists accredited assistance dog programs worldwide, with filters for your country and for programs that work with Veterans, at assistancedogsinternational.org.
The Dougy Center supports grieving children, teens, and their families, with a worldwide directory to find a program near you at dougy.org.
The Compassionate Friends supports families after the death of a child, with peer support in the US at compassionatefriends.org and national bodies in the UK tcf.org.uk 0345 123 2304, Australia tcfa.org.au 1300 064 068, and Canada tcfcanada.net 1-866-823-0141, plus support contacts in over 30 countries.
Soaring Spirits International supports people grieving the death of a spouse or partner through Widowed Village, a free online community reaching 153 countries, plus Camp Widow events in the US and internationally, at soaringspirits.org.
NOTE: Many of these grief resources, along with others organized by type of loss, also appear in the Grief and Loss section on this page, which houses resources that often include international support groups or branches.
Ask Izzy. One search for housing, food, money help, family violence support, and counselling near you at askizzy.org.au.
For food relief, Foodbank Australia at foodbank.org.au.
Payment and Service Finder is the Australian Government’s free tool to see which payments and services you may be eligible for at servicesaustralia.gov.au.
National Legal Aid points you to the legal aid commission in your state or territory for free legal help, focused on people facing disadvantage, at nationallegalaid.org.au.
PANDA runs a free national perinatal mental health helpline for expecting and new parents and their support people on 1300 726 306, or at panda.org.au. It is not a crisis line.
Carer Gateway is the Australian Government’s free service for carers, with counselling, respite, peer support, and practical help, on 1800 422 737, or at carergateway.gov.au.
My Aged Care is the starting point for government-funded aged care, from help at home to residential care, on 1800 200 422, or at myagedcare.gov.au.
Griefline offers free grief support by phone on 1300 845 745, 7 days a week, plus 24/7 online forums, at griefline.org.au. Helpline hours vary, so check the site for current times.
Advance Care Planning Australia runs a free national advisory line to help you plan and record your future health care wishes, with starter packs to download or post, on 1300 208 582, or at advancecareplanning.org.au.
Palliative Care Australia helps you find a palliative care service near you through its National Palliative Care Service Directory at palliativecare.org.au.
Open Arms provides free, confidential counselling for veterans and their families, available 24/7, on 1800 011 046, or at openarms.gov.au.
RSL offers free DVA claims advocacy through its state branches, helping veterans lodge and appeal compensation claims, at rslaustralia.org/veteran-support. They also keep a list of multiple crisis support networks for veterans and their families (including children) at rslaustralia.org/after-hours-care.
Soldier On supports veterans and their families with employment, education, and connection programs for life after service, on 1300 620 380, or at soldieron.org.au.
211 Canada. The Canadian equivalent of US 211: food, housing, financial, and social services. Call or text 211, or visit 211.ca.
For food banks, Food Banks Canada at foodbankscanada.ca.
Benefits Wayfinder is a free tool from the charity Prosper Canada that helps you find federal, provincial, and territorial benefits you may be missing at benefitswayfinder.org. The government’s Benefits Finder covers the same ground from the official side at canada.ca.
HMBANA connects families to nonprofit milk banks across Canada and the US for safe, pasteurized donor breast milk for fragile and premature babies. Find a milk bank at hmbana.org.
Trans Lifeline is a peer support line run by and for trans, nonbinary, and questioning people, Canada line 877-330-6366. It is a community peer line, not a general crisis service, at translifeline.org.
Canadian Virtual Hospice offers free, bilingual support on serious illness, caregiving, grief, and end-of-life, including an Ask a Professional service and grief modules like MyGrief.ca and KidsGrief.ca, at virtualhospice.ca. To find local support, they also have a directory of over 900 programs and services.
Wounded Warriors Canada runs free clinical mental health programs for veterans, first responders, and their families, covering PTSD and trauma, at woundedwarriors.ca.
For immediate veteran support, the government’s VAC Assistance Service offers free, confidential counselling 24/7 on 1-800-268-7708.
Royal Canadian Legion provides free service officers who help veterans and their families with VAC disability claims and appeals, whether or not you are a member, at legion.ca. National line 1-877-534-4666.
VETS Canada provides same-day, on-the-ground help for veterans and their families who are in crisis, at risk of homelessness, or struggling to cover basics like food or a power bill, on 1-888-228-3871 or at vetscanada.org.
Citizens Advice. Free advice on benefits, debt, housing, and legal issues at citizensadvice.org.uk.
Turn2Us has a benefits calculator and grants search at turn2us.org.uk.
For food banks, visit Trussell at trussell.org.uk.
British Gas Energy Trust gives grants to clear energy debt, open to customers of any supplier across England, Scotland, and Wales. You need to have had money advice in the last 6 months first. Apply at britishgasenergytrust.org.uk.
Shelter offers free housing and homelessness advice. England at england.shelter.org.uk, with Shelter Scotland, Shelter Cymru in Wales, and Housing Rights in Northern Ireland. Urgent helpline 0808 800 4444.
PANDAS Foundation supports parents through perinatal mental illness like antenatal and postnatal depression. Free helpline 0808 1961 776, with WhatsApp support on 07903 508334. More at pandasfoundation.org.uk.
PDA Society is the only UK charity for a PDA (pathological demand avoidance / persistent demand for autonomy) profile of autism, offering free information and personalised support at pdasociety.org.uk.
Carers UK gives unpaid carers free information and signposting on benefits, assessments, and getting help. Helpline 0808 808 7777, at carersuk.org.
Age UK runs a free national advice line for older people and their families on care, benefits, and housing. Call 0800 678 1602, or visit ageuk.org.uk.
Cruse Bereavement Support offers free grief support across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, with Cruse Scotland for Scotland (on 0808 802 6161). Helpline 0808 808 1677, or at cruse.org.uk.
Compassion in Dying helps you record your wishes for end-of-life care through its free online living will (advance decision) service for England and Wales at compassionindying.org.uk.
Marie Curie offers free practical and emotional support on terminal illness, dying, and bereavement. Support Line 0800 090 2309,or at mariecurie.org.uk. The line cannot currently take anonymous calls, so you will be asked for your name.
Combat Stress is the UK’s leading veterans’ mental health charity, covering PTSD and trauma. Free 24/7 helpline 0800 138 1619 for veterans, serving personnel, and their families, at combatstress.org.uk.
Royal British Legion gives actively serving and former personnel and their families free help with benefits, money, housing, and welfare. Contact centre 0808 802 8080, or at britishlegion.org.uk.
Help for Heroes supports veterans and their families with recovery, community, and life after service. Call 0300 303 9888, or visit helpforheroes.org.uk.
In Crisis Right Now?
If you’re in crisis right now, or worried about someone who is, that’s a different kind of urgent and there are people ready to help this minute.
Start here: Get Help Now.
Broken Link? Missing Resource?
Found a link that’s broken or a number that’s changed? Know of something that belongs here? Please tell me so I can fix it for the next person. This list is kept current by hand, and a heads-up makes a real difference.