Additional Resources

211

Resource/organization name: 211

Direct link to the resource:

https://www.211.org

What it offers: 211 connects people with local community resources and assistance programs throughout the United States. Depending on what is available in your area, that may include help with food, housing and utility expenses, healthcare costs, transportation, caregiver needs, disaster recovery, and other basic needs. You can call 211 to speak with a local specialist or use the website to find your local 211 and search for resources.

Best for: Anyone who needs help finding local assistance but isn’t sure what programs exist, where to start, or which organization handles a particular need.

Cost to the jobseeker: Free. There is no charge to call 211 or use its resource-finding services.

Account required: No. You do not need to create an account to call 211, find your local 211, or search for assistance through the public website.

Watch for: 211 connects you with other organizations and programs rather than providing most assistance directly. What is available varies by location, and individual programs may have their own eligibility requirements, applications, documentation requirements, waiting lists, or limited funding. Calls to 211 are confidential and can be anonymous.

Why it is included: After a layoff, you may suddenly need help with something you’ve never had to ask for before and have absolutely no idea who you’re supposed to call. 211 provides one starting point for finding legitimate local resources instead of trying to hunt down every food, housing, utility, healthcare, or other assistance program yourself.

Feeding America

Resource/organization name: Feeding America

Direct link to the resource:

https://www.feedingamerica.org/find-your-local-foodbank

What it offers: Feeding America’s food bank finder lets you enter your ZIP code to find the Feeding America food bank serving your area. Local food banks work with food pantries, meal programs, mobile food pantries, and other community organizations that provide free food and groceries. The finder can help you locate nearby services, hours, and food distributions. Local food banks may also be able to help with SNAP applications and connect you with other food-assistance programs.

Best for: Anyone who needs help putting food on the table, whether you’re facing a longer-term financial crunch or just need some temporary help while you’re between paychecks.

Cost to the jobseeker: Free. There is no charge to use Feeding America’s food bank finder, and food pantries and meal programs in its network provide food at no cost.

Account required: No. You can search for your local food bank by ZIP code or use your location without creating an account. Individual food banks, pantries, or meal programs may ask for information when you receive assistance, such as where you live, household size, or information about your household’s needs.

Watch for: Availability, hours, distribution methods, and requirements vary by location. Feeding America says anyone who needs extra help affording food can visit a food pantry or meal program, but some local programs may have additional requirements, such as living within a particular service area. Your local food bank may also be some distance from you even when it serves your community, because food banks often distribute food through smaller partner pantries and programs closer to where you live. It’s a good idea to contact the local organization before making the trip.

Why it is included: Losing a job can turn a normal grocery bill into a much bigger problem pretty quickly. Feeding America provides a direct way to find free food resources in your own community without having to already know which food bank, pantry, church, or local organization you’re supposed to contact.

Findhelp

Resource/organization name: Findhelp

Direct link to the resource:

https://www.findhelp.org

What it offers: Findhelp is a searchable directory of free and reduced-cost programs throughout the United States. Enter your ZIP code to look for local help with food, housing, utilities, healthcare, transportation, financial assistance, employment, legal services, and other needs. Search results provide information about individual programs and how to contact or apply for assistance.

Best for: Anyone who wants to search for local assistance online and would rather browse available programs themselves than call a referral service such as 211.

Cost to the jobseeker: Free. There is no charge to search Findhelp or use its public resource directory. Individual programs listed in the directory may have their own costs, although Findhelp focuses on free and reduced-cost services.

Account required: No. You can search for resources by ZIP code without creating an account.

Watch for: Findhelp is a directory, not the organization providing most of the assistance you find there. Eligibility requirements, costs, service areas, applications, availability, and response times are determined by the individual organizations and programs listed. Some programs allow you to connect or begin the referral process through Findhelp, while others direct you to contact the organization separately.

Why it is included: Sometimes you know exactly what you need, but have no idea who provides it locally. Findhelp gives you a way to search for many different kinds of assistance in one place, and its nationwide ZIP-code search makes it a useful online companion to 211.

Flashfood

Resource/organization name: Flashfood

Direct link to the resource:

https://flashfood.com

What it offers: Flashfood partners with grocery stores to sell food that is approaching its best-before date or would otherwise be at risk of going to waste. Using the Flashfood app, you can browse discounted items available at participating grocery stores near you, purchase them through the app, and pick them up at the store. Flashfood says discounts can be up to 50% off and may include produce, meat, dairy, bakery items, and other groceries.

Best for: Anyone looking to lower their grocery bill who has a participating store nearby and doesn’t mind choosing from whatever discounted inventory happens to be available.

Cost to the jobseeker: The app is free to download, but you pay for the groceries you purchase. Flashfood also charges a variable service fee on every order, currently capped at $2.99 per order. The fee is shown before you complete your purchase. Eligible purchases at certain participating U.S. stores can be paid for with SNAP EBT, but SNAP benefits cannot be used to pay the service fee.

Account required: Yes, to make purchases. You can create an account using an email address and password or sign up through Google, Facebook, or Apple. You can check whether participating stores are nearby before creating an account. A valid payment method is required to place an order.

Watch for: Flashfood is only useful if participating grocery stores are available in your area, and inventory varies by store and by day. Purchases are made through the app and picked up in-store, and cash is not accepted. The app can use your precise location to find nearby stores, although you can decline location access and search the map manually.

Why it is included: Groceries are one of those expenses that stubbornly continue whether you’re getting a paycheck or not. Flashfood can provide a straightforward way to buy everyday grocery items at a discount while also keeping usable food from going to waste. Unlike coupons that require a particular brand or buying something you didn’t need in the first place, Flashfood lets you browse what’s actually available nearby and decide whether the deal is worth it.

Lasagna Love

Resource/organization name: Lasagna Love

Direct link to the resource: https://lasagnalove.org/request-a-meal/

What it offers: Lasagna Love is a nonprofit that connects people who could use a meal with local volunteers who prepare and deliver homemade lasagnas. You can request a meal for yourself or your household, and the organization also allows people to nominate someone else to receive a meal. Lasagna Love specifically says its program is available without judgment or qualifications, whether someone is dealing with financial difficulties, medical issues, a major life change, or another hardship.

Best for: Individuals and families who could use a free home-cooked meal, whether money is tight after a layoff or life has simply piled enough on their plate already.

Cost to the jobseeker: Free. There is no charge for requesting or receiving a meal. Lasagnas are prepared and delivered by volunteers.

Account required: No traditional account or membership is required, but you do need to submit a meal request with contact and household information so Lasagna Love can match you with a volunteer and arrange delivery. Volunteers may also need information about dietary restrictions or requests before preparing your meal.

Watch for: Lasagna Love depends on volunteers in your area, so requesting a meal does not mean one will be immediately available. Wait times and availability can vary by location. Because meals are homemade in volunteers’ kitchens, anyone with serious food allergies or specific dietary requirements should carefully review the organization’s current guidance and communicate those needs when matched with a volunteer.

Why it is included: There are no income requirements or hoops to jump through to prove that you’re struggling enough to deserve dinner. Lasagna Love offers something unusually simple: if your household could use a meal, you can ask for one. One free lasagna isn’t going to fix the financial fallout from losing a job, but it can cover dinner for a night, possibly leftovers too, and that’s money you don’t have to spend on groceries or takeout.

Lifeline

Resource/organization name: Lifeline

Direct link to the resource: https://www.lifelinesupport.org/

What it offers: Lifeline is a federal program that helps eligible households lower the cost of phone or internet service. The standard benefit provides up to $9.25 per month toward internet or bundled service, or up to $5.25 per month toward phone service. Eligible households on qualifying Tribal lands may receive an enhanced benefit of up to $34.25 per month. After approval, you choose a participating phone or internet company and have the Lifeline discount applied to qualifying service.

Best for: Lower-income households that need to reduce the cost of maintaining phone or internet service, particularly when staying connected is important for job searching, unemployment claims, interviews, and other everyday necessities.

Cost to the jobseeker: Free to apply. Lifeline provides a discount rather than automatically providing completely free phone or internet service, so you may still owe the participating provider for the remaining cost of your plan or for services beyond what your plan includes.

Account required: An application is required. You can apply online, by mail, or with assistance from a participating phone or internet company. Applicants are asked for their full name, date of birth, home address, and the last four digits of their Social Security number or Tribal identification number. You may also need to provide documentation showing that you meet the eligibility requirements.

Watch for: Lifeline is income- and program-based. For 2026, most households can qualify if household income is at or below 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines or if the applicant or someone in the household participates in a qualifying program such as SNAP, Medicaid, SSI, Federal Public Housing Assistance, or the Veterans Pension and Survivors Benefit. Only one Lifeline discount is allowed per household. Oregon and Texas use their own application processes, and participants generally must recertify their eligibility each year.

Why it is included: Losing a job doesn’t make your phone or internet optional, especially when nearly every part of finding another job now happens online. Lifeline won’t eliminate the cost for everyone, but eligible households may be able to lower a recurring bill while keeping an important connection to employers, benefits, and other services.

Modest Needs

Resource/organization name: Modest Needs

Direct link to the resource:

https://www.modestneeds.org

What it offers: Modest Needs is a nonprofit that provides Self-Sufficiency Grants to qualifying individuals and families facing certain short-term emergency expenses. Grants do not have to be repaid, and Modest Needs generally pays an approved expense directly to the creditor or service provider rather than giving cash to the applicant. Examples may include certain unexpected medical expenses, emergency repairs, or other qualifying bills that could threaten an otherwise financially self-sufficient household.

Best for: Working households experiencing a temporary financial emergency that they cannot cover on their own and that may not qualify for traditional assistance programs.

Cost to the jobseeker: Free. There is no fee to register or apply for assistance, and grants do not have to be repaid. Funding is not guaranteed.

Account required: Yes. You must register for a free account and complete an online application. An active email address is required. Applicants must provide documentation supporting their identity, household income, employment, and the specific expense for which assistance is requested. Modest Needs recommends having a recent tax return or bank statements available before beginning the application.

Watch for: This program will not be an option for every person who has been laid off. At least one adult in the household must be employed at the time of application, and the household’s primary source of income must generally come from employment, child support, Veterans benefits, or retirement income. Applicants must also meet additional income and eligibility requirements. Modest Needs serves legal residents of the United States and Canada. It cannot pay every type of expense, including groceries, gas, credit-card bills, payday loans, taxes, legal fines, or expenses that would require sending cash directly to the applicant. Applications that qualify are generally funded through donations, so assistance is not guaranteed or necessarily immediate.

Why it is included: Modest Needs fills an unusual gap. Many assistance programs are designed for households with very low incomes, which can leave working families who are hit with one unexpected expense without many places to turn. This won’t fit every laid-off household, particularly someone living alone with no current employment income, but it may be useful when another adult in the household is still working and one unexpected bill is threatening an otherwise manageable budget.

National Hunger Hotline (USDA)

Resource/organization name: USDA National Hunger Hotline

Direct link to the resource:

https://www.fns.usda.gov/national-hunger-hotline

What it offers: The USDA National Hunger Hotline connects people with emergency food providers and other food and nutrition assistance resources in their communities. You can call 1-866-3-HUNGRY (1-866-348-6479) to speak with a representative or use the hotline’s text option. Assistance is available in English and Spanish.

Best for: Anyone who needs help finding food or nutrition assistance and would rather talk or text with someone who can help identify available resources instead of searching for programs on their own.

Cost to the jobseeker: Free. There is no charge to use the National Hunger Hotline.

Account required: No. You do not need to create an account to use the hotline. You will need to provide enough information, such as your location and what kind of assistance you’re looking for, for the representative to help identify appropriate resources.

Watch for: The hotline helps connect you with food resources rather than providing food directly. Programs you’re referred to may have their own eligibility requirements, service areas, hours, application processes, or availability. Hotline hours may also change, so check the USDA page for the current hours and contact options before calling.

Why it is included: Sometimes you don’t need another website, search box, or list of programs to sort through. You need to tell an actual person, “I need help finding food,” and have them point you in the right direction. The National Hunger Hotline provides a free, government-run starting point specifically for finding food and nutrition assistance.

NeedyMeds

Resource/organization name: NeedyMeds

Direct link to the resource:

https://www.needymeds.org

What it offers: NeedyMeds is a nonprofit that helps people find ways to reduce medication and healthcare costs. Its resources include information about patient assistance programs that provide free or discounted medications, manufacturer coupons and rebates, diagnosis-based assistance programs, free and low-cost clinics, and other healthcare assistance. NeedyMeds also offers a free prescription discount card and a tool for comparing discounted medication prices at participating pharmacies.

Best for: Anyone struggling with prescription or healthcare costs, particularly people who have lost employer-sponsored insurance, are uninsured or underinsured, or have medications that aren’t adequately covered by their insurance.

Cost to the jobseeker: NeedyMeds’ information and resource directories are free. Its drug discount card is also free, with no registration or activation fee. However, the outside patient assistance programs, clinics, and other services listed through NeedyMeds have their own eligibility rules and may not all provide completely free care or medication.

Account required: No. You can search NeedyMeds’ resources without creating an account, and no registration is required to use the NeedyMeds Drug Discount Card. Individual assistance programs found through NeedyMeds may require their own applications and documentation.

Watch for: NeedyMeds helps you find assistance programs but generally does not provide the assistance itself. Individual patient assistance programs, clinics, and other resources may have income, insurance, diagnosis, residency, or other eligibility requirements. Its drug discount card cannot be combined with insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, or another prescription plan for the same purchase, although you can choose to use the card instead when appropriate. Drug prices and discounts vary by medication and pharmacy.

Why it is included: Losing employer health insurance can turn a manageable prescription into a very expensive little bottle surprisingly fast. NeedyMeds goes beyond a basic prescription coupon by helping people search for patient assistance programs, low-cost clinics, diagnosis-specific assistance, and other healthcare resources they may not know exist.

Too Good To Go

Resource/organization name: Too Good To Go

Direct link to the resource:

https://www.toogoodtogo.com/en-us

What it offers: Too Good To Go connects users with restaurants, bakeries, cafés, grocery stores, and other businesses that have surplus food available. Through the app, you can browse nearby “Surprise Bags,” reserve and pay for one, then pick it up during the business’s designated pickup window. Because the contents depend on what a business has left, you generally won’t know exactly what you’re getting ahead of time. Too Good To Go says Surprise Bags typically cost around one-third of the food’s original retail price, and its U.S. site advertises food at half price or less.

Best for: Anyone looking to spend less on food who is flexible about what they receive and has participating businesses nearby.

Cost to the jobseeker: The app is free to use, but you pay for any Surprise Bags or other food you order. Prices vary by participating business and what is being offered. Payment is made through the app when you reserve your food.

Account required: Yes. An account is required to reserve and purchase food through the app.

Watch for: Availability depends entirely on participating businesses in your area, and the food available can change from day to day. Surprise Bags are just that, a surprise, so this may not be a great option if you have strict dietary needs or food allergies. Most Surprise Bags must also be picked up during a specific time window set by the business, although the app has an “Ask-a-Friend” feature that allows someone else to pick up an order for you.

Why it is included: When money is tight, getting perfectly good food for considerably less than its normal price can help stretch the grocery or takeout budget a little further. Too Good To Go is also different from traditional food-assistance programs because there are no income or hardship requirements. If there’s something available nearby that you want, you can buy it at the discounted price.

USA.gov Benefit Finder

Resource/organization name: USA.gov Benefit Finder

Direct link to the resource:

https://www.usa.gov/benefit-finder

What it offers: USA.gov’s Benefit Finder is an official federal government resource for finding government benefits and financial assistance. You can browse benefits by category, including food, healthcare, housing and utilities, jobs and unemployment, military and veterans, and welfare and cash assistance. The site also offers questionnaires for certain life situations that provide a customized list of government benefits you may be eligible for and information about how to apply.

Best for: Anyone who wants to check for government benefits or assistance programs they may qualify for without trying to figure out which federal or state agency handles each program.

Cost to the jobseeker: Free. USA.gov is the official U.S. government information portal, and there is no charge to use the Benefit Finder.

Account required: No. You do not need an account to browse benefits or use the Benefit Finder. The Benefit Finder itself is not an application for benefits. After identifying a program that may apply to you, you will need to follow the instructions for that particular government agency or program to apply.

Watch for: Finding a benefit through USA.gov does not mean you automatically qualify for it. Each government program has its own eligibility rules, application process, required documentation, and deadlines. The Benefit Finder points you toward potential programs and the appropriate agency, but you still have to apply through the agency responsible for that benefit.

Why it is included: Government assistance is scattered across enough agencies and programs to make figuring out where to start a project of its own. USA.gov’s Benefit Finder provides one official starting point for discovering benefits you may not have known to look for, without relying on a commercial benefits-finding service. It also replaces the former Benefits.gov, which the federal government retired as part of moving its benefits information to USA.gov.