When you’re an immigrant in the US, it’s important that you are aware of and utilize the resources available to you to help you and your family. Immigrant assistance programs can offer you valuable help in the following areas:

• Housing
• Food
• Bill paying
• Healthcare
• Employment

Below, we’ll discuss some of the assistance programs available to you and your family. Depending on the service, there is often assistance available in multiple different languages.

Housing Programs

Housing is one of the most important things you can secure assistance for you and your family. The resources available to you will vary from state to state, and with some regions or states being more helpful than others it can be tricky at times, but there is help. Many non-profit organizations can help you with things like rental and housing assistance, emergency housing and shelter, and even limited-time vouchers for motel and hotel accomodations. Check with your state’s local transitional housing programs on options available to you. You may even qualify for assistance through HUD. Checking for options through local church programs can also be helpful.

Food Programs

Low-cost and free food is something that is readily available to you; in fact, the federal government mandates that all states provide food solutions to immigrants and refugees. Below are some options available to support you and your family:

• WIC - The Women, Infantsand Children program (WIC) is one that primarily focuses on providing food aid for babies, pregnancy women and children. Through this program you can secure vouchers to pay for infant formula, baby food, and other food items needed to supplement children and pregnant women.
• SNAP - SNAP is the food stamp program currently in place. This program will issue you an EBT debit card to assist in purchasing groceries on a monthly basis.
• Head Start - For children under the age of five, they can enroll into the Head Start program to get free meals. These meals will be provided at school and ensure the child is fed breakfast and lunch.

Financial Assistance Programs

For needs related to everyday living expenses (gas, clothing, etc.), there are programs often available through churches or local non-profits. The assistance available to you will most likely be limited to a short period of time, but it is there. Catholic Charities, Salvation Army, and United Way are national organizations in place to help. Sometimes you can obtain non-perishable food items, boxes of clothing, or small amounts of money to pay for gas or housing.

While you’ll need to be careful in using them, you can also utilize payday loan programs. Be careful when using these as you can run into hefty fees, but it can help you to build your credit history on the plus side.

Employment Programs

There are multiple programs available to assist in employment opportunities for immigrants. Upwardly Global is one tool to help; they offer assistance in securing jobs for immigrants and will help in your job search. You may check with local churches or non-profits as well; they can often help you secure employment or provide assistance in your job searches.

Healthcare Programs

Healthcare is essential and legally required to be offered to everyone in this country. Emergency Medicaid is something you can sign up for locally within your state. Medicaid can help you pay for medical bills, prescription drugs, and ensure you can cover doctor visits and hospital stays. Aside from Medicaid, you can often find free community clinics local to you that can assist in medical and dental care. There are also options to pay for care based on a sliding fee scale at some clinics and hospitals.