1.  PRIMARY MEDICAL CARE

Here's a brief summary of what's buried within govbenefits.gov: ALL people are eligible, regardless of ability to pay, for full primary care medical, dental, and mental health services. Try a ZIP CODE search at: findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov

If you need help with COSTLY MEDICATION, then be sure to visit needymeds.org

2.  FOOD * CLOTHING * COMMUNICATION * SHELTER

• National Hunger Hotline - toll-free: 1-866-348-6479 (Monday-Friday from 9am-6pm ET)
• SHARE - Regional Locations - prices lower than food chains, and they take food stamps
• feedingamerica.org - food banks across the U.S., SEARCH by ZIP CODE
• usda.gov - CSFP (Commodity Supplemental Food Program) targeted assistance
  usda.gov - SNAP (food stamps) detailed info & application
  usda.gov - WIC (Women, Infants, Children) targeted healthcare & nutrition assistance

Depending on disastrous events; whether economic, natural, manmade, etc., one might also choose to seek help:

• from church organizations such as the Society of St. Vincent de Paul
• from the American Red Cross (SEARCH - ZIP CODE) or Salvation Army (SEARCH - ZIP CODE)
• from GOOGLE - click MAP for Social Service Organizations near you

Your government offers help as well (heating fuel & financial assistance, social services, etc.), some handy links follow:

• U.S. Government's Official Web Portal and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
• LIFELINE & LINK-UP discounted telephone service in every U.S. state, territory, & commonwealth
• ACF Programs browse through other government programs
• ACF Services government "Services for Families", here are a select few:
                Grants & Contracts funding opportunities available to eligible organizations and individuals
                LIHEAP Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program
                TANF Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
• FORECLOSURE RELIEF - and other initiatives as well
• FORECLOSURE RELIEF II - you can also call, toll free, 1-800-569-4287
• FORECLOSURE RELIEF III - Produce The Note "How-To" (a legal strategy)
• HUD HOMES - browse property listings by state
• HUD RENT ASSISTANCE - important SENIORS info speak with a HUD Counselor
• YOUR STATE's  Unemployment Resources

3.  JOBS

Don't take losing your job personally (easier said than done). Most people can collect UNEMPLOYMENT benefits. Even partial assistance may be available to you. So don't despair if your HOURS have been cut-back, say from 40 to 20 hours per week. If that happens to you, try filing an UNEMPLOYMENT CLAIM to make up the difference in pay (check with your state unemployment office for details)... and many localities now provide for "filing your claims" ONLINE. You could also begin LOOKING on DAY ONE after having lost your job (or even prior to losing it, if you feel a "pink slip" is coming your way)... while right there, sitting at your computer (or via most any public kiosk/library).

Not all job search sites are created equal... some cater to high salary white collar, others simply list stuff which one might find within a newspaper's classified ads. Not all jobs are advertised in every "search" resource, so try SEVERAL (not just what others may tell you is their "favorite" or "best")! Different job search sites offer different presentations of their services, and methods for locating jobs. Typically one would enter a KEYWORD (carpenter, driver, electrician, etc.) and then search ZIP CODE. Here are some good job search resources, I wish you GOOD hunting:

ZIP CODE Search careerbuilder.com dice.com indeed.com juju.com linkup.com monster.com simplyhired.com snagajob.com sologig.com theladders.com usajobs.gov

CATEGORY Search alljobsearch.com craigslist.org federaljobs.net MASSIVE RESOURCES job-hunt.org - don't get lost here!

4.  SOME PERSONAL ADVICE

If you have a DEBT PROBLEM (like many millions of others have)... I urge you to seek professional help from a NON-PROFIT organization (for example: cccsstl.org, credit.org, or incharge.org). Many such organizations perform free consultations, so it wouldn't hurt to listen to what they can offer in way of assistance. But whomever you decide to use, BEFORE you sign anything or otherwise enter into an agreement with them... I strongly recommend that you check them out with the Better Business Bureau.

• If you need help, seek it out and take it... you're not alone, millions are finding each day more difficult to navigate!
  
  
• If you can render help, by all means do so... we're all in this together, and only together will everyone pull through it!

I would like to keep this page as simple and to the point as possible. To that end, I'll try only to list resources hereon which are available to everyone across the nation. That is to say, I'll try to avoid listing any resource which is unique to only a certain locality. If you have a suggestion, which meets these goals, please email your comments and suggestions to: