Alabama assistance directory
Low-Income Help and Resources in Alabama
Alabama residents may be able to get help with food, utilities, housing, healthcare, child care, cash assistance, work, legal concerns, phone or internet costs, aging and disability needs, disaster recovery, and crisis support. Many programs are handled by county offices or local providers, so begin with the state portal or local service that best matches the need.
Money Fit serves Alabama residents statewide. Nonprofit credit counseling is available by phone and online throughout Alabama. Debt Reduction Services, Inc., operating as Money Fit, has Alabama state record MT378 with the Alabama Securities Commission.
Where to start
The best starting point depends on whether the need involves a state benefit, a local service, or immediate safety. Eligibility, funding, waiting lists, and application methods vary by program.
Apply for SNAP or family assistance
Alabama DHR handles SNAP and Family Assistance. The correct online route can depend on the program and DHR's staged transition to ACES.
Find nearby help
Call 211 or search by location for food, rent, utilities, transportation, healthcare, employment, family services, and other local support.
Immediate safety or crisis
Call 911 when someone is in immediate danger. Call or text 988 for mental health, substance use, suicide, or emotional crisis support.
Alabama DHR is moving SNAP and TANF case management to ACES in stages. Some households will continue using MyDHR or OneAlabama, while DHR may direct others to ACES. Follow the instructions shown for your county or existing case. The ACES help desk is 877-269-6191.
Food assistance
For ongoing grocery help, start with Alabama SNAP or WIC when it fits the household. For food needed sooner, use Feeding Alabama's pantry and food-bank tools or call 211.
Alabama SNAP Food Assistance
SNAP provides monthly food benefits to eligible Alabama households. Applications are available online and through every county DHR office, which also handles interviews and case questions.
Alabama WIC
WIC provides food benefits, nutrition support, breastfeeding help, and referrals for eligible pregnant, breastfeeding, and postpartum participants, infants, and children under age five.
Program help: 888-942-4673
Feeding Alabama food-bank network
Feeding Alabama connects residents in all 67 counties with food banks, pantry locations, local distributions, 211 referrals, and help applying for SNAP or other benefits.
Housing, rent, and utility help
Utility assistance, weatherization, affordable housing, public housing, and voucher programs are handled through different local organizations. Funding and waiting lists can change quickly.
Alabama LIHEAP
LIHEAP may help eligible households with home heating and cooling costs. ADECA funds local community action agencies that accept applications and serve specific counties or regions.
Alabama Weatherization Assistance Program
Weatherization may help qualifying households reduce energy use through approved home improvements. Local agencies accept and process applications; ADECA does not take applications directly.
AHFA Apartment Finder
Search for Alabama Housing Finance Authority-financed apartment communities with reported availability. AHFA does not own or manage the properties or accept rental applications, so contact the property's management office directly.
HUD housing resources in Alabama
Local public housing agencies manage public housing and Housing Choice Voucher applications. HUD-approved housing counselors can also help residents understand rental, homeownership, foreclosure, or reverse-mortgage questions.
Public housing help: 800-955-2232
Housing counselor: 800-569-4287
Rent, shelter, and eviction help is usually local. Call 211 for nearby programs, contact the public housing agency serving your area, or apply for civil legal help through Legal Services Alabama when a notice, deadline, or court case is involved.
Healthcare coverage and clinics
Alabama Medicaid and ALL Kids cover different eligibility groups. The correct application route depends on age, household circumstances, income, disability status, pregnancy, and the type of coverage requested.
Alabama Medicaid
Alabama Medicaid provides health coverage through several programs for eligible children, parents and caretakers, pregnant people, older adults, and people with disabilities. Review the state application guidance to choose the correct form or online route.
Recipient Call Center: 800-362-1504
ALL Kids and children's Medicaid
ALL Kids provides low-cost health coverage for eligible Alabama children under age 19. The joint online application also screens for SOBRA Medicaid and Medicaid for Low Income Families, then forwards some applications to the Health Insurance Marketplace when appropriate.
ALL Kids help: 888-373-5437
Community health centers
Federally supported health centers provide primary care and may offer dental, pharmacy, behavioral health, and other services. Health centers serve patients regardless of insurance status and use sliding-fee programs based on income and family size.
Child care, family, and cash assistance
Child care costs and short-term income loss can make it harder to stay employed, attend school, or keep up with basic needs. Alabama has separate programs for child care subsidies, TANF cash assistance, family referrals, and early childhood services.
Alabama Child Care Subsidy Program
The subsidy program may help eligible low- and moderate-income families pay part of their child care costs while working or participating in approved education or training. DHR is currently placing new applications on a waitlist until further notice, except applications in specified priority categories.
Child care subsidy line: 866-528-1694
Family Assistance and JOBS
Alabama's Family Assistance Program provides temporary cash support to eligible families with children. The JOBS program provides employment services and work supports to parents receiving cash assistance.
Alabama Family Central
Search for Alabama services related to child care, education, healthcare, family support, parenting, and other needs. Results can be filtered by location, age, and service type.
Resource help: 888-928-3471
Head Start and Early Head Start
Local Head Start programs provide early learning, health, and family support services for eligible children from birth to age five and their families. Local programs handle applications, enrollment, and waiting lists.
Locator help: 866-763-6481
Work, legal help, and essential services
Job loss, a legal problem, or loss of affordable phone or internet service can quickly affect housing, healthcare, and the ability to apply for other assistance.
Alabama unemployment compensation
The Alabama Claimant Portal can be used to apply for unemployment benefits, file weekly certifications, manage an account, and review claim or payment details. Claims can also be started by phone.
Initial claims: 866-234-5382, option 2
Workforce Alabama and Career Centers
Alabama Career Centers provide no-cost help with job searches, training, work-based learning, vocational rehabilitation, and veteran services. Online tools connect job seekers with openings and career resources.
Legal Services Alabama
Eligible low-income Alabama residents may be able to receive free help with civil legal issues involving housing, public benefits, consumer problems, domestic violence, veterans' needs, and other covered matters. Advice or representation is not guaranteed.
English: 866-456-4995
Español: 888-835-3505
Federal Lifeline benefit
Lifeline may lower the monthly cost of qualifying phone or internet service. Households may qualify through income or participation in programs such as SNAP, Medicaid, SSI, or Federal Public Housing Assistance.
Lifeline Support Center: 800-234-9473
Older adults, people with disabilities, and caregivers
Alabama's aging and disability networks can help residents locate meals, transportation, caregiver support, home-based services, benefits counseling, safety resources, and long-term support options.
Alabama AgeLine and ADRCs
Alabama's 13 Area Agencies on Aging operate Aging and Disability Resource Centers that connect older adults, people with disabilities, and caregivers with local services and benefits counseling.
AgeLine: 800-243-5463
State of Alabama Independent Living Service
SAIL helps eligible Alabamians with significant disabilities work toward greater independence through in-home education, counseling, attendant care, training, assistive technology, medical support, and related services.
Alabama Adult Protective Services
Adult Protective Services receives reports of suspected abuse, neglect, or exploitation involving adults who may be unable to protect themselves because of age, disability, or impairment. Reports can be made through the statewide hotline, a county DHR office, or local law enforcement.
Adult Abuse Hotline: 800-458-7214
Crisis, safety, and disaster resources
If someone is in immediate danger or cannot stay safe, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department.
211 Connects Alabama
211 provides free, confidential, statewide referrals for food, housing, utilities, healthcare, transportation, jobs, family services, and other community needs. Help is available 24 hours a day.
Dial: 211
Toll-free: 888-421-1266
Text: ZIP code to 898-211
988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
Call or text 988 for private, 24-hour support with mental health, substance use, suicide, or emotional crisis concerns. People may also contact 988 when worried about someone else.
Call or text: 988
Alabama Domestic Violence Hotline
The Alabama Coalition Against Domestic Violence connects callers with confidential safety planning, local shelter programs, counseling, support groups, and community or legal resources.
Alabama hotline: 800-650-6522
National hotline: 800-799-7233
Disaster Distress Helpline
SAMHSA's Disaster Distress Helpline provides 24-hour crisis counseling and emotional support for distress related to natural or human-caused disasters.
Call or text: 800-985-5990
Alabama and federal disaster assistance
During Alabama disasters or cold-weather events, 211 provides incident-specific information on shelters, warming centers, road conditions, and local services. FEMA assistance may be available for eligible losses connected to an active federal disaster declaration.
FEMA Helpline: 800-621-3362
Review the household budget and unsecured debt together
Public assistance may help with food, housing, healthcare, child care, or utilities while credit cards, medical bills, collections, personal loans, or payday loans continue taking money from the rest of the budget. Money Fit nonprofit credit counseling can help Alabama residents review income, expenses, debts, and possible next steps.
A debt management plan may help organize eligible unsecured debts into one monthly payment to Money Fit, which then sends payments to participating creditors. It is not a new loan or debt settlement. Creditor participation, concessions, account treatment, fees, and payment changes can vary.
Money Fit does not provide cash assistance, food benefits, rent assistance, utility benefits, government benefits, or emergency grants. The counseling form below is for help reviewing debt and monthly payments.
Open the Money Fit debt review form
Share a few details so Money Fit can respond to your request. Your information stays with Money Fit and is not sent to a marketplace of lenders or debt companies.
Related Money Fit resources
These resources can help with debt, housing, financial education, and assistance in other states.
