Rhode Island financial assistance directory
Low-Income Help and Resources in Rhode Island
If household costs are hard to manage, Rhode Island has programs that may help with food, housing, utilities, healthcare, child care, and other basic needs. Start with the statewide options below, then follow the local or regional application route when a program is delivered through a Community Action Agency, housing authority, legal-aid provider, or other community organization.
Money Fit serves Rhode Island residents statewide. If debt or monthly payments are also part of the problem, call 800-432-0310 or start a confidential debt review.
Where to start
Rhode Island uses HealthyRhode and the RIBridges eligibility system for food, cash, child care, Medicaid, and related benefits. Housing, energy, legal, aging, and crisis services also use separate statewide and community-based systems.
Apply for food, cash, child care, or Medicaid
HealthyRhode is the online application and customer portal for Rhode Island DHS benefits and Medicaid. Applications can also be submitted by mail or through DHS regional offices.
Find nearby help statewide
United Way 211 in Rhode Island provides free, confidential, 24-hour information and referrals for food, housing, utilities, healthcare, child care, transportation, legal needs, and other community services.
Housing or utility assistance
RIHousing manages the Centralized Waiting List and statewide renter resources. LIHEAP and weatherization are administered through local Community Action Agencies.
Rhode Island is small, but local routing still matters. LIHEAP and weatherization use Community Action Agencies, public housing and voucher programs use multiple housing authorities, homelessness shelter access now uses regional access points, and legal or domestic-violence services are delivered through specialized organizations.
Food assistance
For ongoing grocery help, start with SNAP or WIC when the household may qualify. For food needed sooner, Rhode Island Community Food Bank and 211 can help locate local pantries and meal sites.
Rhode Island SNAP
SNAP provides grocery benefits to eligible Rhode Island households. Applications can be submitted online through HealthyRhode, by mail, or through a DHS regional office.
DHS Call Center: 855-697-4347
Rhode Island WIC
WIC provides healthy foods, nutrition education, breastfeeding support, and referrals for eligible pregnant and postpartum participants, infants, and children under age five. Current income guidelines took effect May 1, 2026.
Rhode Island Community Food Bank
The Rhode Island Community Food Bank works with local food pantries and meal sites across the state. The Food Bank does not operate a public pantry at its Providence warehouse, so residents should use its Find Food tool or call 211 for urgent help.
Food Bank: 401-942-6325
A new SNAP ABAWD clock began September 1, 2026. Rhode Island says affected SNAP recipients ages 18 through 64 who are able to work and do not have a child under age 14 in the SNAP household generally must complete at least 80 hours per month of qualifying work or activity unless an exemption applies. People whose prior SNAP case closed under ABAWD rules may be able to receive up to three months again under the new 36-month clock after reapplying.
Housing, rent, and utility help
Rhode Island housing and utility help is spread across RIHousing, local public housing authorities, regional homelessness access points, Community Action Agencies, legal-aid providers, and energy-assistance programs. Waiting lists and funding can change.
Rhode Island Centralized Waiting List
RIHousing administers a Centralized Waiting List that lets applicants submit one application to be considered for Housing Choice Voucher and Project-Based Voucher waitlists offered by RIHousing and participating public housing authorities. Not every Rhode Island housing authority participates.
HousingSearchRI and RIHousing renter resources
RIHousing provides a statewide affordable-housing search and rental resource guide. Contact each property directly to confirm current rent, eligibility, accessibility, application procedures, and openings.
Rhode Island LIHEAP
LIHEAP helps eligible households with home heating costs and is administered through local Community Action Agencies. The 2025-26 application deadline was April 15, 2026. Rhode Island has proposed its FFY 2027 LIHEAP state plan, but households should confirm the next application opening and current funding with DHS or the local Community Action Agency.
DHS Call Center: 855-697-4347
Weatherization Assistance Program
Rhode Island's Weatherization Assistance Program provides whole-home energy-efficiency services to qualifying households that meet HEAP requirements. Applications are handled through local Community Action Agencies, and work can depend on available funding and program priorities.
Rhode Island regional access points
People experiencing homelessness should use the regional access point serving their area for shelter and housing support. RIHousing states that the former Coordinated Entry System hotline is no longer used to access shelter.
Rhode Island Legal Services
Rhode Island Legal Services provides free civil legal help and representation to eligible low-income residents. Housing services include eviction, landlord-tenant matters, foreclosure, housing conditions, and other civil legal issues.
The homelessness access route changed. Older Rhode Island housing pages may still mention the Coordinated Entry System hotline. Current RIHousing renter guidance says that hotline is no longer used to access shelter and directs people to regional access points instead.
Healthcare coverage and clinics
Rhode Island Medicaid, RIte Care, Medicaid expansion coverage, and HealthSource RI use the shared RIBridges eligibility system. HealthyRhode is the online application and customer portal.
Rhode Island Medicaid
Residents can apply for Medicaid through HealthyRhode, by mail, or through DHS regional offices. The appropriate coverage category depends on age, pregnancy, disability, household circumstances, income, and other program rules.
DHS Call Center: 855-697-4347
HealthSource RI
HealthSource RI is Rhode Island's official health-insurance Marketplace. It can help residents compare private plans, determine whether financial assistance is available, and route applicants whose information indicates possible Medicaid eligibility.
HealthSource RI: 855-840-4774, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-6 p.m.
Community health centers
Federally supported health centers provide primary care and may offer dental, behavioral health, pharmacy, substance-use treatment, and other services. Health centers serve insured and uninsured patients and use sliding-fee programs based on income and family size.
Rhode Island Medicaid has major federal changes beginning October 1, 2026 and January 1, 2027. Starting October 1, some noncitizens lose Medicaid eligibility under new federal rules, with limited groups remaining eligible. Beginning January 1, 2027, some Medicaid expansion adults ages 19 through 64 must complete 80 hours per month of qualifying work, education, job training, or community service unless exempt, and affected expansion adults also move to six-month renewals.
Child care, family, and cash assistance
Rhode Island's Child Care Assistance Program and Rhode Island Works cash assistance are administered by the Department of Human Services and use HealthyRhode for online applications.
Child Care Assistance Program
CCAP helps eligible families pay for child care from approved providers. At application, household income generally must be at or below 261% of the federal poverty level, and applicant children generally must be at least one week old and under age 13. Different eligibility routes apply to Rhode Island Works recipients and other qualifying working or education-and-training households.
Rhode Island Works
Rhode Island Works provides cash assistance, employment planning, job-readiness and training services, child care, transportation, and other supports to qualifying families with children and certain pregnant applicants. Most participating parents have work or employment-plan requirements.
General Public Assistance
General Public Assistance can provide limited cash assistance to certain Rhode Island adults whose illness, injury, or medical condition is expected to last at least 30 days and prevents them from working. The program has strict income, resource, and other eligibility rules.
Head Start and Early Head Start
Head Start programs provide early learning, health, nutrition, and family support for eligible young children and families. Local programs handle eligibility, applications, openings, 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, transportation, and the rest of the household budget.
Rhode Island unemployment insurance
Eligible workers who become partially or completely unemployed through no fault of their own may qualify for temporary unemployment benefits. Claims can be filed online or by phone. For new claims effective July 1, 2026 or later, the maximum weekly benefit is $777 before any eligible dependent allowance.
UI Call Center: 401-415-6772
Rhode Island American Job Centers
DLT American Job Centers provide free job-search assistance, resume help, interview preparation, career planning, training referrals, and reemployment services. Current centers include Providence, Woonsocket, and West Warwick, with virtual job-coach appointments also available.
Rhode Island Legal Services
Rhode Island Legal Services provides free civil legal assistance and representation to eligible low-income residents. Services include housing, public benefits, consumer issues, elder law, family safety, and other civil legal matters.
Federal Lifeline benefit
Lifeline may reduce the monthly cost of qualifying phone or broadband service. Eligibility can be based on household income or participation in certain public benefit programs.
Lifeline Support Center: 800-234-9473
Older adults, people with disabilities, and caregivers
Rhode Island's Aging and Disability Resource Center provides statewide navigation for older adults, adults with disabilities, caregivers, and families. Adult Protective Services handles reports involving community-dwelling adults age 60 and older.
Rhode Island Aging and Disability Resource Center
ADRC specialists help people age 55 and older, adults with disabilities, caregivers, and families find healthcare, Medicare and Medicaid help, SNAP and heating assistance, home and community-based services, employment resources, and other supports.
ADRC: 401-462-4444, available 24/7
Office of Healthy Aging resource guide
The Office of Healthy Aging maintains a statewide resource guide covering meals, transportation, caregiver support, health insurance, housing, legal services, digital access, and other services for older adults and adults with disabilities.
Rhode Island Adult Protective Services
Adult Protective Services investigates suspected abuse, neglect, self-neglect, or financial exploitation involving community-dwelling adults age 60 and older. Reports can be made anonymously and are accepted at any time.
APS reporting line: 401-462-0555
Crisis, safety, and disaster resources
If someone is in immediate danger, has a life-threatening medical emergency, or cannot stay safe, call 911.
Rhode Island 988 Lifeline
Call or text 988 for free, confidential, 24-hour support involving suicidal thoughts, emotional distress, mental health concerns, or substance-use crisis. Rhode Island calls are typically routed to the state's dedicated crisis call-center team for local support and resources.
Call or text: 988
Rhode Island Statewide Helpline
The confidential statewide helpline is available 24 hours a day for people affected by domestic violence, dating abuse, and other violent crime and for people seeking information to help a victim. Local member agencies provide shelter, advocacy, counseling, and other services.
24-hour Helpline: 800-494-8100
United Way 211
Rhode Island 211 is free, confidential, and available 24 hours a day for non-emergency health and human-service referrals. The Rhode Island Community Food Bank also directs people needing urgent food help to 211.
Call: 211
RIEMA and federal disaster assistance
Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency coordinates state disaster recovery. FEMA Individual Assistance may help qualifying homeowners or renters after a presidentially declared disaster that includes the applicant's area. FEMA assistance does not replace insurance and is limited to eligible disaster-related needs.
RIEMA: 401-946-9996
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, payday loans, or other unsecured debts continue affecting the household budget. Money Fit nonprofit credit counseling can help Rhode Island 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.
