Urgent Resources

If You Need Help Right Now

These are the first calls to make when facing any immediate crisis.

• 211 — Call or text 211, or visit 211.org. This single number connects you to local food banks, emergency shelter, domestic violence services, utility assistance, healthcare referrals, and more — based on your zip code. Available 24/7 in most states. It is the most important number on this page.
• 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline — Call or text 988 (US). Available 24/7 for mental health crises, suicidal thoughts, or emotional distress. You do not need to be suicidal to call.
• Crisis Text Line — Text HOME to 741741. Free, 24/7 text-based crisis support.
• Emergency shelter — If you need a place to stay tonight, call 211. Many cities have same-day intake options. Search "youth emergency shelter [your city]" for shelters that serve people under 25 specifically.
• Food banks — Most food banks serve anyone who walks in. No proof of income is required. Visit feedingamerica.org or call 211.

Housing Instability and Homelessness

Much of the housing advice on this site assumes you have income, a credit history, and a stable starting point. This section is for people who don't.

Youth homelessness — including couch-surfing, staying in cars, and living in temporary or unsafe situations — is far more common than most people realize. If this describes your situation, you are not disqualified from getting help, and you are not alone.

You do not need a permanent address to access services

Many young adults avoid seeking help because they believe they need a fixed address to apply for benefits, get medical care, or access services. This is not true. You can use a shelter address, a friend's address, a P.O. box, or in some states a "general delivery" address at a post office. Social workers and case managers at shelters and community organizations deal with this routinely and can help you establish a mailing address for applications.

Resources specific to young adults

• Youth emergency shelters — Many cities have shelters that serve people ages 18–24 specifically, separate from adult shelters. These often provide case management, job assistance, and connections to transitional housing. Search "youth shelter [your city]" or call 211.
• Transitional Housing Programs — These programs provide longer-term housing (often 6 to 24 months) with support services for young adults working toward stability. They may include rental assistance, life skills training, and employment support. Call 211 or contact your local Continuum of Care (CoC) — search "Continuum of Care [your county]."
• Rapid Rehousing Programs — Short-term rental assistance and case management to help you move quickly into stable housing. Contact your local CoC or 211.
• HUD's homelessness resources — hud.gov/findshelter provides a shelter finder by location.
• Emergency rental assistance — If you're at risk of losing housing, many counties have emergency rental assistance programs. Call 211 or search "emergency rental assistance [your county]." Apply early — these programs often have limited funds.

Know your rights if you are unhoused

Being unhoused does not eliminate your legal rights. You have the right to refuse unwanted contact, to access public spaces, and to access emergency services. If you are facing illegal eviction from a shelter or having your belongings seized, organizations like the ACLU and local legal aid organizations can help. Find free legal aid at lawhelp.org.

Domestic Violence and Unsafe Home Situations

This section is for anyone leaving, or thinking about leaving, a home situation that involves abuse — physical, emotional, financial, or sexual. Abuse can happen in any household, in relationships of any kind, at any age.

Hotlines and immediate support

• National Domestic Violence Hotline — 1-800-799-7233 (TTY: 1-800-787-3224). Available 24/7. You can also text START to 88788 or chat at thehotline.org. Advocates can help you understand your situation, plan for safety, and connect you to local resources.
• loveisrespect — 1-866-331-9474, or text LOVEIS to 22522. Focused specifically on dating abuse for young adults and teens.
• RAINN — 1-800-656-4673, or visit rainn.org for sexual assault support and resources.
• 211 — Can connect you to local domestic violence shelters, legal advocates, and emergency housing in your area.

Practical steps when leaving

• Domestic violence shelters are confidential. Their addresses are not public. They provide emergency housing, safety planning, and often legal advocacy. Contact the National DV Hotline or 211 to be connected to one near you.
• You can take your important documents. If safe to do so, gather your ID, Social Security card, birth certificate, and any financial documents before leaving. If you cannot access them, organizations can help you obtain replacements.
• Protective orders are available through your local courthouse, often at no cost. Legal aid organizations can help you navigate this. Search "protective order [your county]" or visit lawhelp.org.
• VAWA housing protections — The Violence Against Women Act includes provisions that protect survivors in federally subsidized housing. If you are in public housing or a housing voucher program and being abused, you have specific rights, including the right to have an abuser removed from your lease. Ask a housing legal aid attorney about this.

Aging Out of Foster Care

Each year, tens of thousands of young adults "age out" of the foster care system, typically at 18, and lose the housing, support, and structure that came with it. The transition is abrupt and the risk of instability is real — but there are programs specifically designed for this.

Extended Foster Care

Most states now allow young adults to remain in foster care beyond age 18, often until 21 or even 23. This is called Extended Foster Care (EFC) or Voluntary Extended Foster Care, and it can mean continued housing support, health coverage, financial assistance, and case management. This is not automatic. You typically need to opt in before your case closes at 18. If you are approaching your 18th birthday and in foster care, ask your caseworker explicitly about Extended Foster Care options in your state before your case closes.

Key programs and resources

• Chafee Education and Training Vouchers (ETV) — Federal funding available to youth who have aged out of foster care for post-secondary education and training. Up to $5,000 per year in many states. Contact your state's child welfare agency or visit childwelfare.gov.
• Medicaid for former foster youth — In most states, young adults who were in foster care are eligible for Medicaid up to age 26, regardless of income. This coverage is often automatic but may require enrollment. Contact your state Medicaid office or healthcare.gov.
• FAFSA and college — Former foster youth are considered "independent students" on the FAFSA regardless of age, which typically results in more financial aid. Many states also offer tuition waivers at public colleges for youth who aged out of foster care. Ask your college's financial aid office specifically about foster care programs.
• Independent Living programs — Federally funded through the John H. Chafee Foster Care Program, these provide life skills training, housing assistance, and case management to youth transitioning out of foster care. Contact your state's child welfare agency.
• National Foster Youth Institute — nfyi.org — advocacy and resources for current and former foster youth.
• Covenant House — covenanthouse.org — shelters and services for young adults experiencing homelessness, many of whom are former foster youth. Locations across the US and Canada.

Young Adults Leaving the Justice System

If you are returning from incarceration or juvenile detention, re-entry is one of the hardest transitions that exists. Access to housing, employment, and benefits is often restricted, and the support systems that others take for granted may not be available to you. This section is brief but points you toward where to start.

• Re-entry programs — Most states and many counties have re-entry programs specifically for people leaving incarceration. They provide housing referrals, employment assistance, benefit enrollment help, and legal support. Call 211 or search "re-entry program [your city/county]."
• Benefits and record restrictions — Some federal benefits have restrictions based on conviction type, but many do not. SNAP, Medicaid, SSI, and housing assistance eligibility rules have changed significantly in recent years. A benefits counselor at a re-entry organization can help you understand what you qualify for.
• Expungement — Many states allow certain records to be expunged or sealed, which can significantly improve housing and employment access. Eligibility varies widely. Visit lawhelp.org or contact your local legal aid organization to find out what's possible in your state.
• Legal aid — Free legal help for re-entry issues, including housing denials and employment discrimination, is available through legal aid organizations. Find yours at lawhelp.org.

A Note on Asking for Help

Most of the other pages on this site assume a starting point of relative stability. This one doesn't, because not everyone starts there — and the systems that are supposed to support people in these situations are often difficult to navigate, poorly publicized, and designed in ways that create barriers rather than remove them.

If you are in one of the situations described here, using these resources is not a sign of failure. It is a sign that you are navigating an objectively hard situation and trying to do it as effectively as possible. These programs exist because these situations are common. The people who work in them have seen everything and are not there to judge you.

If you are a social worker, counselor, teacher, or anyone supporting a young person who may benefit from this page — you are welcome to share it directly.