Texas Financial Assistance

If you applied for SNAP in Texas and you're still waiting, you have options. You can find food today through the Houston Food Bank network. You can make sure your case was screened for expedited SNAP, which Texas rules say should come the same day or next business day for households that qualify. And you can get free, one-on-one help from Houston Food Bank navigators to push a stuck application forward. Last checked October 2026. Texas policy quotes come from the HHSC Texas W

In Houston and the rest of Harris County, evictions are heard in Justice of the Peace (JP) courts, and they move fast. Most hearings happen within 10 to 21 days after the landlord files. You get five days to appeal if you lose. Texas also overhauled its eviction law for cases filed on or after January 1, 2026, so information you read even a year ago may be out of date. This guide walks through each step, from the notice on your door to the appeal, and explains where to get fr

Texas has no statewide program that pays for low-income funerals the way some states do. In Houston and the rest of Harris County, the main public safety net is the county's Bereavement Program, which provides a dignified burial or cremation for people who die with no financial means. A few other programs can help depending on how your loved one died and whether they served in the military. This guide explains how the county program works, who decides the next of kin, and the

If child care costs are keeping you from working or finishing school, Workforce Solutions – Gulf Coast runs the state-funded Child Care Scholarship program for the Houston area. Approved families can get up to 12 months of subsidized care. The catch is that there's currently a waitlist, so it pays to apply early and keep your spot active. This guide covers the new income limits that took effect October 1, 2026, how the Texas waitlist application works, what documents to gathe

In San Antonio, two city-owned utilities send most households their bills: CPS Energy for electricity and gas, and the San Antonio Water System (SAWS) for water and sewer. Both run their own help programs, and some of them work year-round, not just during a crisis. This guide covers the main options for 2026–27: CPS Energy's monthly Affordability Discount, the REAP bill-assistance fund, Bexar County's utility assistance and SAWS Uplift's reduced water rates. Last checked Octo

A big hospital bill in Houston doesn't always mean you have to pay it all. Harris County's public hospital system has a financial assistance program for low-income residents. Houston's two largest nonprofit systems, Memorial Hermann and Houston Methodist, also have written charity care policies that can make eligible care free below certain income levels. This guide explains who qualifies at each, how to apply and the federal timeline that protects you from aggressive collect

If you tried to sign up for Salvation Army Angel Tree in Dallas this fall, you may have seen this message: "Applications for 2026 the Angel Tree Program Are Closed." That's what the Salvation Army of North Texas page said when we checked on October 6, 2026. There are still other places to get free toys and holiday food in Dallas, Collin and Tarrant counties this year. Several programs have already posted their 2026 dates. This guide lists them in date order, explains who each

The Salvation Army of Greater Houston says the 2026 Angel Tree season is open, and you have to register at the location that covers your ZIP code. Houston Children's Charity, which runs a big Toys for Tots distribution at the George R. Brown Convention Center, has also opened its 2026 applications, first-come, first-served. This guide shows which Salvation Army location serves your ZIP, what documents to have ready, and how to stack Angel Tree with other free toy and holiday

Winter in Dallas brings three bills that can all spike at once: electricity, Atmos gas and city water. The good news is that each one has its own hardship money, much of it from the utilities and their customers rather than the government. Those funds often have looser rules than the big state program. This guide breaks down who to call for each bill, what each program pays, and how to keep your service on while you wait. First: Know Who Sends Each Bill Electricity: Your reta

A Houston freeze can do two kinds of damage. There are burst pipes, and then there's the electric bill that shows up a month later. If you're behind on electricity or gas this winter, Texas rules give you more protection than most people realize, and Houston has utility-funded hardship programs that don't go through the usual government lines. This guide covers when your retail electric provider (Reliant, TXU or any other) cannot disconnect you, what to do once a disconnectio

If you just got a Notice to Vacate or a citation in Dallas County, you need two things at once: legal advice and a plan for the rent. Our North Texas eviction timeline guide covers court deadlines. This page is the money checklist for the same week—who to call for rent, food, and bills while you deal with the papers. Day 1 Checklist Read every page of the notice or citation. Write down the hearing date if one is listed. Call free legal help the same day. Start with Dallas Evi

If your Houston home took water or wind damage and FEMA either denied you, paid too little, or never opened assistance for your storm, you're not out of options. But it pays to know which programs are actually taking applications. Several of the big city programs you may have heard about are closed or waitlisted right now, and calling the wrong office can cost you weeks. This guide covers who to call for repair help in Houston and Harris County outside of FEMA, what each prog

Texas rewrote big parts of its eviction process, and the new rules apply to every eviction case filed on or after January 1, 2026. If you rent in Dallas, Tarrant, Collin, or Denton County, that means the playbook your cousin used a few years ago may not match what happens to you now. The good news: you still get notice, you still get a court date in most cases, and there are free lawyers across North Texas who handle nothing but cases like yours. The hard part is speed. Some

Greater Houston's safety net runs through big regional groups like the Houston Food Bank, Catholic Charities, and BakerRipley, plus neighborhood assistance ministries that serve set ZIP codes, such as Northwest Assistance Ministries, Christian Community Service Center, and Katy Christian Ministries. Lone Star Legal Aid and Houston Volunteer Lawyers offer free eviction help. This guide lists 15 and the area each one serves. This guide covers the Houston metro: Harris, Fort Ben

Across Dallas–Fort Worth, most help is local: Metrocrest Services, Network of Community Ministries, Frisco Family Services, and Mission Arlington each serve set cities or ZIP codes, while the Salvation Army and Catholic Charities Dallas cover more ground. Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas and the Dallas Eviction Advocacy Center help tenants in court, and the North Texas and Tarrant Area food banks supply pantries. This guide lists 15. This guide covers the Dallas–Fort Worth metro:

In El Paso, the St. Vincent de Paul diocesan council, the Salvation Army, and the Rescue Mission of El Paso are the biggest faith-based providers, with parish pantries at Sacred Heart in Segundo Barrio, St. Luke, St. Raphael, and others. This guide lists 15 churches and ministries and how to reach each one. El Paso's parishes, congregations, and faith-based missions run food pantries, hot meals, shelter, and limited one-time help with rent and utilities. Many ask for a Texas

In Austin, Catholic Charities of Central Texas and Caritas of Austin handle most faith-based rent and utility help, and church pantries like Micah 6 at University Presbyterian, Hope Food Pantry, and Hyde Park Church cover groceries. Faith-based ministries across Greater Austin run food pantries, limited rent and utility aid, and day-center support when funds allow. Most serve by zip or parish boundary, not only members. Call or dial 2-1-1 before you go — budgets change week t

In Fort Worth, the Salvation Army's Mabee Center, Central Storehouse, and St. Vincent de Paul conferences at Holy Family and other parishes handle most church-based bill help, and First Street Methodist Mission and Broadway Baptist's May Street Market cover food. Faith-based ministries across Tarrant County run food pantries, limited rent and utility aid, and shelter when funds allow. Most serve by zip code or neighborhood, not only members. Call before you go — budgets chang

In San Antonio, most church-based bill help comes from parish St. Vincent de Paul conferences, including St. Pius X, St. Mark the Evangelist, and St. Matthew, along with the Salvation Army and Christian Assistance Ministry (CAM) downtown. Bexar County churches and parish St. Vincent de Paul conferences run some of the most practical safety nets in town: food pantries, utility help, and limited rent aid when funds allow. Most serve neighbors in their zip-code boundaries, not o

If you are behind on rent or holding eviction papers in Dallas, this guide covers the faith-based programs that still take those calls. Pair it with the same-week checklist and DFW eviction timeline linked below so legal help and rent help move on the same day. In Dallas, the most reliable faith-based help comes from a handful of established programs rather than individual congregations. The Stewpot, a ministry of First Presbyterian Church, runs a resource center and food pan