During the COVID-19 outbreak, many local charities and community service programs now provide temporary, emergency financial assistance in the form of grants or loans for utilities, rental expenses, and mortgage payments.
Please continue to check back with this site, and these community organizations, for more information or opportunities for assistance. Here are the latest resources from the City of Austin’s site.
Community Programs for Emergency Financial Assistance
Texas 2-1-1 is a program of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission to help citizens connect with needed services by dialing 2-1-1, or (877) 541-7905 or going to www.211texas.org. This is a free, anonymous social service hotline available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
Travis County Community Centers will begin accepting applications on June 29 for CARES Act Rent and Mortgage Assistance. Applications will be accepted electronically or by mail. To be eligible, applicants must provide 1) proof of residency, 2) household income in last 30 days, 3) copy of lease statement, 4) statement of no previous CARES Act housing assistance, written statement that need is directly related to COVID-19 pandemic, 5) written acceptance from landlord or mortgage holder, and 6) written acceptance by landlord to ne proceed with eviction for 30 days from receipt of payment from Travis County.
Austin Disaster Relief Network (ADRN) COVID-19 Relief Fund provides individuals and families financial assistance for rent and to purchase essential items. Apply for assistance, complete the ADRN CIOVID Relief websiteand complete the online form. You may also contact the ADRN Survivor Hotline at 512-806-0800, Monday-Friday, 10AM-6PM.
Goodwill Industries of Central Texas will help eligible individuals and families who have been economically impacted by COVID-19. This program helps people with income at or below 200% of federal poverty guidelines, are not receiving economic assistance through the CARES Act, are not receiving an Economic Impact Payment (stimulus check), and not receiving unemployment benefits . Undocumented individuals who meet the above requirements ARE ELIGIBLE to apply for assistance. Call 512-637-7445 to apply.
Society of St. Vincent de Paul Diocesan Council of Austin will begin distribution of emergency funding it received from the City of Austin’s Relief in a State of Emergency (RISE) starting June 1. The fund offers residents one-time financial assistance for rent, mortgages, car payments, utilities and some medical expenses.
Greater Mt. Zion Church Community Assistance and Referral Center provides utility and rent assistance to the community for financial emergencies. Call 512-469-9020 to be screened and apply over the phone.
Catholic Charities of Central Texas received $1.6 million from the City of Austin’s RISE Fund to support rent, mortgage, and utility assistance Austin residents impacted by COVID-19 but ineligible CARES Act assistance. To apply, call the phone number which corresponds with the first letter of your last name (see below). If no answer, leave a voicemail to receive a call back as soon as possible. Please call only once; multiple calls may overload our phone system.
Catholic Charities Contact Phone, Alphabetical by Last Name
A-D: 512-910-5768
E-K: 512-910-5907
L-R: 512-910-7076
S-Z: 512-910-7170
For more information, please visit the Catholic Charities of Central Texas website.
Austin Area Urban League, Inc. received $500,00 from the City of Austin’s RISE (Relief in a State of Emergency) fund to support rent, mortgage, and utility assistance Austin residents impacted by COVID-19 but ineligible for Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act assistance. To apply, call 512-838-3442 or visit the Austin Area Urban League Coronavirus website.
Family Independence Initiative received $2 million from the City of Austin’s RISE (Relief in a State of Emergency) fund to support rent, mortgage, and utility assistance Austin residents impacted by COVID-19 but ineligible for Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act assistance. There is not an open application process; recipients are identified through the agency. Families are invited to enroll in the initiative through the website.
El Buen Samaritano offers a Food Pantry. The Food Pantry is open Tuesday and Thursday from 8-10AM. Food will be delivered in order of arrival using the self-service method. No documentation is required.
If your family needs diapers, our friends at Austin Diaper Bank can help you. Every Friday from 9 am-11:30am, they deliver diapers at no cost to 8711 Burnet Rd., Building B, using the self-service method. For more information, visit austindiapers.org .
We want to assure you that the use of our Food Pantry services will not affect your immigration or Public Cargo status. For more information about the use of Public Benefits, please read the Declaration of Public Charge issued by El Buen Samaritano. In addition to this, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service ( USCIS )recently announced that the Public Charge order will not apply during the current COVID-19 crisis in case you need to use public benefits.