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Housing Stability

These resources will help you short term to maintain your housing stability – that means paying your bills and making sure you have necessities like food. If you live at a property that Springboard serves, visit your Community Specialist in the main office to get help applying for resources. You can also access the Community Care Closet to get essential items such as food, cleaning supplies, diapers and more.

Apply for Mississippi Benefits

To apply for SNAP, TANF, Medicaid, and Energy Assistance, or check if you are eligible, visit www.access.ms.gov

  • Rent & Utility Assistance
  • Phone & Internet Assistance
  • Food Assistance
  • Disaster Relief & Preparedness
  • Tenant Rights
  • Homelessness & Re-Housing

Rent & Utility Assistance

If you are struggling to pay your rent or utility bills, there are assistance options available to you. Some resources may have a limit on how often they can assist individuals, and some may be out of funding during certain times. You generally can’t receive assistance from multiple agencies during the same month. It’s good to reach out and check in with the organization to see if they have funding available and if they are able to assist you, and you can ask questions about how to apply for the program if it is unclear.

Hinds County Human Resource Agency has energy bill assistance through LIHEAP. For more information and to apply for this program, click the button below:

Energy Assistance Program

The Resource Agency has a variety of other programs for low income individuals and families. For more information, call them or check out their website.

Phone: (601) 923-3930

To book an appointment call (601) 962-5935 or visit hchra.itfrontdesk.com

Address: 258 Maddox Road, Jackson, MS 39212

Website: hchra.org

The Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program and the Low-Income Household Energy Assistance Program are programs to assist individuals with their energy and water bills respectively. You can apply for these benefits through the Mississippi benefits website listed at the top of this page. You can apply for these programs multiple times, and there is no cap on the number of times assistance can be provided for those who are eligible. For more information click one of the links below.

Mississippi LIHWAP Mississippi LIHEAP More information about the federal LIHEAP program

Stewpot has a housing assistance program meant to assist people who are at risk of becoming homeless.

Stewpot Housing Assistance

To determine whether you qualify for assistance, please contact the Housing Assistance office directly.

Phone: (601) 949-9262

Email: skelly@stewpot.org

Address: 343 Adelle St, Jackson, MS 39202

Hours of Operation: Monday-Friday, 8:00 am-4:00 pm

Website: www.stewpot.org

Grace House Services has a Emergency Services Grant program which provides housing placement and rental and utility assistance for persons who are homeless or in danger of homelessness whose income is below 30% of the area median income without the need for a disabling condition. Call to schedule an appointment and ask about the availability of the program.

Phone: (601) 353-1038

Email: info@gracehousems.org

Address: 2219 North Lamar Street, Jackson, MS 39202

Website: www.gracehousems.org

The Salvation Army has programs for rent and energy bill assistance. For both of these programs, you will need to make an appointment at Salvation Army and bring certain documents with you.

For more information about these programs, visit their website at: salvationarmyalm.org/jackson/social-services/

Phone: (601) 982-4881 to schedule an appointment to access their services

Address:110 Presto Lane, Jackson MS 39206

Hours:  Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 – 4:30 p.m.

Website: salvationarmyalm.org

Phone & Internet Assistance

There are two government programs to assist with phone and internet bills: Lifeline and the Affordable Connectivity program.

  • Lifeline is a program to assist with your phone or internet bill. If you qualify, you can get up to $9.25 off your bill.
  • The ACP is a program to assist with you internet bill. You can get a discount of up to $30 on your internet bill if you qualify.

Lifeline and the Affordable Connectivity Program are both run by the Federal Communications Commission, and therefore use the same application. Once you apply and are accepted, you can either sign up for phone or internet through a provider, or apply the benefits to your current plan. You can apply lifeline and the ACP to the same provider or two different providers, depending on your service. There are many providers who work with these programs to give you a good deal on phone and internet, so do your research on which will work best for you!

Affordable Connectivity Program information & application Lifeline information & application Application video walkthrough

You may also be able to apply the benefits to your current phone or internet plan, call and ask your provider about lifeline or the ACP today. Some providers may include the application on their website for your convenience, to make it easy to connect your benefits to your current account.

Food Assistance

The government has assistance programs including SNAP (supplemental nutrition assistance program), where you can get some extra money that can be spent on food, and TANF (temporary assistance for needy families), which gives a little extra cash for families who need it. Additionally if you have a baby or young child, you may be eligible for WIC, a supplemental food program for pregnant, breastfeeding, and post-partum women, infants, and children under five years of age.

To apply for SNAP and TANF, visit: www.access.ms.gov

For more information about WIC, including eligibility, click one of the buttons below.

More information about WIC WIC flyer

To apply for WIC, visit your local county health department.

Find your county health department

Food Pantries

There are a lot of food pantries in the Jackson area, we have a few listed here for you. The food pantries listed tend to be the ones that also have other programs you can tap into, or that we know are reliable and have been used by others in the past. But there are more!

If you are still looking for one nearer to you, you can visit MS food network, they have a searchable map of food banks. You can also visit foodpantries.org, they have a searchable database of food pantries. You local church is also a good place to start looking, as many local churches have food pantries.

MS Food Network Search Tool Food Pantries Search Tool

Keep in mind your community specialist also operates the community care closet in the main office, which is usually stocked with non-perishable food!

Food Assistance in the Jackson area

Stewpot offers food assistance through three programs: the community kitchen, the food pantry, and meals on wheels. The community kitchen operates on the weekends during lunchtime. They also offer other assistance programs including housing assistance, and afterschool and summer programs for kids.

You can find more information about their food assistance programs, including hours, contact information and the address, here:

Stewpot Food Assistance Programs

Phone: (601) 353-2759

Address: 1100 W Capitol St Jackson, MS 39203

Hours: Vary based on program, check website

Website: stewpot.org

Salvation army in Jackson offers rent assistance, utility assistance, food assistance, and emergency furniture and clothing replacement. Visit their website to see their hours, contact information, and the documentation requirements to access their services.

Phone: (601) 982-4881 to schedule an appointment to access their services

Address:110 Presto Lane, Jackson MS 39206

Hours:  Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 – 4:30 p.m.

Website: salvationarmyalm.org

VOCM offers a food pantry, along with other services including home buyer education classes. For more information about the food pantry, visit their website:

VOCM Food Pantry

Phone: (601) 969-3088 call for more information and hours

Address: 531 West Capitol St. Jackson MS 39203

Website: vocm.org

Grace House Services provide food boxes once a month to individuals through case management or referral. Food boxes contain both perishable and non-perishable items. For more information and to check the availability of the program, give them a call.

Phone: (601) 353-1038

Email: info@gracehousems.org

Address: 2219 North Lamar Street, Jackson, MS 39202

Website: www.gracehousems.org

EversCare Food Pantry distributions regularly take place at the Mississippi Urban League, 2548 Livingston Road, Suite 1, Jackson, MS 39213. (In the Jackson Medical Mall parking lot in front of the UMMC conference center; the building has a red roof.)  

Hinds County Human Resource Agency has two food programs geared specifically toward seniors in Hinds county. Here is a brief overview of these programs, and links to where you can find more information.

Congregate Meals Program: This program is for seniors living in the rural Hinds county, in places such as Edwards, Terry, Raymond, Utica, Bolton, etc. This program provides sit down meals to seniors at one of two locations: Edwards Neighborhood Service Center and Fannie Jackson Neighborhood Service Center.

More info: Congregate Meals

Meals on Wheels: Nutritious meals are delivered Monday-Friday to rural Hinds County citizens through the Meals on Wheels Program. Targets the same counties as the Congregate meals program.

More info: Meals on Wheels

Phone: (601) 923-3930

To book an appointment call (601) 962-5935 or visit hchra.itfrontdesk.com

Address: 258 Maddox Road, Jackson, MS 39212

Website: hchra.org

Holiday Assistance

If you are looking for assistance around the holidays, with food or gifts, here are some extra resources for you.

  • Salvation army offers holiday assistance during Thanksgiving and Christmas
    • They offer meal assistance during Thanksgiving
    • They offer the Angel Tree program during Christmas to assist with gifts for children, registration dates for this program vary each year so check their website for current information
    • For more information about these programs including contact information, click the button below
Salvation Army Holiday Assistance
  • The Marine Corps offers holiday assistance during Christmas through Toys for Tots
    • For more information about the Jackson program, and to apply, click the button below
    • If you are not in Jackson, search your city + Toys for Tots to see programs in your area
    • You can generally apply until sometime in November, but it varies each year
Jackson Mississippi Toys For Tots

Disaster Relief

Have you recently experienced a natural disaster and are seeking assistance? There are places that can help you! From replacing clothes and furniture, finding temporary shelter, to getting cash assistance.

usa.gov has a list of resources and educational topics about what to do after a disaster, including recent national disasters. For more information, click the button below.

usa.gov disaster resources

If there has been a formally declared disaster or emergency in your state or county, you will probably be eligible for assistance from FEMA. FEMA provides emergency funds for people who are under or un-insured to help with necessities such as shelter. To apply, visit their website linked below.

FEMA Website Application

The US Department of Labor has tools and resources for you after a disaster has struck. Click below to see their resources.

US Department of Labor Disaster Resources

The Salvation Army offers assistance in replacing furniture or clothing after a disaster has affected you. For more information about the programs available in Jackson, click the link below.

Salvation Army Programs

Catholic Charities has a disaster relief program, for more information click the button below or give them a call at (601) 355-8634.

Catholic Charities Disaster Relief

The Red Cross offers aid to those experiencing a disaster. Through shelters, meals, and workers on site. For more information, visit their website.

The Red Cross

Benefits.gov has a list of potential benefits you may qualify for if you are currently in a state or county where there has been an officially declared disaster. For a complete list click the link below.

Benefits.gov

Financial Recovery After Disaster

If you’ve been through a natural disaster, your bank account may have also taken a hit. This guide put together by the Minnesota and North Dakota Extension Services is a toolkit for recovering financially after a disaster. Download the PDF for more information.

Disaster Preparedness

The best way to not be caught un-prepared by a disaster is to plan ahead. Check out these resources and guides for getting prepared and keeping up to date on possible disasters in your area.

FEMA Emergency Guide & Tips Jackson Hurricane Evacuation Map Red Cross Guides to Different Emergencies Be Red Cross Ready

Mississippi Emergency Management

If you want to keep an eye on emergencies and disasters in your area, as well as get useful information about emergency preparedness, check out the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency. You can find them on Facebook, and their website www.msema.org

Learn More

Renters Insurance

One good way to guard yourself against a disaster is to get renters insurance. Renters insurance will generally protect against unforeseeable disasters and emergencies, such as fires or floods. When looking for renters insurance, be sure to read exactly what the plan covers. Plans protect against various events such as fires and smoke, theft, vandalism, water damage etc. depending on the plan. This will protect you from having to pay for damages and accidents, which can get expensive quickly.

If you already have car insurance, or a different insurance, check with your insurance provider to see if they offer renters insurance. Sometimes, if you bundle insurance together, you can save money.

If you don’t have insurance, may sure to chose a reputable provider and read the coverage plan carefully. Ultimately, getting insurance is one of the best ways to protect yourself in the long run.

Renters Insurance Guide

Avoiding Eviction

There are other things that can lead to eviction besides not paying your rent on time. This is why it is important to read through your lease carefully and understand it to the best of your ability. This is the first step to knowing whether your landlord has the right to evict you and on what grounds. This page will walk your through the steps you should take to ensure you avoid getting evicted, and how to navigate any issues with your landlord, such as repairs.

  • Read Your Lease
  • The first step is reading and understanding your lease (and any additional house rules that you had to sign) to the best of your ability. Your lease outlines the rules for the apartment you live in, including what actions could potentially get your evicted. If you know what is in your lease, you will know whether your landlord can or cannot evict you for certain actions.
  • Know Your Rights
  • The next step is to know your legal rights as a tenant in your state. There have been laws put in place to protect both landlords and tenants both federally and at the state level. These laws will protect you from being evicted without a valid cause. Here are some resources to help you understand both your federal and state rights as a tenant.
  • Keep Up on Rent & Follow the Rules
  • To avoid getting evicted, make sure you keep up on your rent and follow all the rules on your lease. If you need assistance with your rent or utility bills, check out the first tab on this page: “Rent & Utility Assistance”.
  • Foster a Good Relationship
  • It is important to foster a respectful relationship (if at all possible) with your landlord, since they are the person (or people) who have the power to evict you. If you foster a good relationship with them, they are often more willing to work with you, such as creating a payment plan for any late rent.
  • Problem Solve
  • If you find yourself having problems, whether having issues paying rent on time or having problems with your landlord, do your best to problem solve before things escalate. This will help you in the long run. Make sure to not engage with your landlord when you are feeling angry or upset, they are a person too and may react negatively. Try to come to a solution that you can both agree on.
  • Get it in Writing
  • Make sure to keep written or physical records of everything, you can do this by using email to communicate and taking photographs if necessary. If you have a conversation, and your landlord agrees to something (say, that you have a certain amount of time to pay back late rent, or making a repair) make sure you get it in writing, and if possible signed by your landlord.

HUD Mississippi Tenant Resources

Experiencing Homelessness?

If you are currently experiencing homelessness in the Jackson area, here are more local resources specifically for you. Many of these programs and services deal with shelter or rehousing, there are also job training programs and medical services specifically for those experiencing homelessness. For other resources, view the other tabs on this page. Many services listed also provide service to those experiencing homelessness.

Jackson State University Shelter & Resource List

Guide to Services for the Homeless of Central Mississippi

Jackson Area Social Services Resource Guide

Re-Housing

These providers & programs are aimed at re-housing people experiencing homelessness. Some are specific to Jackson or to Mississippi broadly, while some are federal programs.

For assistance getting connected with re-housing resources in Jackson Mississippi, Jackson has a homelessness initiative to assist. For more information about homelessness resources in Jackson, check out the links below.

Jackson MS Homelessness initiative Jackson Homelessness Assistance

Mississippi United to End Homelessness or MUTEH offers a re-housing program for those experiencing homelessness. Additionally, they have a specific program for veterans experiencing homelessness. For more information, and to apply for services, visit their website linked below.

Phone: (601) 960-0557

Email: info@muteh.org

Address: 201 W Capitol St Suite 800, Jackson, MS 39201

MUTEH

The University of Southern Mississippi offers a re-housing program through their center of disability studies. The program is called Project Recovery (RRH), and assists families or disabled individuals who are experiencing homelessness, living in shelters and needs to be quickly re-housed and stabilized in permanent housing.

For more information call (601) 266-5163 option 1.

Or visit their website:

USM Project Recovery

In addition to temporary shelter, Stewpot offers a rapid rehousing program to get people experiencing homelessness into stable housing. For more information about this program, give them a call or visit their website linked below.

To determine whether you qualify for assistance, please contact the Housing Assistance office directly.

Address: 343 Adelle St, Jackson, MS 39202

Phone: (601) 949-9262

Email: skelly@stewpot.org

Hours of Operation: Monday-Friday, 8:00 am-4:00 pm

Stewpot housing programs

Catholic Charities of Jackson offers a Rapid Re-Housing program for individuals experiencing domestic violence, or who have become homeless as a result of domestic violence. If you do not live in Jackson, find your branch of catholic charities using the search tool linked below. For more information about this program, call Catholic Charities of Jackson, or visit their website linked below.

Phone: (601) 355-8634

Email: help@ccjackson.org

Jackson Re-Housing Program Find your Catholic Charities Branch

Grace House Services offers both a temporary shelter program and a rapid re-housing program through their Emergency Solutions Grant.

ESG provides housing placement and rental and utility assistance for persons who are homeless or in danger of homelessness whose income is below 30% of the area median income without the need for a disabling condition.

In addition to this rapid re-housing program, they offer a Continuum of Care program, in which they house chronically homeless individuals at homes owned by Grace House Services. For more information, visit the link to the CoC program below.

For more information, call or visit their website linked below.

Phone: (601) 353-1038

Email: info@gracehousems.org

Address: 2219 North Lamar Street, Jackson, MS 39202

Grace House Services ESG Grace House Services CoC Program

If you are homeless and have low or no income, you may be eligible for a low-income apartment complex. Certain apartments are subsidized to provide housing for low-income individuals. They often have long wait-lists, but it may be worth it to get on those wait lists. To find low-income apartments near you, visit the website linked below. To apply, you generally have to go to the property management office and fill out an application.

HUD Housing Resource Finder Low income housing finder

A section 8 housing choice voucher for low-income individuals is a voucher that allows you to find an apartment or home to rent, and the government will subsidize your rent at that apartment. You will pay a certain percentage of your income but no more, and some individuals qualify to pay no rent.

There is also usually a wait-list for the section 8 voucher. In order to apply, you must visit your local housing authority or public housing agency (PHA). Jackson’s local housing authority is MRHA6, the website is linked below. If you don’t reside in Jackson, use the search tool to find your local housing authority. You can also search for your local HUD office, which can help you answer questions related to housing.

MRHA6 Jackson’s Housing Authority Find your local PHA Find you local HUD office Section 8 Voucher Fact Sheet

The US Department of Housing and Urban Development or HUD for short, has put together a list of helpful housing resources, including a searchable map. Check out the links below for more information.

HUD Housing Resources HUD Resource Map

Shelters

If you need temporary shelter, here is a list of shelters in the Jackson area. Some shelters are meant for specific populations, or have eligibility requirements, so check the requirements before you go. If you are not in Jackson, you can search for a shelter near you by clicking the buttons below:

Search for a shelter Mississippi Shelters

Stewpot has three shelters available to individuals experiencing homelessness. For more information about each shelter, including contact information and hours for each shelter, visit their website linked below.

Stewpot Shelter and Housing
  • Billy Brumfield Emergency Shelter for men
    • Phone: (601) 948-2864
    • Address: 1244 S Gallatin St, Jackson, MS 39202
  • Matt’s House Emergency Shelter for Women & Children
    • Phone: (601) 948-2873
    • Address: 355 Livingston St, Jackson, MS 39202
  • Opportunity Day Shelter
    • Phone: (601) 949-3540
    • Address: 845 W Amite St, Jackson, MS 39203

If there are no shelter beds available, Grace House Services offers temporary hotel assistance for homeless persons while working to address permanent solutions to housing instability. Emergency Shelter is only offered when no other shelter beds are available in the service area to accommodate the individual or household.

For more information, call or visit their website linked below.

Phone: (601) 353-1038

Email: info@gracehousems.org

Address: 2219 North Lamar Street, Jackson, MS 39202

Grace House Services ESG

Salvation Army has an emergency shelter available. For more information, contact them or visit the website linked below.

Phone: 601-982-1828

Address: 110 Presto Lane, Jackson MS 39206

Salvation Army Shelter

Gateway Rescue Mission offers emergency shelter to men in need over the age of 21, and offers lunch and dinner to men staying at the shelter. For more information, call or visit their website linked below.

Phone: 601-353-5864

Email: info@gatewaymission.org

Address: 328 South Gallatin Street, Jackson, Ms 39203

Gateway Rescue Mission Shelter

Other services

Other service providers sometimes offer services specifically geared toward individuals experiencing homelessness. Here is a list of providers in Jackson offering various services. For more services not covered on this list, check out the other tabs on this page.

James Ivory Homeless Clinic of Jackson-Hinds Comprehensive Health Center offers basic health care to those experiencing homelessness.

Phone: (601) 914-1789

Hours: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. / M – F
Address: 327 South Gallatin Street, Jackson, MS 39203
Services: Basic healthcare for the homeless

James Ivory Clinic

The Bridge Drop-In Center
Hours: M-F 8:-3pm

Phone: (601) 398-0066
Address: 628 West Capitol Street, Jackson, MS 39203

Services: Hinds Behavioral Health Services’ peer-run drop-in center provides a wide variety of services to help homeless individuals with serious mental illness gain access to housing, treatment, and recovery support. Peers help individuals build social skills, self-confidence, self-advocacy, and support systems. The drop-in center also provides access to basic needs such as food, showers, toiletries, clothes, laundry, telephones, and mail. Individuals may voluntarily drop-in and participate in activities or use any of the center’s services. Adults (18+) experiencing homelessness or chronic homelessness who have a serious mental illness, substance use disorder, serious emotional disturbance, or a co-occurring disorder.

The Bridge Drop-In Center

Stewpot has other services aside from housing and shelter, including food assistance, a community health clinic and street outreach. For more information about these services including contact information, visit the websites linked below.

Stewpot Services Stewpot Food Assistance

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