Low Income Relief connects individuals and families in crisis with vital resources for housing, food, financial aid, and more. Our free service is rooted in our founder’s own journey from poverty to stability.
We understand what it’s like to be one paycheck away from losing everything, and we’ve experienced firsthand the powerful relief of finding the right resources at the right time. We’ve lived that story, and it’s our goal to help others who are facing the same hardships.
Nicole’s Story
I’ll never forget the moment that I was about to become homeless. The fear, the uncertainty, and sense of despair were overwhelming. That feeling of helplessness ignited a fire, a relentless determination to bring hope and relief to others who are facing similar struggles.
In 2007, my life turned upside down when my husband was medically discharged from the US Army. While he learned to live with his new disabilities, we struggled to find our financial footing. Weeks of couch-surfing became months, and eventually we ran out of places to stay. We had two weeks to find a place or we would have to face life on the streets with our 18-month-old son.
The sheer terror of that moment sparked a desperate search for help. It was during those frantic searches that I discovered a network of low income resources that could help. Things like Section 8 housing, rapid re-housing programs and more. I hadn’t known those things existed before. They weren’t that easy to find.
Within those two weeks, we were able to secure a home in a brand new low income housing complex in a neighboring city. We didn’t have money for move-in costs, but local organizations like HopeLink, the Salvation Army and others stepped in to cover those expenses. The local St. Vincent de Paul chapter helped furnish our new home. The Issaquah Food Bank filled our kitchen with nourishing, life-giving necessities. Instead of ending up on the streets, we ended up in a beautiful home of our own.
Shortly after finding this stability, my husband and I were able to secure better-paying jobs… but without that initial support, our story could have been very different. This experience ignited my passion to help guide others facing difficult times. I have dedicated my life to helping people connect with the resources that can lift them up, and that’s how Low Income Relief came to be.
Our Mission & Impact
Our Mission: To empower those facing financial hardship with the knowledge and resources to navigate crisis and achieve stability.
- Empowering over 2 million people annually to discover low-income assistance programs, covering local and national resources.
- Our team’s decades of experience in research, social work, and community outreach ensure the accuracy and relevance of our content.
- Low Income Relief was established in June 2013 and has been continuously updated and expanded by the same owner ever since, demonstrating our long-standing commitment to the low income community.
- We have a dedicated community of over 150,000 YouTube subscribers and countless success stories from those we’ve helped.
Discover the life-changing impact of our work through heartfelt testimonials and success stories from those we’ve helped. See what our users have to say.
A Team You Can Trust
My own experience inspired the creation of Low Income Relief. Today, I’m proud to work alongside a team driven by both personal passion and a relentless commitment to providing quality information that truly helps.
Behind the resources you find on Low Income Relief is a dedicated team of social workers, researchers, journalists, social service experts and those and those who deeply understand the challenges of poverty from their own lived experiences. Every member of our team is bound by our Content Promise to deliver high-quality, accurate, informative content.
Credibility & Ethics
Our content is researched and organized by individuals with firsthand professional, volunteer or personal experiences with poverty. At Low Income Relief, we believe everyone deserves access to trustworthy information during times of crisis.
We are committed to providing the following:
- Accurate & Up-to-Date Resources: Our team meticulously verifies information, prioritizes reputable sources like .gov websites, non-profit organizations and peer-reviewed research, and regularly updates our older content.
- Human-Centered Content: We prioritize clarity and empathy, making complex information easy to understand and act upon.
- Transparency: We disclose any affiliate relationships and clearly cite our sources.
You can learn more about our content standards in our Content Promise and Privacy Policy.
I was an apartment manager. Please take pics of the apartment on your walkthrough and when you are leaving. This helps if there is a debate on the condition of the unit.
Me and my wife live in Danville illinois the county is vermilion. Could you please tell me of any organization that help low income families. We were living with my wife’s adopted mom and in April of this year her house caught fire and she passed away in the fire. The house is not livable so we are staying in the garage. But now the city said we have to get the house tore down. We don’t have the money to do it. What we had saved up we used to get her body taken care of. But the city said if they tear it down they take possession of the property. Which if they do that we will be homeless. I just need to know of anybody in vermilion county that might be able to help us. Please and thank you
Hi. You can try reaching out to the agencies and organizations listed on this page to see if they know of any programs that can help:
https://lowincomerelief.com/illinois-free-home-repair-grants/
I love the info I get from the videos and site. However lately I’m having a very hard time on the website. There are so so many ads, and I can’t even find a search box. Any help where I can find the search box? Or get rid of some ads?
Hey Renee, thank you so much for bringing this to my attention! I did not realize it but there were definitely some technical issues happening with the ads and the search bar. I’ve removed most of the ads. We also added a search bar to the homepage. There’s also a search bar available in the menu (although it does not appear to show up on mobile right now).
Nicole’s an amazing person & works hard with her team of people to provide important information that the rest of us would most likely never know about.
I watched the recent video “Good News” and there was a small part that Nicole mentioned about getting refunds from Airlines for canceled or changed flights. I just experienced a really terrible situation where I ended up very sick due to medical reasons & couldn’t make my Departure fight so I called the travel agency to explain the situation. Although I was able to get a new departure date, they charged me $350 stating the “airlines & taxes” needed to be paid. What I don’t agree with nor understand is if I already paid those fees and have documented proof of why I missed my flight isn’t there a loophole to NOT be charged again? I may be wrong but I believe as long as it’s well documented they CAN/SHOULD assist in the change without charging a full one way ticket fare.
I look forward to someone’s assistance or clarification on this. Have a great blessed day.
In Illinois how can you have a savings account to save money each month to go towards your property taxes and home insurance? Just paid off my mortgage and I’m on disability since 2014 brain trauma. My escrow always paid them but now I need a way to save for and pay these myself. Any help appreciated, ty
Hi. An ABLE account may be what you are thinking of:
https://lowincomerelief.com/financial-help-for-disabled-people/
In a video stated free air cleaner. I need one in Colorado and would love to know how. Ty
Hi Julie. Here’s the info: https://lowincomerelief.com/free-air-conditioner-from-the-government/
I’m having a very difficult time being on a fixed income I receive snap and SSDI but there’s hardly any type of funding for otero county in New Mexico if there’s any additional information that you could help me seek I would deeply appreciate it I don’t look too much for rental help anything or transportation or a loan of some type to get on my feet so I can relocate by September 1st of 2024 thank you sincerely Miss Taylor
Hi. Here are some resources that can hopefully help:
https://lowincomerelief.com/help/
Hi, the Amazon ACCESS link on the page isn’t working. Is this Prime discount for those with EBT still offered?
Hi. The link in this article should work:
https://lowincomerelief.com/got-ebt-get-amazon-prime-5-99mo/
Nicole on video said there was info on your links site on how to stop automatic withdraws from bank by companies, can not locate
Hi. Here’s the info: https://lowincomerelief.com/how-to-stop-automatic-payments/
Nicole, I don’t know if you can help me, but maybe point me in the right direction. I’m needing a wheelchair for my brother. He was born with down syndrome, he’s 46 yrs old with numerous medical conditions.He’s a big boy and I need a large wheelchair for him. Right now he is in the hopsptial with congestive heart failure and the Drs. say his time is limited here on earth. Can you please give me any information to where I can get a wheelchair for him cheap or free? I know that’s asking a lot and there’s not many options for the poor out there. Any information would be greatly appreciated. I’e already buried my dad and one brother. When I loose this brother , my mom will go soon after. Can you help me ?
Hi Carol. Here are some resources that may be worth looking into. I hope one of them can help!
https://lowincomerelief.com/free-used-medical-equipment/
You guys do great, I know trying to stay positive is hard. I find it hard too. I tried to get an electric bill paid through goverment sponsored program called Oppertunities.Trump was in office & when i sent in all the information they requested including my birth certificate, i was turned down. I am a Canadian/ American. Dual citizenship. They wanted more proof & only people born in the US. My parents were both American. So yes, i live on Soc sec now from disability when i was in my 20’s. I applaud you for your diligence when pursuing hope for the low oncome. Keep up the hard work.
I just watched Nicole Thelin’s video titled: How to Do GoFundMe (& Actually Get Donations) — very good! In there she talks about hiring a professional who can write the campaign. So the question is, does she offer such a service or can she recommend someone who can do a rewrite with a campaign already in motion? Thanks.
Hi Leon. Our GoFundMe articles offers some advice on hiring. https://lowincomerelief.com/how-to-make-money-on-gofundme-23-tips/
It’s awesome knowing there’s people like your team out there to help. I was almost brought to tears when I found the website because In my own experience organizations disappointed me a lot when I needed them the most so it was a little uplifting to come across this. Gave me a sign to keep my hopes and faith up when I want to give up
I am interested in understanding the national landscape of the RMP. I appreciate the timely information you all provide. I am interested in advocating for an Arkansas RMP, and I am hopeful you all can help. I know the states that have passed legislation (South Dakota and Missouri being the most recent as best I can tell). Have any other states tried and failed? If so, which ones? Have any states passed legislation affirmatively prohibiting the RMP?
Hi! I am a teacher in Georgia. I have a student who attend our school who is not able to take the bus as she is not in our district. She is a special education student, and her mom brings her and picks her up everyday. Unfortunately, their car needs a new transmission that they can’t afford. Mom has been taking Lyft to and from school as much as possible, but that is getting too expensive for her. Education is very important to this mom, and we admire her efforts to get her children to school. I would like to get her help for her car. Could you please guide me in the best way to help her either get her car fixed or a new car? Thank you so much for your help!
Hey Kimberly! I’m so glad that mom has the support of excellent teachers like you! Please check out this list of free car repair services and this list of free car programs. Hopefully one of those organizations will be able to help!
@Nicole Thelin, i need emergency help..can u please contact me
Hi Ayla. What do you need help with? – Cat
That sounds frustrating!
Here are some alternatives: https://lowincomerelief.com/housing/
Hi I saw that you were going to do a YouTube video on getting your deposit back, as a landlord I can give a tip on getting it back.
Please clean the home before it is time to leave and have a final walk through before the last day. Many times we landlords are having to clean and repair the home and lose money from the time it takes to get that done. I have had people wanting their deposit back when they left it a filled trash, kids scribble on all the walls, holes in the dry walls, pet stains and poop on all the carpets. But if you clean the apartment and do a walk through with the landlord and he can tell you what needs to be done or say it acceptable so you can get your deposit back.