Moving can be expensive, especially when you need help with a security deposit, rental truck, utility costs or the physical work of packing and lifting.
There is no single nationwide program that pays for every low income move. However, you may be able to combine help from several different organizations. One group may help with the deposit, another may provide volunteers, and another may help with furniture or transportation.
Available assistance varies widely by location, so you may need to contact several organizations before you find help. We cannot guarantee that every resource listed here will be available in your area, but these are some of the best places to start.
Who to Call First
If you need urgent help preparing for a move either finanically or physically, there are a few trusted agencies you can call. It is important to always be patient and respectful, as services may vary depending on where you are located.
- Call 211. Ask specifically for “moving expense assistance,” “relocation assistance,” “security deposit assistance,” “senior chore services,” “volunteer movers,” and “furniture banks.” Calling 211 may work better than searching the directory because a specialist can look for several pieces of help at once but it depends on your preference. I tend to get better results by searching the directory myself.
- Call your Community Action Agency. Local Community Action programs sometimes have flexible emergency funds, homelessness-prevention assistance, deposits, transportation help, weatherization, utility aid, or referrals to local charities. Availability varies significantly by county.
Help for Seniors
If you are a senior or a person with a disability, you may have even more options available.
- Call 800-677-1116 (if you are a senior). This will connect you with the Eldercare Locator from the Area Agency on Aging. Local aging agencies may provide case management, chore assistance, transportation, legal help, caregiver support, and referrals to organizations that assist older adults but the services depend on what is available in your local area. Even if they cannot help with your move directly, they often know which local programs can.
- Call your Senior Center. Senior centers often know about small local programs that are difficult to find online, including volunteer groups, civic clubs, church ministries, transportation programs, and people who help seniors pack or downsize.
- Call your local ADRC. The Aging and Disability Resource Center may know of additional resources, especially if you have a disability, needs in-home care, or is moving into accessible housing.
- Call a Center for Independent Living. These organizations help people with disabilities remain independent in the community. They may offer housing referrals, transition support, advocacy or connections to accessible moving resources.
- Call local faith-based and community volunteer groups. If you need help with the physical labor of moving, you may be able to get help from local churches, youth groups and service organizations. It depends on the policies and availability of your local organizations, but it’s a good place to start.
Faith-Based and Community Help
Churches and community groups may help with either the cost of moving or the physical labor. In fact, when my family was trying to move into low income housing many years ago, we received pledges from several of these organizations to help meet the requirements for a security deposit and the first month’s rent.
However, their policies can vary by location so it’s important to reach out to them in advance to see if they are able to help you.
The Salvation Army once provided $50 toward my family’s move-in costs. Some locations provide rent, utility, housing-crisis, transportation, furniture or other emergency assistance. Local funding and eligibility rules vary.
St. Vincent de Paul once pledged money toward my family’s move-in costs as well. Local parish conferences frequently provide flexible emergency help. Depending on the chapter, that could include deposits, rent, motel stays, gas, furniture, a rental truck or direct payment to a moving company.
Catholic Charities once pledged a few hundred dollars toward my family’s move-in costs. Local agencies may offer emergency financial assistance, deposits, rent help, housing case management, furniture, transportation or referrals. Services vary, and recipients generally do not have to be Catholic.
Jewish Family Services often help people regardless of religion. Possible services include senior case management, emergency financial assistance, transportation, downsizing and housing support.
Lutheran Social Services may offer housing stabilization, senior services, transportation, furniture or emergency funds.
Local churches such as United Methodist, Episcopal, Presbyterian and other churches may maintain discretionary funds for urgent household needs. You may also be able to get help from youth groups, men’s ministries, volunteer teams or church members with pickup trucks.
Local ministerial associations are another great resource. In some communities, several churches work together to provide emergency assistance. One church may help with a deposit while another provides volunteers.
Help with the Physical Move
Some organizations may not provide money but may still help with packing, lifting, transportation or household setup.
Church volunteers often help with moves. Ask for a specific amount of help, such as four volunteers and two pickup trucks for three hours. Clear requests are often easier for groups to organize.
Youth and service groups are another possible option. Scouts, Key Clubs, National Honor Society chapters, college service clubs and civic organizations may help with packing, loading or yard cleanup.
Civic organizations may sometimes assist also. Rotary, Lions, Kiwanis, Elks and similar groups sometimes assist with local hardship needs, especially for seniors or widows.
Senior chore programs may help with part of the work. Some local aging agencies offer chore assistance, packing help, light cleaning or help preparing the home for a move.
Other Specialized Moving Resources
If you are homeless, facing eviction or about to lose housing, additional help may be available. These resources aren’t always able to help, but sometimes they can.
Hospital or health-system foundations may have hospital social workers who may know about patient assistance funds when the move is needed for safety, recovery, treatment access or discharge from a facility.
Homelessness prevention programs may pay deposits, application fees, moving expenses, storage, motel costs or short-term rent when a senior is homeless or about to lose housing. You may be able to find these by contacting your local Continuum of Care agencies or local emergency-housing programs.
Tribal assistance may also be available. Sometimes a tribal social services, elder services or housing department may help enrolled members with transportation, relocation, housing deposits, accessibility or household setup.
American Legion, VFW, DAV and AMVETS may be able to help in some cases. Local posts may provide small grants, volunteers, trucks, furniture or connections to veteran-specific charities.
Supportive Services for Veteran Families may be able to assist eligible veterans with housing stabilization and time-limited financial help. Depending on the case, this may include deposits, transportation, storage or moving costs.
County Veterans Service Office may be available in some areas. Counties sometimes maintain emergency relief funds for veterans, widows and dependents. My family was able to get help from our County Veterans Service Office once and it was very helpful.
Help with Deposits and Other Move-In Costs
Moving costs are not limited to the truck. There are a lot of expenses associated with moving,a nd different groups help with different aspects.
- Security Deposits: Community Action agencies, charities, homelessness-prevention programs and veteran organizations may help pay deposits directly to the landlord. Get a list of security deposit resources.
- Utility Deposits: Ask your local LIHEAP agency, utility company, Community Action program or charity whether deposit help or a payment plan is available.
- Furniture and household supplies: Furniture banks, Habitat ReStores, thrift stores, churches and Buy Nothing groups may provide beds, tables, dishes, linens and other essentials. Find free furniture near you.
- Pet deposits: Local humane societies, rescue groups and senior-pet programs may help when a pet deposit is creating a barrier to housing.
- Storage: Some homelessness-prevention, domestic violence and veteran programs may cover temporary storage when it is necessary to secure housing.
Relief Recap
Start with 211, your Community Action Agency and your local housing or aging agencies. Then contact faith-based charities, volunteer groups and specialized programs for seniors, people with disabilities, veterans or people facing homelessness.
You may have better luck finding several organizations to cover different parts of the move than finding one program that will pay for everything.
