Student Support Services

Food Assistance

• The Greater Boston Food Bank: The Greater Boston Food Bank partners with more than 600 hunger-relief agencies, including food pantries, community meal programs and other food assistance providers throughout the nine counties and 190 towns and cities across Eastern Massachusetts.
• Project Bread: Project Bread connects people and communities in Massachusetts to reliable sources of food while advocating for policies that make food more accessible so that no one goes hungry.
• SNAP Benefits: The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) can help you expand your healthy food budget and explore opportunities to support your wellbeing and education and employment goals.

Housing & Rent Assistance

• Rental Relief Fund: The Rental Relief Fund are dedicated federal funds to help Boston residents at risk of losing their housing due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Fund provides up to $15,000 in rental and utility assistance for incoming eligible households for up to 12 months. Eligible households can receive assistance for both back rent and rent going forward.
• Emergency Family Shelter: Families facing a housing crisis may be deemed eligible if the reason for homelessness is one of the following: no-fault fire, flood, natural disaster, condemnation, or foreclosure, fleeing domestic violence (current or within past 12 months), no-fault eviction, child(ren) are exposed to a substantial health or safety risk.
• HomeBASE: HomeBASE is the Commonwealth's re-housing benefit created to provide families who are in the emergency shelter assistance system an opportunity to overcome some of the financial barriers to ending their homelessness.
• Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless: If you are experiencing homelessness and are an individual or household without a child under the age of 21 in your care, you may be eligible for placement in an individual shelter.
• Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program: The Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCVP) increases affordable housing choices for very low-income households by helping families pay a portion of their rent in privately owned housing.
• Alternative Housing Voucher Program: The Alternative Housing Voucher Program (AHVP) provides rental assistance vouchers to applicants with disabilities who are not elderly and who have been determined eligible for Chapter 667 (elderly/handicapped) housing.
• Central Massachusetts Housing Alliance: Recognizing the dignity of all, CMHA leads a collaborative response to homelessness that fosters long-term housing stability through prevention, quality services, education and advocacy.

Utilities Assistance

• PCs For People: PCs for People is offering high speed 4G LTE internet service starting at $15.00 per month. Plans are prepaid with no credit check or hidden fees. You can visit our office to purchase a device or purchase it online and receive the device within 5-10 business days. Devices purchased through PCs for People are for recipients who meet our eligibility requirements only. These devices can not be resold or redistributed to individuals who are not qualified PCs for People Customers.
• Heating System Repair and Replacement Program: Heating Emergency Assistance Retrofit Task Weatherization Assistance Program (HEARTWAP) provides heating system repaid and replacement services to low-income households. The program is administered by a network of local agencies, in most areas the same agency that administers the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP or Fuel Assistance) program. See the "How to Apply" Link to contact the local agency. HEARTWAP contracts with heating system service companies to complete the work for eligible households.
• Weatherization Assistance Program: The Low Income Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) provides eligible households with full-scale home energy efficiency services. The program is funded by an annual grant from the U.S. Department of Energy, and administered by a network of local agencies, in many areas the same agency that administers the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP or Fuel Assistance) program.

Veterans

• Massachusetts Department of Veteran Services: The mission of the Department of Veterans' Services is to advocate on behalf of all the Commonwealth's veterans and provide them with quality support services and to direct an emergency financial assistance program for those veterans and their dependents who are in need.

Child Care

• Early Education and Care Financial Assistance for Families: Early Education and Care (EEC) works with local Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies to help make sure that early education and care programs are accessible to families in need. If families are meeting eligibility requirements, EEC may be able to help with assistance with affordable child are and early education programs.
• Child Support Enforcement Division: We provide services to parents who pay child support and parents and caretakers who receive child support. Child support is a way for parents to share the financial responsibility for their child, even when they do not live together. Either parent or the child's caretake can apply for our services to establish paternity (get an order determining a child's legal father) or to get, enforce, or change a child support order.
• Transitional Aid to Families with Dependent Children: Transitional Aid to Families with Dependent Children (TAFDC) is an economic assistance (cash benefit) program that helps pregnant individuals, families and caregivers explore opportunities, improve their finances, and reach their goals.

Additional Resources

• Emergency Aid to the Elderly, Disabled, and Children: EAEDC can help you if you are: unable to work due to your own disability that will last at least 60 days, over 65 years old and waiting for Supplemental Security Incoming payments to begin, living with and taking care of a child who is not closely related to you, participating in a Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission program, and/or Required in the home to take care of a disabled person who would otherwise have to move to an institution.
• EBT Card to Culture: The Department of Transitional Assistance has partnered with Mass Cultural Council to offer free or discounted admissions to many of the Commonwealth's museums and cultural institutions through the EBT Card to Culture Program. Visit the link for participating museum and culture sites.
• Executive Office of Elder Affairs: Promotes independence, empowerment, and well-being of older people, individuals with disabilities, and their families. We ensure access to the resources you need to live healthy in every community in the Commonwealth.
• Massachusetts Association for Community Action: To strengthen, unify, and advocate with the Community Action Statewide Network to advance economic, racial, and social justice and to create communities where everyone thrives.