Assistance Programs in Texas

Texas's LIHEAP utility assistance: helps low-income households pay electric, gas, and propane bills, including in a shutoff crisis. Local agencies in all 254 counties take applications; find yours through TDHCA's Help for Texans page.

Free home energy improvements for low-income Texans: insulation, caulking, duct work, and repair or replacement of inefficient heating and cooling systems, so future bills shrink. Apply through the weatherization agency that serves your county.

Texas SNAP puts monthly grocery money on a Lone Star Card that works like a debit card at any store that accepts SNAP. Apply online at YourTexasBenefits.com or call 2-1-1 for help.

Healthy foods, breastfeeding support, and nutrition help for pregnant women, new mothers, and children under 5 in Texas. Apply online or find a local WIC office; benefits start at pregnancy and continue until a child turns 5.

Free women's health services for uninsured Texas women 15 to 44: annual exams, family planning, and screenings and treatment for conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure. Use the site's Find a Doctor tool to locate a provider.

Free or low-cost health coverage for low-income Texas children, pregnant women, seniors, and people with disabilities. CHIP covers children in families that earn too much for Medicaid; one application at YourTexasBenefits.com checks both.

Child care scholarships that pay most of the cost of care for low-income working Texas families, run by the Texas Workforce Commission through local Workforce Solutions offices. Apply through childcare.texas.gov.

Monthly cash payments for very-low-income Texas families with children 18 and younger, paid on the Lone Star Card. One-Time TANF also gives a single crisis payment, and certain relatives raising a child can get a once-in-a-lifetime $1,000 payment.

Temporary, partial income replacement if you lost your job or had hours cut through no fault of your own. Apply online through Unemployment Benefit Services or by phone at the TWC Tele-Center.

Free legal information, forms, and guides for Texans, run by the nonprofit Texas Legal Services Center. The eviction section explains the notices, deadlines, and court steps, and connects you with legal aid.

Texas's statewide helpline for finding local assistance of every kind: rent, utility bills, food, shelter, and healthcare. Run by Texas Health and Human Services; dial 2-1-1 or call the toll-free line, with help in English and Spanish.