RESOURCES AND SUPPORT
Being a caregiver can be an isolating experience. But we aren’t meant to do it alone.
Finding resources that help lighten the load can be tough. We’re here to help.
Below, we’ve curated a list of resources you can trust to help you make your life as a caregiver just a little bit easier.
The team at Caregiver Collaborative has personally tested or vetted all of these resources.
In some cases, we’ve even partnered with these organizations to bring you discounts or special offers.
- The National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Hotline is free and confidential. Find it at 800-273-8255.
- National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): Provides education on mental illness and mental health services.
- Minnesota Association for Children’s Mental Health (MACMH): Offers education about mental health for children and services for those experiencing mental illness.
- Minnesota Crisis services provides a list of crisis numbers by county throughout Minnesota. If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis and is in need of immediate help, please contact crisis services. In an emergency, you can also call **CRISIS (274747) anywhere in the state of Minnesota to reach the local county crisis team.
- Ramsey County Crisis: Residents over the age of 18 can also access the new Urgent Care for Adult Mental Health located at 402 University Avenue East, St. Paul, MN.
- Walk-In Counseling Center offers completely free and anonymous counseling, with no appointment needed.
- Prepare + Prosper a nonprofit organization working o build financial health and provide access to quality tax and financial services. Specifically, they provide free tax and financial services, financial coaching, and access to financial products such as FAIR banking. Visit their website to learn more and see if you qualify.
- United Community Action Partnership provides free tax clinics. Visit their website to learn more and find a clinic in your community.
- Minnesota Department of Human Services: Provides economic assistance information and application instructions for those in need.
- Anauo Mobile Notary Services
- Financial Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities
- Feeding America feeds the hungry through a network of 200 food banks and 60,000 food pantries and meal programs in nearly every community in all 50 states, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico. Food is free without any expectation of payment or donation. Use website to find local food banks, as well as to determine eligibility for federal food assistance including SNAP (formerly called Food Stamps) and meal programs for children.
- Hunger Solutions MN works to end hunger in the state of Minnesota by assuring food security for all Minnesotans. Find local programs using the “Find Help” button.
- Open Arms of MN serves those those living with co-occurring illnesses including Multiple Sclerosis, ALS, Cancer, ESRD (end stage renal disease), CHF (congestive heart failure), COPD. Additionally, during the length of the COVID-19 pandemic, Open Arms is making temporary exceptions and serving a wider variety of individuals who need quarantining. At this time, eligible clients may include COVID-19 positive patients or patients with other critical illnesses outside of our core clients. Contact them for more information.
- Community Aid Network (MPLS) is a volunteer-led mutual aid site located in Minneapolis, MN. CANMN distributes food, baby supplies, personal care items, household supplies. They serve everyone at their site, regardless of location or income level. They do not collect any personal information from community members, and do not require them to prove residence, immigration status, or income. Visit their website to place orders online for pick-up or delivery, and to view distribution times.
- First Nations Kitchen is a justice-focused organization focused on providing food to indigenous people who would not otherwise have access to high-quality, fresh organic food in an environment of radical hospitality and cultural empowerment. View their website for distribution information and resources
Heat, Electricity, and Gas
Internet and Phone Services
Comcast and CenturyLink now offer low-cost internet services plan for $9.95 plus tax per month for low-income families.
- Comcast Internet Essentials low-cost plan: you must have at least one child on the School Meal Program, be on a HUD housing assistance program, be a low-income verified veteran, or a low-income senior.
- CenturyLink’s LifeLine Plan: at least one household member must be on the School Meal Program or at least one of the qualifying work support programs.
- Metro Transit TAP (Transit Assistance Program) for Minnesotans offers affordable passes for lower income residents in Minnesota.
- Community Action Partnership provide a variety of services as a last line of defense for community members. Services vary by county, but may include medical transportation and/or vehicle repair programs. Use the interactive map to find your local CAP agency and inquire about specific programs you may be eligible for.
Childcare Assistance Program: provides financial assistance to help families with low incomes pay for child care so that parents may pursue employment or education leading to employment, and that children are well cared for and prepared to enter school. Under “Family eligibility for the Child Care Assistance Program” click “Application process for families to receive child care assistance”.
MN Afterschool Advance (MAA): If your household income is under $33,500 in 2020 and 2021 and you file taxes, MAA can use a tool called the K-12 Education Tax Credit plus scholarship dollars from Youthprise to get you a Chromebook for no additional cost, plus save you 75% or more on afterschool and summer activities like tutoring, music lessons, and driver’s education. Visit their website to learn more about how it works, if you qualify, and to apply.
- Home to Sweet Home helps seniors in transition with everything from planning and packing to moving & unpacking so that settling into a new home can truly become a pleasant experience.
- Build My Stuff Specializing in assembly of furniture, fitness equipment, and outdoor play structures. If it comes in a box and with assembly instructions, we can probably build it.
Self-help Legal Resources (access to help with issues related to housing, medical care, unemployment compensation, disability benefits, social security, and more. Self-help resources are provided in Spanish, Hmong, Russian, Somali, and several other languages)
Do you have an idea for a resource we should share? Drop us a note!
Are you a business owner or nonprofit organization that wants to share your resources with our audience. Contact us here.
Disclaimer: The information on this page has been collected to provide guidance only. Individuals should contact agencies to confirm details and eligibility. Additionally, Caregiver Collaborative is Minnesota based, so many resources are regional. Our hope is to grow this list as we grow! Contact us here to suggest an addition to this list.
Unless otherwise explicitly stated, Caregiver Collaborative is not directly affiliated with any of the agencies listed on this page, and therefore is not responsible for information that is wrongly identified or listed here. Please use this information at your own discretion, and always work with your health care providers if you need additional assistance.