Help with Money, Housing, Health, Food, etc
Call 211 for information and referral on a variety of basic needs and crisis services. Offered by United Way Call 211
Central Florida Catholic Charities (863) 686-7153
Counseling, pregnancy and foster care, adoption, family assistance, food pantry, immigration services, refugee resettlement, senior services, criminal justice, respite health care
Salvation Army 682-8179
Assistance to families who have had an unexpected emergency and find themselves without food, an eviction notice or utility shut off notice. Some prescription assistance can be provided on a limited basis. The Center of Hope can accommodate families with children as well as single men and women, whether the need for shelter is due to loss of a home or a domestic situation. The shelter provides a community lunch daily, as well as a hot shower, fresh linens, warm bed, breakfast, and dinner to those that stay overnight. The shelter is a temporary emergency service where staff assist clients in finding solutions to their problems. The Transitional Living Center (TLC) Program is designed to help families acquire and develop the necessary tools to achieve and maintain self-sufficiency ini a permanent living arrangement. Through life-skill training in budgeting, and money management, parenting, nutrition, education, and problem solving, these families are provided the opportunities to reach a self-supporting level of independence. The facility provides twelve apartments, fully furnished wit laundry facilities. The program offers free child care while parents are working. (FREE) Shelter opens at 5pm and clients must leave by 6 am. May stay 14 days at shelter, check-in is first come first served. Men have separate dorm.
Peace River Mental Health Crisis Line 519-3744
Domestic Violence & Recovery and Crisis Hotlines 413-2700
Elder Helpline 1-800-336-2226
Citrus Connection Bus 688-7433
free and reduced price rides on regular bus, Handy Bus for disabled
Saddle Creek Park 499-2613 $12/night camping
must have tent, van or RV electric, water, showers
WIC 519-7900 Pregnant and postpartum women and children (under 5 years of age)
milk, cheese, eggs, cereal, beans or peanut butter, juice
Children’s Medical Services 701-1151
The Children’s Medical Services (CMS) program provides children with special health care needs with a family centered, managed system of care. Children with special health care needs are those children under age 21 whose serious or chronic physical, developmental, behavioral or emotional conditions require extensive preventive and maintenance care beyond that required by typically healthy children.
Medicare 1-800-633-4227
Medicare is the federal government program that gives you health care coverage if you are 65 or older, or have a disability, no matter what your income.
Social Security 1-800-772-1213 Lakeland 683-0526
apply for retirement benefits, survivor benefits, disability
Department of Children and Families Florida Access 1-866-762-2237
food stamps, temporary cash assistance, Medicaid, medical assistance for pregnant women
National Hunger Hotline 1-866-348-6479
Food information and general referral to emergency food and government hunger and poverty programs
Lakeland Housing Authority 687-2911
Section 8 Housing out of funds until July 2008
Four Corners Church Food Pantry, Plant City
Be there by 8:30 AM Mondays or Thursdays
Vineyard Church 647-9706 Southwest of Lakeland at 2023 West Pipkin Road
Food Pantry Hours: Fridays, Sign in 9:30-10:15 AM be there before 9AM to get a number!
Believer’s Fellowship Food Pantry 5240 Socrum Loop Rd Thursday 6 PM 858-5668
Pathway Ministries Food Pantry 1942 W Memorial Blvd 687-1942
1st and 3rd Tuesdays of the month 10 AM
Lighthouse Ministries 687-3705
H.O.P.E. Outreach operates within the Lighthouse Thrift Shoppe locations in Lakeland and Plant City. Through the outreach program, Lighthouse is able to provide free case management, food, clothing, household items, furniture, toys for children, and referral services to those in need.
Talbot House Ministries of Lakeland 687-8475
Have daytime safe haven, night shelter, clothing, showers, spiritual growth, tutoring, recovery program, medical/dental care, transitional housing, educational advancement, employment preparation, and permanent supportive housing.
Volunteers in Service to the Elderly 863-284-0828
Agency serves adults age 65 and over that meet income qualifications. Offer commodities, transportation services to and from Doctor Appointments. 2 times monthly to grocery stores.
Tuesday and Thursday – hot meals are available for home delivery.
Florida Rural Legal Services Inc. 688-7376
Free legal services to those who meet income qualifications. Areas covered are: over payments on public assistance, landlord/tenant law, 60 years and over, elder law assistance, limited family law, unemployment compensation.
Glad to see this page on your site; I run a nonprofit news site in Polk County and found your whole blog charming.
Thank you for what you are doing!
[...] http://wendyusuallywanders.wordpress.com/lakeland-florida-help-with-money-housing-health-food-etc/ Posted 26 Feb, 2008 | Categories: Features [...]
Wendy,
I run a small lumber company in Lakeland, Fl. I have a couple dozen concrete blocks that are suitable for building purposes. They are left over after a remodel job at my house. If you can think of anyone that may want them they are free to the first one to pick them up. Feel free to pass along my name and e-mail. Thanks in advance and I like your blog.
If the chatholic charities doesnt accept the blocks could I have them? I have a very old trailor that needs leveling and work , my slide outs need to be jacked up and blocked. Thank you
Wendy,
Hello, I am writing to you for advice. My daughter is single with 2 children, ages 4 and 16 mos. She was invited to move in with a friend a couple of mos ago so she did. She was here with my husband and me before that but we do not have the resources to help her with anything but food. She is currently on a waiting list for housing, #8 today. The problem is that the “friend” is moving out and leaving her with 2 mos of back rent and the electricity is scheduled to be cut off Tuesday. She is taking an insurance training course through Public Works next week to be able to get a better than entry level job so she can support herself and her children. She has the boys in daycare already. She only needed about 2 weeks time to get out of her current situation, but with the threat of the electricity being cut off, she’s in a pickle. I am not asking for a handout by any means, I am asking for advice. Thanks in advance
I’m just another poor person. I put the list together for po’ folks at my church, and put in online for all to peruse. I was homeless for two years and just got an apartment in January. I’d love Section 8 for myself. There are waaaaaaaay more people who want/need it than help given. The next fiscal year for them begins in July. As far as I know, they are giving out no new vouchers until then.
My best advice is to have her call 211 which connects her to United Way. Try Catholic Charities. Unfortunately many of us are in the same boat.
I went to the food shelf today and it was PACKED. No more food from them after today until August
Hi. I am myself, unemployed. I have a young son, and found your link by trying to research sites for free or discounted clothes for my son for school.
I also have been frequenting food banks, mostly Catholic Charities and 1st Baptist Church at The Mall on Memorial Blvd. They will give out food once a month for those registered and clothes,too.
The others on your list were new to me, and I sure will utilize them I’m sure, in between job applications.
Thank you!
The Children’s Medical Services (CMS) program provides children with special health care needs with a family centered, managed system of care.
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david
Florida Drug Rehab
Florida Drug Rehab
I am a mother with 5 kids. We have just relocated here from Maryland for a better life for my kids. My husband has been on many interviews and no luck yet. We have 2 eggs and a half carton of milk left. I have tried the food banks but they either have no food left or they are full. How can I survive in this community when you ask for help and no one can help you and your kids. It is not a pretty site to see 5 kids going to bed hunger.
Karen, I’m really sorry to hear of your troubles
Florida is a bad state to go to for social services. Medicaid sucks, food banks are over burdened and housing help is almost non-existent. I moved back to NY state where I was born and it’s like living in a whole other world. LOTS more help here in the Adirondacks of NY than there ever was in Florida. Much less hassle.
I have been searching the net for programs to help me and I’m not making much head way. I have 3 in diapers and am a victim of domestic violence. I need to get out of Florida. Relocation funds are scarce. Social services here are horrible and take far too long. The kids dad is under a no contact order and is in the process of having us evicted. We have no family, it’s just me and the babies. Can someone please help?
Wendy,
You have done such a great job with this blog! Thank you so much for offering this resource to other people in need!
For people with children…contact your school’s social worker (or if no children, call anyway and explain your situtation). This person can help you find food, clothing, etc. if you are in need of help!
Also, just so everyone knows…you don’t have to live in the area that gave you section 8…you can move and keep your section 8! So, call every county and city’s housing authority and inquire about their wait list. If you can get on another county or city’s waiting list…GREAT! Once you get the voucher…you can get transferred to your original area if you need to (medical, family, etc).
There is ALWAYS food available to people in need. Keep searching!
Housing in another issue. Tampa and Hillsborough County is about a 3 year wait for public housing and the section 8 wait list doesn’t even open for new ‘waiters’ until about 2012! :0 In Hillsborough County, there is ONLY one homeless shelter that takes nuclear families (mom, dad, children) and that is Metropolitan Ministries. If you find yourself homeless, don’t expect much immediate help though. My husband and I are homeless with 3 children (landlord died, family selling house…husband laid off at same time…4 weeks ago…no job yet despite hundreds of applications even at McD’s…even with his degree and having had the same job since 1991). We went to Metropolitan Ministries on Monday and went through the intake process only to be told they won’t have an upening for another 2 months at least. They said that he has to go to the men’s shelter and the rest of us can go to the women and children’s shelter.
I ended up finding some help with the Homeless Coalition, the neighborhood service center and the Children’s Board. They talked the landlord’s family into letting us stay until Nov. 1st, paid $530 towards the rent and paid our utilities. They said that they will help us one or two more months while we get on our feet. Someone also pointed us to a nearby county that may have an open section 8 wait list in the next week or two.
I just wanted to share that info so people DON’T GIVE UP. Everyone was telling us there was NOTHING. We found help less than 24 hours before we were going to be on the street with 3 children…and less than 24 hours before our lights were getting shut off. We had NOBODY to help us and it didn’t look good. But I kept emailing officials in my area telling our story. We are good people, but the economy killed my husband’s job (nothing else did it). We don’t use drugs or alcohol and we don’t have criminal records. We just don’t have anybody to let us move in, or anybody to loan us money. Well, I got a phone call and help poured in almost instant.
Another thing…regarding food stamps and medicaid. Ours was rushed even faster than they would have been by being marked by their office as “Emergency”. Why? Because I was nice and polite to our case worker. I said “Yes Ma’am or No Ma’am”, I was calm, I explained everything and did NOT get upset at her for the process being so slow. In the end, she put me on hold and came back 10 minutes later to say that while her boss was going to be mad…she wanted to make sure we were able to feed the children. She also said that she wanted to help because I WAS NICE. Why anybody would be nasty to a person who’s job it is to help is beyond me…but I am just a nice person to begin with. Just don’t give up. Keep calling. Call the neighborhood school’s social worker. Call the next town or county over from you. Be nice and thank them often…and pray or think good thoughts. At least we are broke here in the US. In most other countries…if you are broke…you are dead.
Again, thank you Wendy for offering this info to people! You are doing so much GOOD!
Oh…before I forget…FREE CELL PHONE! To anyone on section 8, food stamps…even the free lunch program for the children! You get a free phone and 68 minutes each month put on your phone…it’s through LifeLine (as long as you aren’t using the program for your home phone…you can use it for the free cell phone!)… http://www.safelinkwireless.com Check it out! If you don’t want to go to the site, go to google and check them out first! Remember…you have to hit the bottom before you can start to rise up!
Vesta…
Call your local police station and ask for the numbers for the local domestic violence shelters.
There is only one homeless shelter in Hillsborough that takes in homeless families with a mom AND dad, but there are MANY shelters that take a mom with children.
The Spring is one…but, call your police station and find out which ones are in your area. If anything, call the police station where you want to relocate and get the number for a shelter there and explain the situation to them.
There is A LOT of help out there for moms with children…good luck!
PS
Contact Bay Area Legal SVCS in Tampa. If you are in a different area, maybe they can refer you to one close to you. You need a lawyer, ASAP. Both regarding the eviction as well as child support.
Hello, I have a friend who is 24 and single mother of 5 children. The oldest is 6 and he is in kindergarten. The others are 5, 3, 2, and 4 months. My friend is having a hard time getting the father of the oldest 4 to pay child support. He is in another state. She is having a hard time finding a job, because she is also having a hard time finding daycare for the younger children. On top of all of this my friend and her children are pretty much homeless. They bounce from house to house all of the time. Anyone know how I can help my friend? Whether it’s a housing program, or something?? I can not provide for my friend and her 5 children otherwise I’d welcome them into my home.
Anyone with info. PLEASE contact me. She has her name on a HUD housing program but she is #200 something I think or close to it. She has also sent applications out for housing and no responses.
I have moved to lakeland from NH, and I was a transporter for kids in placement and those receiving medicaid benifits…. I really want to drive here for the same type of on call work working with social service agencies >>>CAN YOU PLEASE tell me who are the acencies that provide these type of transportation services? I really want to drive again , in order to be my own boss again .. and the fredom of the road,,, i took a social worker job in tampa and I HATE IT>…
thanks
Derek
Hi Wendy,
Me and my family are having a really hard time. Both my wife and I are in school and had part time jobs. We lost our jobs due to a business slow down and have been living off of our student loans. Currently our bills are paid up but we had to sacrifice food! We have two kids and the little bit we have goes to them. We are really embarrassed to ask for food at our church. Usually we are the ones that give but now it is us who are in need. Please help!
I feel real bad for you. I’ve had to learn to swallow my pride and ask for help. I HATE asking for help, but that’s why these organizations exist, to help people in a jam. Contact every group you can and see what they will do for you. I no longer live in Florida…now I’m poor and frozen in New York!
We actually moved from NY two years ago. Schenectady to be exact. BRRRRRRR!
NY has better social services, but now that Wall Street is collapsing, it’s going to be tough here, too. I spent most of my time in Florida homeless. I’m near Saranac Lake and Lake Placid…out in the boonies…
Low temps near zero this week ;-o
to Derek check with the heartland for children web page, it will give you several agencies that are in child protective business. they sometimes hire drivers
I manage a 2 bedroom 1 bath mobile home at 608 Grady Lane in Lakeland that the owners are willing to rent out section 8. It is only $500 per month and only $600 to move in, if this helps fill someones needs. We can be reached at 813-250-1340 ext 221.
Thank you,
Tasha
I have a friend in a very bad place because she has been laid off on and off for last month. She is short on her rent which is due on 20th, her call was stolen she cant afford the rental anymore, Is there anyone out there that can help?
Please let me know we have been hitting nothing but dead ends
i work with inmates and i was wondering if you could help me locate some Christ centered transitional housing for the ladies coming out of prison. thank u
Hello all, I needed information. If anyone can provide this to me I would greatly appreciate this. I am looking for any counties that are in florida that there section 8 waiting lists “are” “open” Thank you and God Bless U all.
Can anyone provide to me the nearby housing authority that will be accepting applications for the section 8 program?
Hi Wendy,
I have a different huge problem. Right now as we speak I am in deep pain. It turns out I need a root canal done for my tooth and it costs a min. of 900 just for that part excluding what happens after they drill a hole in my tooth. I have no insurance of any kind and have 500 dollars to my name. I just moved here from Georgia and am looking for a job also. IT’s so bad I cannot sleep!
I am a Mother of 3 boy’s needing some assistance in a bad way. I get SSI & 1 Child support check a month of $208.00. My income is a little over $500.00 a month. I have had a back operation in 03` and feeling much better and want to go back to work to help support my children. My oldest of 17 is going to be a father in Dec. I am currently at my father’s home and there is some bad history there. He is refusing to let my oldest stay with me & my other 2 boys. I want to change my life for the better. The Negative lifestyle around my father is not good for my children. I’m A Mother In Need! Please e-mail me with some helping information.. zoozoobiedoobie@yahoo.com I am located in Plant City, FL.
I just learned of your site on Wish Upon A Hero a site I am an active member of
this site is awsome
I like to welcome any one to check out wishuponahero.com If it,s ok with you
I am a 61 yr. old female that is wondering where I can find someone to drive me to my cancer doctor appointments for routine check-ups. I am fairly new to Lakeland and I am not a city driver. I am hoping someone who reads this can help me.
Thank You.
Hi, I am a single mother who recently lost my job, I’ve applied to the state and have exhausted all my options…I don’t drive and I don’t have a vehicle and I don’t even have money for the bus. I need to get to a food pantry soon or I’ll have nothing. If anyone can help me here I would really appreciate it. I’d be happy to trade for services (cleaning, etc) in exchange. Thanks!