Free and Affordable Holiday Resource Guide for Families
*Article updated on October 24,2021.
The holiday season can be beautiful, yet challenging time. Single parents and families alike can find themselves tackling struggles during the holidays. Thankfully there are a number of places, on both a local and national level, that are available to discreetly make your holiday season better.
There are a variety of holiday assistance programs for families, ranging from free Christmas toy giveaways to groceries and ingredients from a pantry, gift cards, and even additional financial help for paying every day bills. Many public service organizations strongly believe that having a low income should not stop you from celebrating the holidays in a happy, healthy and dignified way. A great deal of these social service agencies and nonprofit organizations make resources available to assist those in need during the holidays.
Food Resources
An estimated 80 percent of food banks nationwide are distributing more food during the holidays. You can check Feeding America’s website or foodpantries.org to find one near you.
Meals on Wheels provides food for seniors, who are at greater risk of death or severe illness from COVID-19.
Food Rescue US works to provide for those in need while also reducing food waste by connecting businesses with excess supplies to those who prepare and deliver meals.
United Way
United Way is a referral service. It is a non-profit that offers free information to callers, including wellness and other free holiday resources.
United Way organization not only offers information on where to apply and how to get free Christmas clothing or toys for a kid, they also offer details on other much needed assistance programs. This may be free vouchers to pay for daycare, GED programs, job placement and training centers, as well as financial aid or emergency rental assistance programs for single mothers. Applications to all of those resources, and others, are made available at local United Way call center.
Salvation Army
The Salvation Army provides a variety of services in an effort to provide support and assistance to families. They offer services that help struggling households pay their utility bills, offsetting the added financial burdens that come with holiday expenses. This allows low-income families to maintain stability while keeping up with their bills and keeping much needed utilities active during the cold winter months.
Angel Tree is a donation program in which new, wrapped presents are provided to children from families living in poverty as well as those in a financial crisis. All of the items passed out to the family are free of charge, if the applicant meets the terms of the assistance program. Read more on the Angel Tree Christmas gift program and how to apply for the service.
Salvation Army also serves those in need 365 days a year through homeless shelters/ supportive housing services, food pantry/meal services and bill payment assistance. For more information and resources, visit SalvationArmyUSA.org
Local Churches
Many churches serve free holiday meals, hold small gift drives for kids, and support members. Contact churches in your area to inquire about possible resources or services.
Additionally, local Catholic Charity affiliated churches may also be able to offer free Christmas gifts, vouchers, or money to use for shopping at a second hand store. Most major towns and counties have one of these groups operating in their community. The charities may offer free items from a thrift store to very low income families or the unemployed. Other lower to moderate income families may need to pay a little money for a Christmas gift for their child, but the stores that that tend to be available to the public.
Retailers
Some retailers, such as Amazon, Wal-Mart or Target contribute to organizations that may be near you. People should contact their local state to see if this is an option.
Christmas Tree Santas
This organization works with community and human services organizations to help low-income families experience the joys of Christmas by giving away free trees. Of course they can not provide for every family in need, as with most charities it is a first come first serve situation. A certain number of trees are set aside before time.
Families receive a voucher to present when they come to pick up their Christmas tree. Each year this organization is adding new locations to the list of deserving families. Right now there is six-state this program is available. Georgia, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, North Carolina, and Texas.
The Christmas Tree Project
This free Christmas tree program is sponsored. They not only to give away free trees but fully decorated trees! What an insightful concept. Many families may not have the be able to afford electric lights, all the things that make the holiday season come to life. To date, this organization has given more than 2,800 trees! They serve, Colorado Springs and Denver, Reno and Los Angeles, and are now all over the US. To request a tree, start here.
Make a Wish Foundation
Make a Wish Foundation offers a variety of resources and services to families with a child up to 18, who is ill with a life-threatening illness. Website.
Military Resources
There are a host of programs or organizations that provide assistance to families in need during the holidays. See extensive list of programs here.
Toys for Tots
The basic mission of the Marine Toys for Tots Program is to collect new unwrapped toys and distribute those toys to less fortunate children at Christmas.
The primary goal of Marine Toys for Tots is, through the gift of a new toy, help bring the joy of Christmas and send a message of hope to America’s less fortunate children.
CLICK HERE to find the Local Marine Toys for Tots Campaign in your community and visit their local campaign website for details and instructions.
Homes for the Holidays (HFTH)
HFTH is the flagship program at Warrick Dunn Charities. Our focus is on providing a hand-up – not a handout – to single parents and their children. We surprise single parent families (who are actively working to support themselves) with home furnishings and downpayment assistance.
Cars 4 Christmas
Cars 4 Christmas is an amazing initiative that gifts families with a car as a Christmas gift. Every year, they give hundreds of cars filled with groceries, toys, cleaning products, child safety seats, and gas cards
A free and paid resource membership website and community for single moms and women. They offer a host of free resources including, financial, wellness, career, food, housing and more! Visit singlemomssociety.com for more information.
Counseling Services
Community centers, hospitals, schools, and places of worship sometimes offer free or low-cost counseling.
Due to pandemic safety concerns, online counseling support might be a good place to start. Don’t hesitate to try out an online telehealth service.
Additionally, if you live in a city or a college town, universities are often an ideal place to get low-cost (or even free) therapy. If you’re a student, you might be eligible for at least a few sessions with a campus psychologist or counselor. Most universities or colleges have a graduate training clinic where counseling interns are learning to be therapists or psychologists. These clinics are often open to the public, and tend to offer sliding scales fees that can be as low as $1.
Even if you live in a small community, you might be surprised what mental health resources are available to you. Community centers, hospitals, schools, and places of worship sometimes offer free or low-cost counseling. If you’re not sure where to get started, you contact call 211 (a government-established hotline that connects people to community or government agencies) or a local clinic.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness also has a helpline that offers free assistance and advice 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can reach the helpline at 1-800-950-6264. For more information visit NAMI.org or text NAMI to 741741.
Here’s an Emotional Well-Being Kit you might find helpful. This kit includes:
- How to Communicate with Children about COVID-19
- Learning Activities to Do at Home
- Parent and Children Self-care
- And more!
Please comment below if you find these resources helpful and/or have additional resources you’re willing to share.
Wishing your family a happy, healthy and safe holiday season.
