Public Benefits and Community Assistance

Our guide is a great way to learn about and connect to free and low-cost foods in Cambridge.

We help people pay for theirwinter heating bills if they are from low-income households in Cambridge and Somerville.

The Just-A-Start Financial Opportunity Program offers free financial coaching from an accredited financial counselor to help people define and reach their financial goals.

This list contains several programs that provide low-cost or free internet and phone services to low-income households and individuals, including the Lifeline Program and Comcast Internet Essentials.

We provide nutritional counseling, healthy food benefits, workshops, education, breastfeeding support, and referrals to health and community resources at no cost to eligible Massachusetts families.

Our team of social workers can help make referrals to community services, help you complete applications, navigate resources, and help connect you to mental health or substance misuse programs.

Our City programs connect renters, homeowners and landlords to resources that help save money on their utility bills while also addressing climate change through renewable energy and efficiency.

SCES and Cambridge Senior Centers offering lunches Monday through Thursday.

We provide dinner to serve our neighbors in-need.

When people come in we can help them use their digital devices (smartphones, tablets, computers), apply for services online, learn digital literacy and safety/privacy tips, and get access to devices.

Safehome: Up to 1 month stay in a confidential location for an individual or family.
Transitional Housing: Up to two years of rental assistance for up to 16 survivors and their families.

We can help you find out if you're paying too much for your electricity bill and find the best programs to help you save money.

Known as universal preschool, we provide free preschool to Cambridge 4 year-olds and some 3 year-olds beginning in September.

We provide free and nutritionally balanced meals to Cambridge residents 18 years of age and under. There are vegetarian and non-vegetarian options offered at all meal sites!

Cambridge Camping's CCAccess scholarship program makes unforgettable camp accessible to all, offering day and overnight options.

JAS partners with the IRS to offer on-site Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) tax prep services free of charge for families earning less than $54,000 per year.

The guide is organized around six key themes: affordable housing, emergency housing, housing rights, legal and mediation services, safe & healthy homes, and financial assistance.

Housed In Cambridge: Information to Open Doors is a citywide campaign designed to educate and inform residents on housing opportunities and housing-related resources and services.

Housed in Cambridge: Information to Open Doors webinar recordings.

Qualifying individuals can apply to receive affordable internet access and a new laptop.

We you make your home more energy-efficient and help to save you money on your utility costs if you qualify for our low-income programs.

As part of our program, we hand out various combinations of sandwiches or bagged lunches, juice boxes, snacks, socks, some seasonal items, toiletry kits, and more to the community.

We offer access to affordable rental and homeownership units for low, moderate, and middle-income households.

We provide shelter, transitional & permanent housing + support services to extremely low-income homeless/formerly homeless adult individuals & families with children in Cambridge & Greater Boston.

We offer discounted MBTA passes to income-eligible Cambridge residents between the ages of 19-25.