Community Resources

Websites with general program/agency information, educational materials and/or useful databases

• Find services in Massachusetts
• Find services in other states
• Find services for elders and people with disabilities (MA)
• Anti-poverty groups in Massachusetts

• Commonwealth of Massachusetts website: www.mass.gov
• City of Boston: www.cityofboston.gov

• Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
• Massachusetts Department of Children and Families (formerly DSS) office locations (MA)
• Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies (MA)
  • See also – MA Dept. of Early Education & Care (child care financial assistance, family support programs)
• Federation for Children with Special Needs (MA)
• Catastrophic Illness in Children Relief Fund – financial assistance for families with excessive uncovered expenses for a child's medical needs (MA)

• Louis D. Brown Peace Institute (MA)
• Violence Intervention Advocacy Program (VIAP) (PDF)

• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)  guidelines – disability rights laws
• Assistive Technology (MA)
• Independent Living Center (ILC) locator (MA) –  ILCs are run by and for people with disabilities and provide information and referral to enable those with disabilities to remain independent
• Resources: disabilityinfo.org (MA) – education, employment, transportation, housing, health and Assistive Technology
• Social Security Administration – information about Social Security Disability, Supplemental Security Income and Medicare

• Aging Services Access Point (ASAP)  –  ASAP locator and elder resource database (MA)
• Assisted Living programs (MA)

• Dept. of Transitional Assistance (MA) – temporary financial assistance for people with disabilities, parents, or elders with low-incomes
• mass211.org – search for financial assistance or emergency assistance
• Anti-poverty groups (MA)

• Project Bread – food and nutrition resources or call the Food Source hotline: 1- 800-645-8333
• Food stamps (now called Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP) application and resources
• Nutrition Program for seniors (MA) – provides hot meals to elders in need; includes group (“congregate”) meal sites and home-delivered meals

• Funeral Consumers Alliance – educational site
• Funeral and Burial Resources (MA) (PDF) –  includes list of resources for needy, local funeral homes, bereavement resources and donating a body to medical science
  • Español - Abridged Spanish version 

• Medicare – health coverage for certain elders and people with disabilities, also "Nursing Home Compare"
• MasssHealth – Massachusetts’ Medicaid program (health coverage for certain people with low income)
• American Cancer Society office locator – cancer resource locator, support group locator

See also:  Prescription Drug Assistance

• Mass. Coalition for the Homeless – shelter lists (for adults without children)
• Shelters for families with children

• Tenant/Landlord Resources, apartment listings (MA) – Greater Boston
• Mass Housing Consumer Education Centers (MA)
• Find a Local Housing Authority
• MassHousing – database for tenants, landlords, home buyers and owners
• The MassAccess Housing Registry – wheelchair-accessible housing database (MA)
• HousingWorks – affordable housing database (MA), (purports to be the most extensive single source of housing options)
• Short-term accommodations list (PDF) – while receiving care at Mass General Hospital

• Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA) – legal information and referral
• Embassy locator – to apply for a visa

• HAVEN – Mass General's intimate partner violence program
• Rape Crisis Center and Domestic Violence service locator (MA):
  • JDI (JaneDoe.org) – the Massachusetts Coalition Against Sexual Assult and Domestic Violence
  • or call Safelink (MA) at 877-785-2020
• The Network/La Red – works to end partner abuse in lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, SM, polyamorous and queer communities.

• Massachusetts educational materials for advocates
• Massachusetts legal educational materials for the public
• Find civil (non-criminal) legal help in Massachusetts

• Therapy Matcher – MA chapter of the National Association of Social Workers (MA)
• Social Worker Finder (National)

• Prescription Advantage (MA) – drug insurance plan available to MA residents age 65 and older, and younger disabled adults who meet income and employment guidelines
• Medicare Part D – prescription drug coverage for people with Medicare

Web-sites that help find drug assistance

• MCPHS Pharmacy Outreach Program
• NeedyMeds.org
• PhRMA’s Medicine Assistance Tool (MAT) (formerly Partnership for Prescription Assistance or pparx.org)
• RxHope.com

• Boston Area Rape Crisis Center (BARCC) – for adults
• Department of Children and Families (DCF) – for children (MA)

• Mass Substance Use Helpline – find services, Mass substance use information and education
• Alcoholics Anonymous meetings
• Al-Anon/Al-Teen meetings (MA)
• Narcotics Anonymous meetings
• SMART Recovery – Self-Management and Recovery Training

• MBTA – Greater Boston public transportation. Route map tool, The RIDE information and application (for those who cannot use standard MBTA services due to disability)

More information: see our Transportation: Getting to Mass General

• Help paying your utility bill (MA)

• Discount Wig list (MA) (PDF)