Welcoming community
Free resources for newcomers

You arrived.
Help is here.

Housing, food, legal aid, English classes, and healthcare — for everyone in New York City, regardless of documentation status.

Find resources now →

All services listed are free. No documentation required.

If you are in danger 911 — Emergency/ 311 — Shelter, 24/7/ Safe Horizon — (212) 577-7700/ Mental Health — 988
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What do you need today?

Type your question in plain language. No forms. No judgment. All services are free and available regardless of immigration or documentation status.

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Hello and welcome.

I am here to help you find free support in New York City — housing, food, legal aid, English classes, and healthcare.

Everything here is free. You are safe. What do you need help with today?

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Find what you need

Resources available to everyone.

Real organizations. Real addresses. Click any category to read more and find specific contacts.

Housing
Housing and Shelter
A safe place to sleep tonight.
Emergency shelter available 24/7, regardless of documentation status.

Emergency shelter is available to anyone in New York City — no ID, no papers, no prior address needed. Call 311 at any hour and say "shelter." Families with children are given priority and kept together.

What to know

  • Call 311 any time, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week — say "shelter"
  • No documentation required at any city shelter
  • If you have an IRC case number, contact them first for faster placement
  • Families are always kept together and given priority
IRC New York
Primary resettlement agency for refugees. Housing placement, case management, all services.
☎ (212) 551-3000
BronxWorks Emergency Shelter
Walk-ins accepted 24 hours. Adults and families. 60 East Tremont Ave, Bronx.
☎ (718) 731-3114
CAMBA Housing (Brooklyn)
Affordable housing and emergency shelter. Multilingual staff. 2138 Nostrand Ave.
☎ (718) 287-6200
NYC Dept of Homeless Services
City emergency shelter for anyone. No status required. Available 365 days a year.
☎ Call 311
Food
Food and Basic Needs
Free food for your family.
400+ food pantries and meal programs across all five boroughs. No docs needed.

Over 400 free food pantries operate across New York City. Most require no documentation. Search cityharvest.org by zip code to find the nearest pantry that is open right now.

What to know

  • Most pantries require no documentation, ID, or proof of address
  • Search cityharvest.org by zip code to find hours and location near you
  • Many pantries also provide baby supplies, feminine products, and household essentials
  • SNAP (food stamps) may be available — ask a caseworker if you may qualify
City Harvest
400+ pantries citywide. Use cityharvest.org/find-food to search by zip code.
☎ (646) 412-0600
Food Bank NYC
Free food distribution and SNAP enrollment help. foodbanknyc.org
☎ (212) 566-8550
St. Francis of Assisi Pantry
135 West 31st St, Manhattan. No docs required. No appointment needed.
☎ (212) 736-8500
IRC Economic Empowerment
Starter kits with food and household essentials for active IRC clients.
☎ (212) 551-3000
ESL classes
English Classes and Education
Learn English for free.
Classes at every level across all five boroughs. No tuition or registration fee.

Free English classes are available at public libraries, community colleges, and nonprofits across all five boroughs. No tuition, no application fee, no prior education requirement. Many offer evening and weekend schedules for people who work.

Getting started

  • NYC Public Library ESL classes require no registration fee — many branches let you walk in and start
  • Tell the program your current English level — most have beginner, intermediate, and advanced tracks
  • Many programs also offer GED and high school equivalency preparation
  • Some programs offer childcare during class — ask when you call
NYC Public Library
Free ESL at 80+ branches. Walk-ins welcome at many locations. nypl.org
☎ (917) 859-0100
CUNY Adult Literacy
Free ESL at all levels at CUNY campuses citywide. literacy.cuny.edu
☎ (212) 998-2400
Make the Road New York
ESL, GED, legal services, youth programs. Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, Long Island.
☎ (718) 418-7690
Literacy Partners
Free ESL and GED prep. Parent and family literacy programs available.
☎ (212) 725-9200
Healthcare
Healthcare and Mental Health
Care for your body and mind.
Full medical care regardless of status. Mental health support available 24/7.

NYC Health + Hospitals serves everyone regardless of immigration status or ability to pay. You will not be reported to immigration authorities for seeking care. Mental health support is available 24 hours a day in multiple languages.

What to know

  • NYC Health + Hospitals treats everyone — payment is based on income, many pay nothing
  • Safe Horizon is available 24/7 in multiple languages for crisis support
  • Calling or texting 988 connects you to free mental health support any hour
  • All services listed are confidential — your status will not be shared
NYC Health + Hospitals
Full care, no status required. Income-based payment — many pay nothing. Call 311.
☎ Call 311
Bellevue Survivor Program
Specialized trauma care for survivors of torture and persecution. 462 First Ave, Manhattan.
☎ (212) 562-8679
Safe Horizon — 24/7 Hotline
Crisis counseling and mental health support. Multilingual. Any hour, any day.
☎ (212) 577-7700
Mental Health Crisis Line
Free, confidential mental health support 24/7. Call or text. No docs required.
☎ Call or text 988
Hope
Food
Family
Food and community
Community
Peace
Why this exists

Built for everyone who arrives without a guide.

My mother's family came to this country as refugees from Laos. By elementary school she was already translating legal documents for my grandparents — navigating systems she barely understood, in a language she was still learning, without anyone to show her where to go.

This tool is what I wish had existed for her. Available 24 hours a day, asking nothing from you, connecting you to real organizations with real addresses and real phone numbers. You do not need papers to use it. You do not need to explain yourself.

Nothing you type is stored. Nothing is shared. This is a safe space to find help.

An independent AI project built by Sumalee Simmonds. Inspired by — not affiliated with — the International Rescue Committee or any other organization. Powered by Anthropic's Claude API.

Healthcare
Support
NYC