Housing & Utility Resources

  • Utility Assistance
    SMOC Fuel Assistance - Eligible households in 37 communities receive assistance paid directly to their heating vendor. The program is designed to help low-income people afford the cost of heat in the winter months. Eligibility is based on gross annual income and family size.

    Housing Assistance
    2021 Emergency Assistance Advocacy Guide - A Guide to Emergency Shelter and Re-housing Services for Families with Children Experiencing Homelessness in Massachusetts

    Emergency Assistance Application Family Guide - EA shelter is run by the Department of Housing and Community Development or “DHCD.” Pregnant women and families with children are eligible. Your family must prove that you live in Massachusetts, and there must be one member of your family who has legal status in the U.S. Your income and assets must be very low. 

    Shelter and Resource Directory - A list of shelters and similar resources across Massachusetts for various populations.

    RAFT/ERMA Information - The RAFT program helps keep households in stable housing situations when facing eviction, foreclosure, loss of utilities, and other housing emergencies caused by loss of income, increase in expenses, or both. RAFT helps all kinds of households by providing up to $10,000 per household to help preserve current housing or move to new housing. ERMA can provide rental and mortgage assistance to low-income households who have been impacted by the crisis and may not be eligible for RAFT. This program is available for households within the 50-80% range of Area Median Income (AMI). Like RAFT, ERMA may provide up to $4,000 for eligible households to assist with rent or mortgage arrears accrued after April 1, 2020 and/or with upcoming rent or mortgage payments.

    Additional Benefits
    MA Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) - The Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) assists and empowers low-income individuals and families to meet their basic needs, improve their quality of life, and achieve long term economic self-sufficiency. DTA serves one in eight residents of the Commonwealth with direct economic assistance (cash benefits) and food assistance (SNAP benefits), as well as workforce training opportunities.

    Household Goods and Furniture
    Fresh Start Furniture Bank - Fresh Start Furniture Bank is a volunteer run charity which helps restore hope, dignity, and stability in our community by recycling donated furniture and housewares, for free, to people in need. 

    Project Just Because - Project Just Because, Inc. runs various programs throughout the year serving basic needs of families, children, and seniors. 

    Household Goods  - Household Goods provides a full range of donated furniture and household items, free of charge, to help people in need make a home.

    UWDS Warehouse Store - United Way advances the common good as MetroWest’s largest community-based investor in Health, Education, Financial Stability and Basic Human Needs – the building blocks for a productive and happy life.