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 work with 175+ diverse agencies in Cambridge and beyond. These agencies rely on community volunteers to help deliver services, support operations, or lead on their boards of directors.

We are an IRS certified Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) partner that provides free tax preparation for individuals and families with low to moderate income.

We can help you with many housing-related services, including signing up for the Cambridge Affordable Housing list, preventing eviction, resolving issues with property managers, and more.

We help people apply for and resolve problems with Social Security, SSI, SSDI, TAFDC, and EAEDC.

Since 1999, we've been offering community meals that are open to all (twice per month from September to June).

We operate a community supper each Thursday evening at Christ Church Cambridge.

We distribute free, prepared to-go meals twice each month on the second and last Tuesday evenings.

We are distributing free bags of fresh vegetables, bread, and other food items every Saturday morning.

We have several support groups, meetings, and events happening virtually for parents and their children.

This guide contains Mental Health and Domestic Violence resources for immigrant families in Cambridge.

We assists low-income households from the City of Cambridge and Somerville with winter heating costs incurred.

Keep The Keys is a housing stabilization program for On The Rise women, trans, and non-binary people who transition out of homeless and into housing of their own.

We promote Community, Housing, Access, and Independence for children and adults of all abilities, strengths, and needs.

We provide financial education and coaching to help individuals achieve their financial goals.

We are a nonprofit community grocery store in Central Square, Dorchester, Mattapan, Roxbury, and Salem, MA. We accept SNAP and welcome you to use it on all the food in our stores!

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 offer a free dual enrollment program with Bunker Hill Community College. Students take two classes and receive advising support to prepare for their next steps, such as college or career training.

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.

The City of Cambridge can help address concerns and questions about housing resources, tenants, homeowners, landlords and property management companies, and court-related information.

We issue temporary Cambridge disability parking permits to residents and individuals who work in Cambridge.

We offer fun, informative, and friendly activities for older adults. You can exercise, play games, learn a new skill, speak a new language, and build new relationships! See our monthly calendar for more.

SCES and Cambridge Senior Centers offering lunches Monday through Thursday.

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.

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.

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