<prompt> Human: We get a lot of regular posts here from people who are just outside the cusp of being qualified to receive food stampsmedicaidsection 8 housingetc. By exploring other non-governmental forms of assistance, I hope to encourage those who may have thought they were better off when they were making less money.1. Churches. Even if you arent religious, your local churches often know about all of the best local resources to help you. Pastors are also often licensed mental health professionals as well, if you find yourself unable to afford a secular one. Depending on their scope of service, they may even provide temporary shelter as well.2. Food banks. While not free, food banks often sell food at or below cost which would be a much cheaper alternative than a grocery store.3. GoodWill and other secondhand clothing stores. Again, while not free, these discount stores are way way cheaper than a department and often have the exact same clothing styles that you might like.4. Future pay. This is the final, but strongest point. You will always come out ahead in the long run if youre making more money, even if you lose government benefits. Use your current pay as a stepping stone to make more money at a different job down the road. Edit: additions by uacekingqueenjack!- Community Gardens. There are some places like food banks and some health centers that will provide you with all the tools and water and seeds you could ever need. All you have to do is the physical labor part.- Food Co-ops : Things like Produce On Wheels Food Without Waste and other opportunities are a great way to get some fresh crops at free or minimal cost. For example, the PoW near me costs 10 for all you can carry. This is a great way to feed a family that is near starving, but it can be stressful to eat the same thing, not all the crops will be high quality, and some crops are unheard of so you may need to ask around for recipes.- Libraries : In addition to letting you borrow books, you can also borrow other things like videos or audiobooks, even from the comfort of your own home. Libraries also have free internet access. Sure, they are good for entertainment but they are also a source of free self-improvement and skills. And if you have no internet access at all, this is a great place to go as many job opportunities have all their application process entirely online.- Gym : A low-cost gym membership gives access to a gym, sure, but also vitally important showers, where you can get your daily hygiene in.- Post Office : Its almost impossible to get a job without any mailing address, so if nothing else, see if you can try to nab a PO box. If you cant afford that, try to work out a deal with a friend where you can use their mailbox as your mailing address.- Community Health Centers Clinics - CHCs often have free or super-low-cost services sliding scale for dental, medical, and behavioral health services. They also have the hookups for referrals to other services that you may need. When you dont know what programs exist or where, this might be a good starting place.- Shelters : There are many different types of shelters and services and programs they provide- Community Programs : Specialties vary but theres almost always a community program out there providing services. For example, in my immediate area are headquarters for homeless youth program, and a rapedomestic violence help center.Edit 2: MediCAID not care  <response>: Adding St Vincent DePaul here as well. In my area they even have rental assistance and a charity pharmacy. 