Community Resources
Whether you’re looking for a safe home, a hot meal, or support during a difficult time, these community resources will provide when you’re in need. If you’re not sure where to start, call Alaska 2-1-1. Operators will steer you in the right direction.
Food Assistance
View today’s food pantry schedule for the Anchorage area.
Apply for free and reduced-price meals for the Anchorage School District students in your family.
Children’s Lunchbox distributes pantry boxes to children and their families. Pantry boxes provide a breakfast, lunch, or dinner meal for a family of four. They are given out in multiples to feed entire families, no questions asked.
Fellowship in Serving Humanity (FISH) delivers emergency food aid to people in need in Anchorage. Call FISH at 907-277-0818 for food delivery service if you are in a situation where you are in danger of running out of food and you do not have the money to purchase groceries.
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is the new name for food stamps. See if you are eligible.
Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Nutrition Program offers healthy foods, nutrition education, breastfeeding support, and health care referrals for pregnant and postpartum women and children up to age 5. (They even provide taxi vouchers to the grocery store!) WIC representatives are currently enrolling families by phone. Call the Anchorage WIC office at 907-343-4668. (You’ll need to complete these forms to apply.)
Baby Supplies
Alaska Adoption Services’ Community Diaper Pantry is open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at 471 W 36th Ave, Suite 201, Anchorage, AK 99503. They provide 50 diapers and one package of wipes per household.
Child Care & Development
Free books for kids ages 0-4. Imagination Library, a program started by Dolly Parton in 1996, sends a new, age-appropriate, high-quality book in the mail each month to children under the age of 5 at no cost to their families. Enroll online at Anchorage Imagination Library or find other Imagination Libraries in Alaska.
Help Me Grow Alaska offers free resources and support for all of Alaska’s children and their families. Call 833-464-2527 to speak to a Family Support Specialist who will listen to your concerns, help you organize a path forward, and get you connected to the most available and appropriate services and resources in your area. Help Me Grow Alaska also offers access to developmental screenings on their website.
Thread helps families connect with quality early care and education. Learn about choosing quality child care and search for child care using their online search tool.
Domestic Violence
AFS, AWAIC, and STAR crisis lines are available 24/7/365. They are free and confidential.
Alaska Family Services (AFS) provides a emergency shelter in Palmer for women and their children, a crisis line, a sexual assault response team, and support groups. Call 907-746-8026, text 907-795-9246, or go to the shelter at any time.
Alaska Women’s Aid in Crisis (AWAIC) provides an emergency shelter in Anchorage, a crisis line, and non-emergency support, including assistance filing a protective order, securing safe and permanent housing, finding health care, recovering from addiction, and more. Call 907-272-0100 at any time to connect with a trained advocate.
Standing Together Against Rape (STAR) provides crisis intervention, advocacy, and support, including support groups and trauma counseling. Call STAR’s crisis line at 907-276-7273 or toll-free 1-800-478-8999.
Health Insurance Marketplace
ANHC's Outreach, Enrollment, & Eligibility (OEE) team can help you enroll in a health insurance plan. You can call or text TEXT ME to 907-743-7220 to schedule an appointment for assistance.
Health Insurance Marketplace: Visit www.healthcare.gov or call 1-800-318-2596 to sign up for health insurance.
Heating Assistance
The State of Alaska Residential Utility Assistance Program may be able to help with your heating or electric bill. For more information, call 1-800-478-7778.
Housing Assistance (Financial)
NeighborWorks Alaska helps Alaskans find quality, safe, and stable housing. They offer both rental assistance and assistance purchasing a home.
Housing Assistance (Shelters)
Adults
Anchorage Gospel Rescue Mission provides shelter services for men and women.
Brother Francis Shelter provides shelter services for men and women.
Families
Salvation Army’s McKinnell House offers emergency shelter for homeless families, as well as case management and educational support.
Women
Downtown Soup Kitchen Hope Center provides shelter services, job skills training, daily meals, and more.
Women & children
Alaska Family Services (AFS) provides 24-hour emergency shelter for women and their children seeking safety from domestic violence or sexual assault.
Abused Women’s Aid in Crisis (AWAIC) provides 24-hour emergency shelter for women and their children seeking safety from domestic violence or sexual assault.
Clare House is a 24-hour emergency shelter for women with children and expectant mothers over the age of 18.
Youth
Covenant House is located in downtown Anchorage. Call 907-272-1255.
MyHouse is located in the Mat-Su Valley. Call 907-373-4357. Case Management is available from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Information (Alaska 2-1-1)
Alaska 2-1-1 is a one-stop resource for finding help in your community. It's free, confidential, and available in almost any language. For life challenges and everyday needs, help starts here. Dial 2-1-1 or 1-800-478-2221 or email alaska211@alaska.org. They are open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. seven days a week.
Legal Services
Alaska Legal Services Corporation provides free legal services to eligible clients facing civil legal issues.
ALSC Alaska Law Help provides information on various free and low-cost legal programs in Alaska.
ALSC Landlord Tenant Helpline provides assistance to both tenants and landlords with legal questions and situations.
Disability Law Center of Alaska is an independent nonprofit law firm providing legal advocacy for people with disabilities anywhere in Alaska.
Family Law Self-Help Center is offered by the Alaska Court System. It offers classes, programs, and resources for those seeking information about Alaska family law who are not represented by a lawyer.
Medicaid
ANHC's Outreach, Enrollment, & Eligibility (OEE) team can help you enroll in a health insurance plan. You can call or text TEXT ME to 907-743-7220 to schedule an appointment for assistance.
Health Insurance Marketplace: Visit www.healthcare.gov or call 1-800-318-2596 to sign up for health insurance.
Alaska Department of Health Division of Public Assistance: Make sure your contact information is up to date. Update online or call 833-441-1870. Check your mail for important information about your coverage.
Medical Assistance
Anchorage Project Access provides specialty medical care to residents of Anchorage who are uninsured and meet certain income requirements. After your primary care provider refers you to Anchorage Project Access, they will connect you with the care you need, as well as food, housing, employment, and other resources.
Mental Health Resources
Careline is Alaska's suicide prevention and “someone to talk to” line. It is free and confidential. They treat callers with respect and listen without judgment. Contact them if you are in crisis, are a survivor (of a suicide attempt or if you lost someone to suicide), are grieving, are concerned about someone, or are feeling down and need someone to talk to. Call anytime, toll-free at 1-877-266-4357 (HELP) or text 4help to 839863 from 3:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday
Support Groups
National Alliance on Mental Illness Alaska offers online support groups at no cost. Pre-registration is required.
Alaska Eating Disorders Alliance: Eating Disorders Adult (18+) Support Group (online)
Alaska Eating Disorders Alliance: Family and Friends Support Group (online)
Physical Therapy
APTA Alaska Physical Therapy Community Clinicis a pro-bono (free) physical therapy clinic whose mission is to provide quality physical therapy services to all individuals in Alaska, regardless of financial limitations or insurance status, in order to improve the health and wellness of the Alaska community. If you are interested in scheduling an appointment, have questions, or would like to make a donation, call 1-302-570-2578 (AKPT) or email communityclinic@alaskapt.org.
Public Assistance
Anchorage’s public assistance office is located in the University Center (3901 Old Seward Highway, Suite 131). The office lobby is open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday to pick up and drop off applications and information. Drop boxes are checked daily.
Senior & Disability Services
Aging and Disability Resource Centers (ADRC) helps seniors, people living with disabilities, and caregivers access long-term care services and supports in their communities. For assistance, call toll-free 1-855-565-2017 or visit the statewide ADRC website to find the center in your area. (The Municipality of Anchorage runs the Anchorage-area center.)
SeniorHousingNet provides a list of senior living communities in Anchorage (and elsewhere), as well as a guide to senior living in Alaska.
Support Groups
General Mental Health Support Groups
National Alliance on Mental Illness Alaska offers online support groups at no cost. Pre-registration is required.
Eating Disorder Support Groups
Alaska Eating Disorders Alliance: Eating Disorders Adult (18+) Support Group (online)
Alaska Eating Disorders Alliance: Family and Friends Support Group (online)
Tax Preparation Assistance
United Way of Anchorage provides free tax preparation assistance by appointment only. To make an appointment, call 2-1-1 or 1-800-478-2221. 2-1-1 is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. You can also book an appointment online.
Unemployment Benefits
Apply for unemployment benefits through myAlaska.