Table of Contents
Navigate through this resource
Assistance programs in Ramsey County and Saint Paul MN
Find, and apply for, financial help in Ramsey County. Low income families, the elderly, and struggling residents can get help with housing expenses, including rent or mortgages. There is also free food from pantries and medical care from clinics in St. Paul. Or get support from churches, government grants to pay utility bills, and job training programs as well as free gas cars or a vehicle for work.
Find financial help and free stuff near you in Ramsey County below.
Programs from Community Action in St. Paul and the county
Assistance programs in Ramsey County and Saint Paul MN.
Charities in Saint Paul area also provide seasonal support. This may be free Christmas gifts or Thanksgiving meals, extra grants for paying heating bills in the winter, or free school supplies or winter attire in Ramsey County. Or learn about getting a free car for low-income families as a form of transportation or help making an auto loan payment.
More information on all these resources is below.
Financial help with bills, rent, food and other expenses in Ramsey County
Programs from Community Action in St. Paul and the county: If you are struggling, the:
Community Action Partnership of Ramsey & Washington Counties offers St. Paul and Ramsey County residents with several assistance programs. Find information on this organization, as well as how to get help from other groups below.
They have a few locations throughout the area, however their main office is located at 450 Syndicate Street N, Saint Paul, MN 55104 and the phone number is 651-645-6445. Minnesota Energy Assistance Program (EAP)
Get free food
- This service will protect the household from having their heating or utility service shut off, and it can also help them get their power and/or heat restored. The demand for this service is great. The grant based program is funded by the federal government, and the financial aid for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, commonly known as LIHEAP, is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, so apply early.
Other assistance provided by the EAP program includes helping families and individuals maintain affordable, continuous and safe home energy services. The resources included by Community Action Partnership include bill payment assistance, outreach to under-served populations, and they will intervene in energy crisis situations to ensure people do not have their service disconnected.
Employment services in Ramsey County
Minnesota Low-Income Weatherization Program -:
They also administer the weatherization program, which will provide customers with free energy audits and upgrades to their homes. These home audits will take anywhere from 2-3 hours, and they include a safety/efficiency test. Some of what is inspected, and what will be upgraded in the home, includes an inspection of the home’s heating system and water heater, an inspection of insulation levels in the walls and attic, and a check for air leakage.
After the inspection is completed, the mechanical heating contractor will come to the home to clean and tune the heating system and address any health and safety issues. Once again, all of this is free to the homeowner. There is no cost. Last, but not least, the insulation process is begun; bypasses and air leaks are sealed, caulking is used, and insulation is blown into the walls and attic to ensure the home is energy efficient.
Workshops for self-sufficiency
Free legal assistance and lawyers in Saint Paul area
- Whether unemployed, homeless, or just needing advice, case managers work with clients on addressing their challenges. Learn about creating a savings account or repairing credit or budgeting. Or enroll into state of Minnesota job training programs that operate in Saint Paul.
Clients can also get help saving money Car Ownership Program
- This program offered by the community action agency helps working families purchase cars through either loan or lease programs. They can loan up tap $4,000 to families for the purchase of a new or used car and also provide assistance by guiding the family through the car buying process so that they get the best vehicle for the price.
They work in partnership with the United Way, and they lease cars donated from local dealerships, auctions and fleet services, and provide these automobile to working families. Also read about auto loans from Ways to Work Applications for car assistance
Free health and medical care
and the ownership program are limited. Most of the Community Action Agency resources are for people who do not qualify for a car loan at a reasonable interest rate due to negative credit history. Or maybe the applicant has a lack of credit history, short employment history, or because of temporarily reduced or limited income.
Also learn about refinancing automobile loans Housing assistance - Using mostly government grants, CAPRW provides emergency funds to prevent evictions in Ramsey County. They also offer HUD approved foreclosure counseling to homeowners, and are involved in the operation of transitional and low income housing.
In some cases, the agency can offer loans to both tenants and homeowners for their housing expenses.
CAPRW - Community Action Partnership of Ramsey offers all those programs and more. Another focus is on providing referrals to government benefits, such as food stamps, or local non-profits in St. Paul. Call them for details, or read
Community Action Partnership of Ramsey programs Financial help with bills, rent, food and other expenses in Ramsey County: Keystone Community Services is a non-profit agency that offers qualified individuals with a host of programs.
They offer referrals only , and call them at 651-917-3883. Some of the services and resources provided include: Emergency assistance program -: This referral service provides immediate crisis help, information and referral services to other government programs and local charities.
The staff also link people in emergency situations to resources in Ramsey that they can use to for housing expenses, rent help, utilities, heating bill assistance, and other basic needs.
Food assistance -: Access free food if you are struggling to feed yourself or your family. More on food assistance Meals on wheels and active senior programs: Ramsey County Catholic Charities (phone 612-664-8500) runs several programs that can provide financial assistance or cash grants.
They also offer a homeless shelter from the Saint Paul based Family Service Center. There may be money for paying rent, heating and utility bills, and the church can help people deal with other emergencies.
The Charity also offers social services such as free legal aid to immigrants or referrals to grant money or basic needs. There are also employment programs offered. More Ramsey County Catholic Charity programs Community Emergency Assistance Program, Inc.
offered rent help, possible partial mortgage payment assistance in Ramsey County and other support - which is known as homeless prevention. They also provide food and information on other government assistance programs in Saint Paul and Ramsey County.
Dial 763-566-9600. Free clothing closets, furniture and thrift stores - Low income families may receive vouchers for free clothing, school supplies or furniture or other items from charity organizations. Individuals of all income levels can buy high quality, yet low cost goods, clothing, baby items, beds, desks, computers and work attire.
Non-profit centers in Saint Paul and Ramsey County do what they can to help the less fortunate. Much of the stuff is free for low-income households. More information on free clothes, furniture and school supplies in Minneapolis area Merrick Community Services helps low income and working poor people in certain areas of St.
Paul Minnesota. Receive access to temporary food, vouchers for bills, transportation, medicine, school supplies, holiday food/gifts, rent and housing help. There is other free stuff as well as emergency services through two food shelves and other distribution centers. Phone (651) 771-9339. Saint Paul County Offices and Planning and Economic Development Department
- This government agency offers emergency housing assistance and money to pay rent, deposits or electric bills. There is grant money from the Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program (HPRP) as well as other sources. The county can sometimes help with, among other things, rent, moving costs, utility assistance, security deposits, and more.
Call (651) 266-6020 or 651-266-4884 for more information or to apply. Twin City area churches also cover Saint Paul. Families living in poverty, immigrants, the elderly, and others can all apply for assistance.
Find the following: -Free food and meals from “shelves or soup kitchens. -Resale stores sell low cost or provide free winter coats, clothes, and more. Many churches in Saint Paul MN give out free stuff as well, mostly basic needs. -Some Ramsey County churches provide grants to help with rent, gas bills, car repairs, and more.
-Many other services are run too. Find assistance from Twin City churches Community Neighborhood Housing Services
offers many services to potential homebuyers as well as people who now own their homes. Examples include free or low cost counseling on home purchase, foreclosure and financial literacy counseling. Also receive help with energy efficiency and utility costs, such as referral to energy programs such as LIHEAP and weatherization.
The housing agency also administer Minnesota Housing Finance Agency (MHFA) home improvement and rehabilitation loans. Other services include Reverse Mortgage Counseling. The non-profit is a Housing and Urban Development (HUD) approved housing counseling agency that provide Ramsey County families with housing information, including assistance people need to avoid foreclosure.
35 Water St W, St. Paul, MN, 5
Ready to Get Help?
Take the next step and visit the official resource page to learn more and apply for assistance.