Grassroots Day Resource Center (Jessup)Hot meals, showers, laundry, food and clothing pantries, and help with IDs, benefits, and housing. It is also a Coordinated Entry access point. Anyone who is homeless, housing insecure, or in need can walk in. Monday and Wednesday 2 to 6, Saturday 10 to 2, lower-level entrance. 10390 Guilford Rd, Suite A, Jessup. 301-776-9900

Grassroots Crisis Intervention — 24-hour food and hygiene pantryA walk-in pantry of food and hygiene items at the 24-hour crisis center, with crisis counseling on site. Open any hour. 8990 Old Annapolis Rd, Suite A, Columbia. 410-531-6677

Elizabeth House meal kitchen — FISH of LaurelA free hot dinner every night from 6 to 7:30 pm at 308 Gorman Ave in Laurel (just over the county line, near North Laurel), with no requirements listed. The same group serves weeknight dinners from 6 to 7:15 pm at the Laurel Multiservice Center, 204 Ft. Meade Rd, and runs a grocery pantry (text or leave a message for grocery help). 240-547-9013

Ellicott City Seventh-day Adventist Church — hot mealsA free hot meal every Saturday from 12:30 to 1:30 pm, with a community garden on site. 9121 St. Johns Ln, Ellicott City. Call before you go. 410-465-6864

Community fridges — open 24/7, take what you needPocket Pantries hold free perishable and non-perishable food with no questions asked: Long Reach Village Center (8775 Cloudleap Ct, Columbia, with a Little Free Pantry box beside it), Elkridge (Elkridge Christian Community Church, 6327 Meadowridge Rd), and Lisbon (15950 North Ave).

Columbia Community Care — Saturday groceries, no ID neededFree groceries, fresh produce, and household essentials every Saturday from 9:30 to 11:30 am. No ID, no proof of need, no questions. Sites: Wilde Lake Interfaith Center (10431 Twin Rivers Rd), Long Reach Village Center (8775 Cloudleap Ct, #107), and The Barn at Oakland Mills (5853 Robert Oliver Pl). Sites may close early if items run out. columbiacommunitycare.org/get-help

Monthly pop-up pantriesHoward County Muslim Council: 3rd Saturday, Elkridge Library parking lot, free and open to all, no registration, while supplies last (410-570-1938). Indian Cultural Association: 3rd Saturday, 9:30 to 11 am, Miller Library parking lot in Ellicott City (410-567-6599). MLK Holiday Commission: 2nd Monday, about 10 to 11:30 am, at Ridgely’s Run Community Center in Jessup and at Hopkins United Methodist Church in Highland, fresh produce and non-perishables, first come first served (410-313-6430). Rachell L. Gray Community Foundation: 2nd Saturday at 10 am in Elkridge (443-796-5162).

Howard County Food Bank — Community Action CouncilFree grocery-store-style shopping up to twice a month, including period products, diapers, wipes, baby formula, and baby food. Apply online first, then come shop. Bring photo ID, proof you live in Howard County, and 30 days of income for everyone 18 and older. Walk-in Tuesday 1 to 4, Wednesday 1 to 7, Thursday 1 to 4; Saturday 9 to 1 by appointment. 410-313-6185

Roving Radish — county-run mobile marketA market truck stops at schools, a library, and apartment complexes every weekday, and a store at Long Reach sells local food. Households on SNAP, WIC, TCA, Medicaid, school meals, or SSDI get a free weekly bundle and member discounts, and meal kits are $10 off from May to November. EBT accepted. Call to confirm current stops. 410-313-3860

S.A.F.E. Food Pantry — gluten-free and allergy-friendlyFood for families managing celiac disease and food allergies. Call or text for the current schedule and location. 443-741-1060

Howard County Food Connection MapAn interactive, mobile-friendly map from the Howard County Health Department and the Local Health Improvement Coalition. It shows food pantries, hot meal programs, and bus routes. The county updates it periodically and says hours and details can change, so call first. hclhic.org/foodmap

Maryland 211Finds housing, food, utility, and health help near you, 24/7/365. If 211 will not connect from your cell phone, call 1-866-406-8156. Deaf or hard of hearing: dial 711. Dial 211 · 211md.org

Buy Nothing ProjectNeighbors give away furniture, clothing, kids’ gear, and household items for free, and also lend things. Everything is a gift: no buying, selling, or trading. Get the free BuyNothing app (App Store and Google Play) to connect with people near you right away, or use the app’s Registered Buy Nothing Groups list to find your official local Facebook group. Meet in a public place, and never share your full address in a post. buynothingproject.org

Freecycle — Columbia, Maryland groupA nonprofit network where members post free items they want to give away or are looking for. Membership is free, and everything posted must be free, legal, and appropriate for all ages. You must join the local group to see the posts. Members use the list at their own risk, so meet in public and protect your privacy. freecycle.org/town/ColumbiaMD

Vehicles for Change — low-cost carsSells repaired donated cars to working Maryland families for $950 to $1,000 plus title, tag, and registration fees, with financing through partner banks that does not depend on your credit history. Cars come with a six-month, 6,000-mile warranty. You must work at least 30 hours a week or have a verifiable job offer, hold a Maryland license with no DUI or DWI in the last 3 years, meet income limits, and have no vehicle in your name. You apply through a sponsoring agency, and Howard County Social Services is on the list. New applications are paused, and Vehicles for Change expects to reopen in spring 2027, so call Social Services now to ask how a referral works when applications reopen. Howard County Social Services 410-872-8700

Transportation Assistance Program (TAP)A Maryland Department of Human Services program run with Vehicles for Change. It provides reliable used cars, meant to last 2 years or 24,000 miles, to families who receive Temporary Cash Assistance. Ask Social Services for the local TAP Coordinator, and ask whether referrals are on hold while Vehicles for Change is paused. 410-872-8700

1-800-Charity Cars (Free Charity Cars)A national nonprofit that awards donated vehicles to people such as domestic violence survivors, the medically needy, disaster victims, families moving from public assistance to work, families in transitional shelters, the working poor, and veterans and military families. You apply online at freecharitycars.org. The charity awards cars as donations arrive and cannot guarantee one, and waits can be long. If you are awarded a car, you must pay tags, title, emissions, and insurance and be ready to pick it up right away. Apply only on the charity’s own website, and be wary of anyone who asks for money to be considered. 1-800-242-7489 · freecharitycars.org

Gas money right nowThe St. Vincent de Paul group at St. John the Evangelist in Columbia lists emergency gas help. Call, leave your name, number, and that it is for gas, and a volunteer calls back. You do not have to be a parishioner. 410-964-1440

Lifeline — phone or internet discountA monthly discount of up to $9.25 on phone or internet service from a participating company, one per household. You qualify with household income at or below 135% of the federal poverty guidelines, or if you get SNAP, Medicaid, Federal Public Housing Assistance, SSI, or a Veterans Pension. Apply online through the National Verifier at lifelinesupport.org, by mail, or through a phone company, and use the Companies Near Me tool to find providers. Recertify every year, and use a no-fee plan at least once every 30 days. Lifeline does not pay for the phone itself, and some providers give a free phone at their own expense, so ask before you choose. 800-234-9473 · fcc.gov/lifeline-consumers

PCs for People — low-cost refurbished computersA nonprofit that sells refurbished laptops and desktops to people who receive a government assistance program or have income under 200% of federal poverty guidelines. You need a photo ID and proof of income or benefits, and no proof of citizenship is required. Computers ship free within the U.S. and carry a one-year warranty, and the nonprofit says prices start around $50 for qualifying buyers. pcsforpeople.org

Xfinity Internet EssentialsHome internet for $14.95 a month (up to 75 Mbps) or $29.95 (up to 100 Mbps), free Xfinity WiFi hotspots, free training, and a laptop for $149.99 after you enroll. You must be in a program such as SNAP, Medicaid, housing assistance, or the National School Lunch Program, live where Xfinity is available, and have no Xfinity Internet in the last 90 days. 844-389-4681

Maryland AT Reuse Center — free refurbished devices for people with disabilitiesFree long-term loans of donated, repaired assistive technology, including iPads and other Apple devices, speech and communication devices, and eye-gaze systems. It does not give out computers. Apply at myatprogram.org. Inside the Loan Closet building, 7125 Riverwood Dr, Suite D1, Columbia. 410-554-9232

Maryland Assistive Technology Program — try before you buyA free lending library of assistive technology. Borrow a device for up to 4 weeks to test it, either in person or shipped with help setting it up over video. Appointments are required. 800-832-4827

Howard County Library System — Library of ThingsFree borrowing of technology, tools, and learning tablets for children. Library of Things items carry a daily fine when returned late. hclibrary.org/things

Maryland Relay — free relay serviceFree relay calling for people who are deaf, hard of hearing, deafblind, or have speech disabilities. Dial 7-1-1 from any phone. 7-1-1

Howard County apprenticeship information sessionsFree sessions to learn about local apprenticeship opportunities. The county offers career counseling and training referrals. Apprenticeships are run by employers, who make every hiring decision, so the county connects you to current openings and does not place candidates directly. Search active programs with the Maryland Apprenticeship Locator linked from the county page. howardcountymd.gov/hcapprenticeships

Howard Community College — earn-while-you-learn apprenticeshipsPrograms include plumbing, HVAC, and electrical, plus information technology, surgical technologist, and licensed practical nursing. Each program has its own requirements and deadlines, and some are open now while others are closed, so check the list. howardcc.edu/apprenticeships

Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 37 — heavy-equipment apprenticeshipA union apprenticeship in the Baltimore area, with a training school that also runs OSHA 10 and other safety courses. Download the application packet from the website or pick one up, then turn it in person at the school with every document the packet lists. 5021 North Point Blvd, Baltimore. 443-242-6280

Jobs and coaching for people with disabilitiesHumanim (supported employment, job coaching, retention support) and The Arc of Howard County (job matching with 55+ area businesses, on-the-job coaching, Project SEARCH) serve people with disabilities. DORS, the state vocational rehabilitation agency, offers career counseling, training, and work-readiness support, and people on SSI or SSDI are presumed eligible. Humanim 410-381-7171 · The Arc 410-730-0638 · DORS 410-554-9200