How to Find a Homeless Shelter or Service Near You
You can locate a shelter or support service near you by searching a national directory by state, then calling the specific location before you go. The Homeless Shelter Directory lists 14,629 shelters and social service organizations across the United States, organized by state from Alabama through Wyoming. This guide is for anyone who needs emergency shelter, food, rent help, or affordable housing — and for people who want to volunteer or donate instead. The one rule that matters most: call ahead, because intake rules and hours change and many shelters have set different rules in recent years.
Start With the Right Resource Type
The directory separates services into distinct categories, and picking the right one saves time. Match your situation to the category before you start calling.
| Your situation | Resource to look for |
|---|---|
| Need a place to sleep tonight | Emergency shelter |
| Need a meal today | Soup kitchen or food bank |
| Behind on rent, facing eviction | Rent assistance program |
| Looking for a longer-term place to live | Affordable housing or public housing (including Section 8) |
| Want to help rather than receive help | Volunteer opportunities or donation drop-off |
If you are unsure, start with emergency shelter — shelters generally know the local network and can point you to food, rent help, or housing programs even if they cannot take you in.
Search by State, Then Narrow to Your City
The directory is organized by state, so the search path is short:
- Open the directory and choose your state from the list (Alabama through Wyoming, plus the District of Columbia).
- Scan the results for your city or the nearest large city. Listings include the organization name, location, and a short description of who they serve.
- Note the contact information for two or three options rather than one, in case your first choice is full.
Listings describe their focus, which helps you filter quickly. For example, one Brooklyn, NY listing covers shelters for families across Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx, while a separate Orlando, FL listing describes a network of screened host families for children during a parent's crisis. Reading the description tells you whether a location serves families, individuals, or a specific group before you call.
Call Before You Go
The directory itself advises calling before going to a shelter, and this is the step people most often skip. A phone call confirms:
- Current intake rules and hours. Rules have changed at many shelters, so posted hours may not reflect what happens at the door.
- Whether space is available. Availability shifts daily.
- What to bring. Ask specifically what identification or information is required for intake.
- Eligibility. Ask whether they serve your situation — some locations are family-only, some serve specific populations, and some refer elsewhere.
If the first number does not answer, try the next listing on your list. A referral from one organization to another is normal and often faster than searching again from scratch.
What to Have Ready for Intake
Requirements vary by location, so treat this as a checklist to confirm by phone rather than a fixed list. Commonly requested items include:
- Photo ID or another form of identification
- Basic personal information (name, date of birth, contact details)
- Information about your household, if you are seeking family shelter
- Any documentation related to your housing situation, if you are applying for rent assistance or affordable housing
Ask about eligibility when you call — it is better to learn that a program does not fit your situation before you travel there.
If You Want to Help Instead
The directory was also built for people who want to find and donate food or supplies to a local shelter. Two ways to start:
- Donate or volunteer locally. Most shelters need volunteers, and listings include contact information for volunteering. Search your own state and city first so your help stays local.
- Use the related resource pages. The site also links to soup kitchens and food banks, rent assistance programs, and affordable housing listings — useful if you want to direct support to a specific need rather than a general shelter.
Common Stops and How to Get Past Them
- The nearest shelter is full. Ask the shelter you called for a referral, then check the next city over in the same state listing.
- No answer on the phone. Try a different time of day and have a backup listing ready.
- You are not sure you qualify. Call anyway and describe your situation. Staff can confirm eligibility or redirect you to the right program, including rent assistance or affordable housing if shelter is not the right fit.
- You need food today, not housing. Go straight to the soup kitchen and food bank listings instead of the shelter list.