Community Resources

• United Way 211 - Dial 211 from any phone to speak with a referral specialist 24 hours a day about community resources and any service needs you may have. Available in English and Spanish. 211
• Topeka Resource Checklist Updated April 2023
• 2023 CRC Resource Directory - The Community Resource Directory is a cumulative list of more than 700 different agencies and social service programs throughout Jackson, Jefferson, and Shawnee County, as well as Veteran Resources.
  
  Services are listed ranging from general and adult services, children, youth and family services, senior citizens services, mental health, and substance abuse services, medical services, food & clothing banks & hot meals, and support groups. 
  
  CRC quick reference to emergency rent/utility help, food & clothing, health & dental, etc. in both English and Spanish.

Information about food resources changes frequently. 

Try these tips:

• Check for updates - Go to the Facebook page or website of the organization. Call the organization if you are still unsure.
• Check the date - Is the information you see new or old?
• Check the source - Who posted the information? What group are they with? Are they local?
• Be careful of potential scams when seeking help. 

Harvesters Food Locator includes current mobile food distribution dates/times/locations.

Jayhawk Area Agency on Aging coordinates services for older adults.

Meals on Wheels of Eastern Kansas serves seniors and home-bound in Shawnee, Jefferson and Douglas counties.

Check your eligibility for SNAP benefits.  The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as the Food Stamp Program, provides qualifying low-income households with food benefits, access to a healthy diet and education on food preparation and nutrition. In Kansas, the program is known as the Food Assistance Program.

Each program has specific criteria for eligibility. 

• 2026 Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP)
  Application closes March 31, 2026 at 5 pm
• 2026 Water Assistance Program 
• 2026 City of Topeka Franchise Fee Utility Credit Program 
• 2025 Property Tax Rebate Program

Learn more about mental health resources in Topeka including Crisis Services, finding a therapist or specialist, and public health priority areas and plans.

• Youth Crisis Services 785.232.5005
• Adult Crisis Services 785.234.3300
• 24-Hour Detox Line 785.234.3448
• Call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

Family Service & Guidance Center and Valeo Behavioral Health Care have merged to become Astra Mental Health & Recovery

Kansas Tenant Rights and Legal Resources: Essential Information for Renters from Kansas Legal Services explains the issues that Kansas tenants might face, as well as their legal rights before, during and after the tenancy. This focuses on non-federal housing, but HUD offers similar information concerning federal housing.

Kansas Legal Services and the Kansas Judicial Council both offer eviction videos for landlords and tenants in Kansas. 

Kansas Legal Services has prepared up-to-date legal forms and resources to support tenants. Individuals seeking legal assistance through Kansas Legal Services must first apply. You can apply for legal assistance during business hours by filling out the Online Application or by phone 1-800-723-6953. 

Call Money Management International (MMI), formerly Housing and Credit Counseling, Inc. (HCCI), to speak with a Tenant/Landlord Counselor. The counseling is free. Call 800-383-0217 or 785-234-0217.

Equity. Access. Shelter. EAS aims to enhance homeless services to ensure a single point of access for rental assistance for at risk individuals. The City of Topeka and all the partner agencies are working together through EAS to ensure people's experience obtaining rent and mortgage assistance is the most efficient as possible. You must meet these requirements and be confirmed eligible:

• Live in Shawnee County
• have not received rental/mortgage assistance in the last twelve (12) months
• have a plan to sustain housing expenses after a one-time assistance payment is applied
• Complete the EAS Referral Form to confirm eligibility

WiFi Access in the library's parking lot, community centers and other locations. 

Apply for Lifeline, a federal program that lowers the monthly cost of phone or internet service. A consumer can qualify for the Lifeline benefit if their income is 135% or less than the federal poverty guidelines, or if they participate in SNAP, Medicaid, or other federal programs.

If you are approved, search by your zipcode to choose a company in our area that offers Lifeline services. 

Cox and AT&T offer several low-cost internet plans for qualifying customers who meet requirements.

Tax Forms and Assistance links to local resources and state/federal forms. City of Topeka Property Tax Rebate program those 65 years of age and older.

• United Way 211 - Dial 211 from any phone to speak with a referral specialist 24 hours a day about community resources and any service needs you may have. Available in English and Spanish. 211
• Spanish version: Food Pantries and Meal Programs in Topeka/Shawnee County updated October 2022
• CRC quick reference to emergency rent/utility help, food & clothing, health & dental, etc. in both English and Spanish.
• Family Service & Guidance Center Spanish page - Mental Health Services for Shawnee County
• el Seguro Social (Social Security)
• Kansas Department for Children and Families Self-Service Portal (click on menu in upper left to choose Language - Spanish) 
  
  Si tuviese problemas para usar este sitio, por favor comuníquese con nuestro servicio de ayuda el teléfono 1-877-782-7358. Para preguntas relacionadas con su aplicación o beneficios, por favor comuníquese a nuestro Servicio al Cliente del DCF al 1-888-369-4777.
• La Luz Immigration Clinic is a full-service immigration law firm sponsored by Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas. Run by bilingual (Spanish/English) representatives and an attorney, La Luz provides vital legal assistance on non-business immigration matters. Para leer esta página en español, seleccione el botón de idioma en la parte superior del sitio web.
• Cover Kansas Health Insurance Marketplace (Spanish Language Website)
• Community Action, Inc. (Spanish website through Google Translate)
• Shawnee County Health Department (select Language - Spanish in Google Translate at bottom of the page)
• Temas de Salud: COVID-19 Spanish Language National Institutes of Health Resources for COVID-19
• Valeo Behavioral Health, Mental Health Services for Shawnee County, Documentos Informativos Importante