You Need to Know About These 8 Fantastic Low-Income Moving Assistance Programs

A person sealing a moving box with tape in a sunlit room. — A woman sits on her rug, carefully taping up cardboard boxes as she prepares for the journey of moving.

When was the last time you moved?

Moving can easily become a stressful experience for anyone, especially since it requires a lot of money. Many people hire a full-service moving company to help them with the transition, and that takes a few things off their to-do list, but it costs a lot. However, even if you don’t want to call a company like this, you still have to set aside some extra cash for things such as transportation and packing supplies.

You might also need some extra funds to help you with storage space, get some time off from work, and not to mention the huge cost of moving to a new apartment or house. Even though the total costs are high, there’s no need to worry if you’re short on money. You might be lucky and qualify for a low-income moving assistance program offered by plenty of local organizations and national charities.

There are generally quite a few programs available to assist people with their moving expenses. In some cases, they will even cover 100% of the costs or provide substantial grants to assist you with partial or even full financial assistance. Here are 8 programs you need to be aware of:

1. Catholic Charities

There are a lot of Catholic charities that offer a variety of needs-based assistance programs for families that don’t have a big budget. Their resources include emergency moving assistance for people who qualify, especially those who are extremely short on money, are homeless, or are at risk of not having a place to stay.

If the biggest problem between you and your permanent housing is the cost of moving, these organizations might be able to give you solutions. You can apply for low-income moving assistance by visiting CatholicCharities.org to find your local chapter.

A clean infographic showing the Salvation Army's path from emergency shelter to long-term housing with contact phone numbers. — This infographic shows the Salvation Army’s pathway from emergency shelter to transitional housing and long-term support.

2. Salvation Army

Shelters, transitional housing, and long-term supportive housing are all included in The Salvation Army’s housing assistance program. It pays for partner shelters in cities where the organization doesn’t operate any shelters. The transitional housing programs offered by the Salvation Army include food, accommodations in provisional shelters, and other supplies and assistance that are needed in order to reestablish stability.

In addition to that, the Salvation Army also offers a variety of long-term housing services, including rental aid for families and programs for low-income seniors to find an affordable place to live.

You can get some more info about this program if you call 800-SAL-ARMY (800-725-2769) or go to the Salvation Army website. After this, all you’re required to do is put in your zip code and search for the local branches’ contact information to see the options they give. If you don’t want to call them, you can fill out the contact form and they will reach out to you.

3. Federal Relocation Assistance Program

If you’re forced to move out of the place you live due to natural disasters, you can obtain help and assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA), which helps with funding through the Federal Relocation Assistance Program.

What’s great about this program is that you’re also able to obtain disaster-caused childcare needs, home repairs and reinstatement, disaster medical expenses, cleanup services, and even a momentary place to live. But before you can receive all the help you need, the organization wants to be sure about your situation, so they will arrange a home inspection to rule out the case and estimate the amount of deterioration.

The 1st thing you need to do if you want to apply is to go to DisasterAssistance.gov and enter your city and zip code to see if your area is qualified for their support. After that, you have to choose the type of disaster that cost your home those issues and list the catastrophe that hit your place. Make sure you don’t throw away any of the receipts or paperwork. You’ll need them as proof.

Once your account has been activated, you can use it to check your status, upload all the documents FEMA requires you to, and so on. If you want to speak to a representative over the phone, you can call them at 800-621-3362. If you’re in need of an emergency shelter due to a calamity, you can find more information about that on the FEMA mobile app.

Close-up of hands and paperwork on a wooden table, suggesting careful financial planning. — A person reviews bills at a wooden table, highlighting the financial challenges Modest Needs helps solve.

4. Modest Needs

Modest Needs is an organization that was created in 2002 and helps people who are working but don’t make enough money by offering one-time self-reliance grants between $750 and $1,250. Basically, this program is designed for those who live just above the debt level.

The beneficiaries can use these allocations for plenty of different things, but given the fact that they are paid out to merchants and service providers instead of people in need themselves, you’ll need to have a direct plan where you’d like the money to go; for instance, towards a rental unit.

You can easily apply for a grant like this by visiting ModestNeeds.org and filling out an application form. If you go to their website, you’ll also receive information on the types of allocations available as well as qualification demands.

5. Housing Industry Foundation’s Emergency Housing Fund

The Housing Industry Foundation’s Emergency Housing Fund offers a solution for unpredictable and transitory financial difficulties and acts as a bridge between a deadlock and a way out. An unsteady housing situation can be the result of plenty of unanticipated situations, such as job loss, medical bills, and even a death in the family.

This program was constructed in order to help people in need, and eligible applicants can receive one-time grants of up to $2,500. The process of receiving an allowance from the HIF is really quick (typically no more than 24 hours). If you want to apply, you should know that they only accept people through referrals, so get started early just in case. You can find more info regarding their programs and how to apply on their website, HIFinfo.org.

A paper-cut collage showing hands supporting a house, symbolizing community and elderly support. — Hands cradle a house in this collage, representing the community support provided by ACL grant programs.

6. Administration for Community Living (ACL) grants

The Administration for Community Living gives grants to organizations and states that offer their support and services to elders and people who live with disabilities. Unfortunately, you aren’t able to apply directly to these programs since they give the money to institutions, not individuals.

However, if you go to their website, USA.gov, you can find more information about the programs and grants offered. You can also find government resources related to financial aid and different types of help services for people living with disabilities.

7. USDA’s Rural Housing Service

With a focus on rural regions, USDA’s Rural Housing Service provides loans, grants, and loan guarantees for single and multi-family housing, and also places to live for farm laborers, and much more. You can get more details about this program by calling (800) 414-1226 or visiting their website.

A technical diagram showing that moving expense deductions are now reserved for active-duty military with PCS orders. — This infographic compares moving expense deduction eligibility for general taxpayers versus active duty military members.

8. The IRS moving expenses deduction for military families

If you are an active-duty member of the military and you’re required to move as a result of a military order, we have good news for you! You can deduct your relocation costs from your income and you won’t be taxed on them. This is also available for international moves.

You don’t need to submit any more papers in order to apply. All you have to do is simply include every expense that is authorized on your federal tax return. In order to calculate your relocation expense deduction, utilize Form 3903, Moving Expenses. Remember to save all receipts relevant to your move, so you have proof when you need them!

…Were you aware of any of these programs that are meant to make moving easier for those in need?
…If you want to read more about financial help and how people living with disabilities can access it, check this out: Living With Disabilities? Here Are 14 Ways To Get Financial Assistance!