A Sacred Network of Mutual Aid
Missouri
Resources & Refuge
"You are not alone. Whatever has brought you here, there is help across the Show-Me State — from St. Louis to Kansas City to the Ozarks. Shelter, food, healing, and hands ready to hold yours. Begin wherever you need to."
Immediate Help in Missouri
Find Help Now
Real, currently operating resources across Missouri. Choose a path below — each holds verified shelters, programs, and organizations ready to help today.
The Sanctuary
Emergency shelter and a safe place to rest across Missouri.
St. Patrick Center — Welcome Center
City: St. Louis
Services: Missouri's leading homeless-services nonprofit; the intake point for most St. Louis emergency shelters, plus housing, employment, and health care
Notes: Walk-in intake Mon–Fri 8am–1pm (arrive early). For emergency shelter intake outside those hours, call 211.
St. Louis Housing Helpline
City: St. Louis
Services: City helpline connecting people to emergency shelter and housing, day and night
Notes: During "Code Blue" extreme-cold alerts, the city opens 600+ shelter beds with transportation. Call for current options.
Phone: 314-802-5444
Gateway180
City: St. Louis
Services: Emergency shelter for women, children, and families — one of Missouri's largest 24-hour emergency housing programs
Notes: Safe, nurturing shelter with supportive services to reverse homelessness.
Website: gateway180.org
City Union Mission
City: Kansas City
Services: Christ-centered shelter, meals, and recovery — a Men's Shelter and a Family Center for women and children
Notes: Men's Shelter: 1108 E 10th St. Family Center: 1310 Wabash Ave. Serving Kansas City for 100+ years.
Address: 1108 E 10th St, Kansas City, MO 64106
Website: cityunionmission.org
reStart, Inc.
City: Kansas City
Services: Shelter and housing for individuals, families, youth, and people living with HIV/AIDS
Notes: Not an emergency drop-in — call first for intake and availability.
Phone: 816-472-5664
Website: restartinc.org
Kansas City Rescue Mission
City: Kansas City
Services: Emergency drop-in shelter for single men, meals, and recovery programs
Notes: First-come, first-served. Check-in begins at 3pm.
Phone: 816-421-7643
Website: kcrm.org
No safe place tonight? In St. Louis call the Housing Helpline (314-802-5444); in Kansas City call 211. Statewide, dial 211 to find the nearest open shelter.
Bread of Life
Food banks, pantries, and meals across Missouri.
St. Louis Area Foodbank
City: Eastern Missouri
Services: Regional food bank distributing through a network of partner pantries and programs; online pantry finder
Notes: Serves the bi-state St. Louis region. Use the site to find food near you.
Website: stlfoodbank.org/get-help
Operation Food Search
City: St. Louis region
Services: Free groceries, fresh produce, and nutrition programs across the St. Louis metro
Notes: Distributes through a wide network of partner agencies.
Website: operationfoodsearch.org
Harvesters — The Community Food Network
City: Kansas City / NW Missouri
Services: Regional food bank serving a 26-county area through 620+ partner agencies and mobile pantries
Notes: Call or use the site to find a pantry or mobile distribution near you.
Ozarks Food Harvest
City: Springfield / SW Missouri
Services: The Food Bank for southwest Missouri, supporting 270+ partner agencies across 28 counties
Notes: Find a partner pantry or mobile distribution through their site.
Website: ozarksfoodharvest.org
The Food Bank for Central & Northeast Missouri
City: Columbia / Central MO
Services: Food distribution across central and northeastern Missouri through partner agencies and schools
Notes: Serves 32 counties. Use the site to find help near you.
Website: sharefoodbringhope.org
SNAP stretches further than any pantry — see The Providence to apply, and you can use a shelter as your address. Missouri's food banks together cover all 114 counties.
The Healing Hand
Free and low-cost clinics, behavioral health, and care for people without stable housing.
Affinia Healthcare
City: St. Louis
Services: Community health center — primary care, dental, behavioral health, and care for people experiencing homelessness
Notes: Sliding scale; serves everyone regardless of insurance or housing status.
Website: affiniahealthcare.org
KC Care Health Center
City: Kansas City
Services: Medical, dental, and behavioral health care on a sliding scale regardless of ability to pay
Notes: A federally qualified health center serving the KC metro.
Website: kccare.org
Jordan Valley Community Health Center
City: Springfield & SW Missouri
Services: Medical, dental, and behavioral health care on a sliding scale
Notes: Serves southwest Missouri regardless of ability to pay.
Website: jordanvalley.org
MO HealthNet (Medicaid)
City: Statewide
Services: Free or low-cost health coverage for eligible adults, children, and people with disabilities
Notes: Apply any time through MyDSS. Dial 211 to find the nearest community health center.
Website: mydss.mo.gov
For a mental-health or substance-use crisis, call or text 988 anytime — free, confidential, 24/7.
The Haven
Safe places to shelter from extreme weather, plus guidance on camping in Missouri.
Code Blue & Warming Centers
City: Statewide (winter)
Services: Emergency cold-weather shelters and warming centers opened during dangerous cold
Notes: St. Louis declares "Code Blue" and opens 600+ beds with transport (Housing Helpline 314-802-5444). Kansas City opens warming centers like Hope Faith. Dial 211 for the nearest.
Phone: Dial 211 · STL 314-802-5444
Street Outreach
City: St. Louis & Kansas City
Services: Outreach teams who meet people outdoors and connect them to shelter, services, and weather alerts
Notes: Coordinated through each metro's Continuum of Care. Request outreach through 211.
Phone: Dial 211
Camping & Public Land — Know the Law
City: Statewide
Services: Guidance on where it is and isn't legal to sleep outdoors in Missouri
Notes: A 2022 Missouri law makes unauthorized camping on state-owned land a misdemeanor, and cities set their own rules. Before settling somewhere, check with outreach or 211, and see Rights & Laws below.
Phone: Dial 211 (24/7)
Missouri winters can be deadly outdoors. If you have nowhere safe to go, call 211 (or the STL Housing Helpline) — they'll find the nearest warming center or shelter bed.
Living Waters
Showers, laundry, mail, and personal-care access through day centers.
St. Patrick Center — Shamrock Club
City: St. Louis
Services: Day program with breakfast, lunch, showers, phones, laundry, mail, and referrals
Notes: Membership-based day services alongside St. Patrick Center's housing and health programs.
Phone: 314-802-0700
Address: 800 N. Tucker Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63101
InExcelsis — Dignity on Wheels
City: St. Louis
Services: Mobile showers and hygiene supplies brought directly to the streets and encampments
Notes: Check the website for current times and locations.
Address: 4265 Shaw Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63110
Website: inexcelsislove.org
Hope Faith
City: Kansas City
Services: Day center with meals, showers, mail, ID help, healthcare, and case management — plus winter overnight shelter
Notes: A welcoming hub connecting people to housing and services. Everyone is welcome.
Phone: 816-471-4673
Website: hopefaith.org
Hygiene and laundry access shifts by site and season. 211 keeps the most current list of open day centers and mobile services near you.
The Guardian
Free civil legal aid — your rights around housing, eviction, benefits, and safety.
Legal Services of Eastern Missouri
City: St. Louis & eastern MO
Services: Free civil legal aid — eviction defense, housing, public benefits, family, and consumer law
Notes: Serves the St. Louis region and 21 eastern counties. Apply online or by phone.
Website: lsem.org
Legal Aid of Western Missouri
City: Kansas City & western MO
Services: Free civil legal help — eviction defense, housing conditions, benefits, and family law
Notes: Serves Kansas City and western Missouri counties.
Website: lawmo.org
Legal Services of Southern Missouri
City: Springfield & southern MO
Services: Free civil legal aid across 43 counties in southern Missouri
Notes: Help with housing, benefits, family, and consumer issues.
Website: lsosm.org
LawHelpMO.org
City: Statewide
Services: Free legal information, self-help guides, and a tool to find the legal-aid office for your county
Notes: The best starting point for understanding your rights in Missouri.
Website: lawhelp.org/mo
Facing eviction? Don't wait — contact legal aid as soon as you receive a notice. You have a right to notice and a hearing before you can be removed.
The Providence
Government benefits — food, health coverage, cash assistance, and emergency help.
Missouri DSS — MyDSS
City: Statewide
Services: SNAP (food stamps), Temporary Assistance, and MO HealthNet (Medicaid) — apply online or by phone
Notes: No permanent address required — you can use a shelter. Homeless applicants may qualify for expedited SNAP. FSD Info Line: 855-373-4636.
Phone: 855-373-4636
Website: mydss.mo.gov
MO HealthNet (Medicaid)
City: Statewide
Services: Free or low-cost health coverage for eligible adults, children, pregnant women, and people with disabilities
Notes: Apply any time through MyDSS. Adult expansion coverage is available based on income.
Website: mydss.mo.gov/healthcare
Social Security Administration
City: Statewide
Services: SSI and SSDI disability benefits, retirement, and survivor benefits
Notes: You can apply without a permanent address. Ask about expedited SSI if you're homeless.
Phone: 1-800-772-1213
Website: ssa.gov
Missouri 211
City: Statewide
Services: Free, confidential help finding any benefit, program, or service in Missouri
Notes: Available 24/7. Also connects to utility and rent assistance.
Phone: Dial 211
Website: 211helps.org
If your benefits are denied or wrongly cut, legal aid (see The Guardian) can help you appeal for free.
The Shepherd
Faith-based and community organizations offering food, shelter, and warm support.
St. Patrick Center
City: St. Louis
Services: Housing, employment, and health services — a ministry of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of St. Louis
Notes: See The Sanctuary for intake details. Serves all in need.
Phone: 314-802-0700
Website: stpatrickcenter.org
City Union Mission
City: Kansas City
Services: Christ-centered shelter, meals, recovery, and family support
Notes: See The Sanctuary for shelter details. All are welcome.
Website: cityunionmission.org
Catholic Charities of Missouri
City: Statewide
Services: Food, emergency assistance, family services, and refugee support across the St. Louis and Kansas City–St. Joseph dioceses
Notes: Help is offered to people of all faiths and backgrounds.
Website: ccstl.org
The Salvation Army Midland Division
City: Statewide
Services: Shelter, meals, food pantries, and emergency assistance
Notes: Local corps across Missouri. Find the nearest through 211.
Website: salvationarmy.org
Many Missouri congregations quietly help neighbors beyond what's listed here. If you have a home church, ask — and 211 can connect you to faith-based aid near you.
Know Where You Stand
Missouri Rights & Laws
A plain-language look at the laws that affect people experiencing homelessness in Missouri.
Food Benefits Without an Address
You do not need a permanent address to get SNAP in Missouri. You can list a shelter or where you usually stay, and have your card sent there or to a trusted contact.
Homeless applicants often qualify for expedited benefits within 7 days. Apply through MyDSS or call the FSD Info Line at 855-373-4636.
You qualify even if you have no place to cook or store food.
Camping on State Land
A 2022 Missouri law makes unauthorized camping on state-owned land a misdemeanor, and individual cities set their own rules about public spaces.
Following Grants Pass v. Johnson (2024), cities may enforce camping bans even when shelter beds are full.
Before settling in one place, check local ordinances or ask outreach workers. If your belongings are taken in a cleanup, contact legal aid.
Eviction & Tenant Rights
A Missouri landlord cannot simply put you out. They must go through the court, and you have the right to notice and a hearing.
- "Self-help" evictions (lockouts, removing belongings) are illegal
- You have the right to a hearing before removal
- Free eviction defense is available through legal aid
- Always respond to court papers — don't ignore them
Extreme Weather & Shelter
Missouri has no statewide right to shelter, but cities open emergency shelters during dangerous weather.
St. Louis declares "Code Blue" and opens 600+ beds with transportation; Kansas City opens warming centers in extreme cold.
Dial 211 (or the St. Louis Housing Helpline, 314-802-5444) to find the nearest open site.
Across the Show-Me State
Help by Region
Resources reach across Missouri. Here's where to start in some of the larger communities.
St. Louis
St. Louis City & County
St. Patrick Center, Gateway180, the Housing Helpline, St. Louis Area Foodbank, Operation Food Search, Affinia Healthcare, and Legal Services of Eastern Missouri.
Start: Housing Helpline 314-802-5444 or dial 211.
Kansas City
Jackson County
City Union Mission, reStart, Kansas City Rescue Mission, Hope Faith, Harvesters, KC Care Health Center, and Legal Aid of Western Missouri.
Start: Dial 211 or call Hope Faith 816-471-4673.
Springfield & the Ozarks
Greene County
The Kitchen Inc., Eden Village, Ozarks Food Harvest, Jordan Valley Community Health, and Legal Services of Southern Missouri.
Start: Dial 211 for shelter and food.
Columbia & Central
Boone County
Room at the Inn, The Food Bank for Central & Northeast Missouri, and Mid-Missouri Legal Services.
Start: Dial 211 or apply at MyDSS.
St. Joseph & the Northwest
Buchanan County
Second Harvest Community Food Bank, InterServ, and regional shelters and pantries.
Start: Dial 211 for the nearest shelter and pantry.
Statewide Lifelines
All 114 Counties
Missouri 211, MyDSS for benefits, and the network of regional legal-aid offices reach every corner of the state.
Start: Dial 211 — it covers every Missouri ZIP code.
Pathways Forward
Missouri Programs
Larger initiatives that move people from crisis toward stable housing.
Continuums of Care & Coordinated Entry
Through: St. Louis, Kansas City & the Missouri Balance of State CoCs
Helps with: A single assessment that prioritizes you for available shelter and housing in your region.
Start: St. Louis via the Housing Helpline (314-802-5444); elsewhere via 211.
Rapid Re-Housing & Supportive Housing
Through: St. Patrick Center, reStart & local partners
Helps with: Short-term rental assistance and longer-term supportive housing with case management.
Start: Ask a shelter case manager or dial 211.
Missouri Housing Development Commission
Through: MHDC
Helps with: Affordable rental housing, housing-choice vouchers, and homeless-assistance grants statewide.
Start: Dial 211 or ask a case manager about MHDC-funded programs near you.
Find Help Near You
Resource Map
An interactive map of Missouri resources is on its way as the Network grows.
Interactive Map — Coming Soon
Soon this map will plot shelters, food, clinics, hygiene sites, and warming centers near your location across Missouri.
Until then, dial 211 anytime for live, location-based help — or choose a city to be pointed in the right direction.
The Network Grows
Angel Outreach in Missouri
Beyond these public resources, the Angel Network is preparing its own offerings for people in need across Missouri.
Angel Offerings — Gathering
As angels gather and The Chalice fills, Hope & Grace will extend direct blessings, partner outreach, and community support to souls right here in Missouri.
These offerings will appear here as the Network grows. If you are in need today, please request a blessing — and lean on the verified resources above in the meantime.
You Are Not Alone
However You Arrived Here
Whether you need shelter tonight or hope to one day become an angel for someone else — there is a place for you in this Network.