Nebraska Assistance Programs and Benefits
Free help finding assistance programs, from Omaha to the Panhandle
A hailstorm, a layoff at the plant or a surprise hospital bill can leave a Nebraska family scrambling. Helping Hands spells out which Nebraska assistance programs fit your situation and how to reach them.
Share what you need. We match it to programs, explain who runs them and tell you which Nebraska office to call.
Help is here for all 93 counties in Nebraska. Maybe you live in Omaha, Lincoln or Grand Island, in Douglas, Lancaster or Sarpy County, or on a farm in the Sandhills. The guidance is free for you.
Nebraska help comes from DHHS programs, federal benefits, local charities, food banks and community action agencies. We help you figure out which ones to contact.
Check Your Eligibility for Free
Programs each set their own rules. Your income, household size, age, disability, housing and work history can all change what you qualify for.
Helping Hands helps you narrow down the programs that may fit and where to start.
Nebraska Financial Assistance Programs
A bad harvest, a lost job or an injury can burn through savings quickly. Nebraska households have several kinds of financial help to look at, depending on what went wrong.
If you can't keep up with the basics, we help you find resources that fit and show you where to apply.
Helping Hands can help you locate information about programs and resources involving:
Nebraska Food Assistance and SNAP Benefits
Rising grocery prices hit hardest when money is already short.
You'll learn about Nebraska food assistance programs here, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Nebraska issues SNAP on an EBT card that you swipe like a debit card at approved stores.
Trouble keeping food on the table? A look at your SNAP eligibility is the place to start.
You can apply for SNAP, Medicaid, LIHEAP and other programs through the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) online at iServe Nebraska or at a local DHHS office.
We can also help Nebraska residents locate:
Nebraska Utility Bill Assistance
Nebraska gets both extremes: blizzards and bitter wind in winter, hot and humid stretches in summer. Unpaid heating or cooling bills can lead to a shutoff.
Ask us about heating and cooling help for Nebraska households, including crisis help when a disconnect notice arrives.
Resources may include information about:
LIHEAP Assistance in Nebraska
The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services runs the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), with help for heating, cooling and energy crises.
You can apply online through iServe Nebraska, by phone or at a local DHHS office. Funding, seasons and rules change, so check the current details before you apply.
We help you understand the options and take the first step.
Nebraska Rental Assistance and Housing Assistance
Rent can take a huge share of your income after a job loss or an emergency.
Behind on rent, facing eviction, or looking for an affordable home in Omaha, Lincoln or out west? Nebraska programs and nonprofits may step in, and we help you find them.
Helping Hands provides information about housing resources that may be available to qualifying Nebraska residents, including:
Section 8 and Housing Assistance in Nebraska
Nebraskans who need lower rent should know about Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers and other subsidized housing.
Local housing authorities run these programs, and rules and wait lists vary by community.
Helping Hands can provide information and resources to help you understand:
Nebraska Eviction Assistance
Got a notice to vacate or fallen behind on rent? Don't wait. Time counts in an eviction case.
Nebraska renters can look for rental assistance, eviction prevention, emergency housing, legal aid and local community resources, and we help you find the right ones.
Nonprofits, Legal Aid of Nebraska, local agencies and housing programs may all play a role, depending on your situation.
Foreclosure Prevention Assistance in Nebraska
Homeowners who hit a rough patch should review their options before missed payments grow.
We pass along referrals for foreclosure prevention and housing counseling across Nebraska.
Missed a mortgage payment? Reach a housing counselor and your mortgage servicer early.
Nebraska Assistance for Seniors
Older Nebraskans may qualify for help with health care, food, housing, transportation and day-to-day bills.
For free Medicare counseling, call Nebraska SHIP & SMP at 1-800-234-7119.
Helping Hands provides information about resources that may be available to older adults, including:
Nebraska Medicaid (Heritage Health) and Medicare Resources
Seniors, people with disabilities and families with low incomes feel medical bills the most.
Helping Hands helps you find information about Medicare, Nebraska Medicaid (Heritage Health), health care assistance and other medical resources that fit your situation.
Nebraska Medicaid and Medicare each have their own requirements, so check the current rules for the one you need.
Disability Assistance in Nebraska
Living with a disability in Nebraska? You may qualify for specialized programs, waiver services and community support.
Every program has its own qualifications, so check them one at a time.
Helping Hands can help Nebraska residents locate information about resources involving:
Legal Assistance for Nebraska Residents
Benefit denials, housing disputes and money trouble can call for legal help.
Legal Aid of Nebraska and other groups help people who qualify, and we can connect you with legal aid and free legal resources.
They decide who they can serve for free or at low cost.
Legal assistance may be particularly relevant for issues involving:
Education, Employment and Training Assistance
Staying stable often takes more than a single payment.
Helping Hands also shares education, job training and workforce resources that can help Nebraskans move into better work and steadier pay.
Resources may include:
Nebraska Food Banks and Emergency Food Resources
Need food today? Nebraska food banks and pantries serve the metro areas and small towns along I-80 and beyond.
We help you find a pantry, a mobile food distribution or a meal program nearby, with options for families, seniors, people with disabilities and anyone in a tough month.
Need food, shelter or bill help today? Dial 2-1-1 in Nebraska. 211 connects you with local services at any hour.
Assistance Available Throughout All 93 Nebraska Counties
From Douglas County to Sioux County, we share program information and guidance across all 93 counties in Nebraska.
Our Nebraska resources reach cities and farm towns, including:
- Omaha
- Lincoln
- Bellevue
- Grand Island
- Kearney
- Fremont
- Hastings
- Norfolk
- Columbus
- Papillion
- La Vista
- North Platte
- Scottsbluff
- South Sioux City
- Beatrice
- Douglas County
- Lancaster County
- Sarpy County
- Hall County
- Buffalo County
- And communities throughout Nebraska
From an Omaha apartment to a ranch outside North Platte, the help you can get depends on your household and the programs in your area.
How Helping Hands Can Help
Figuring out which office runs which program can eat up days you don't have.
Helping Hands knows which office handles what, so Nebraskans can skip the runaround.
Our goal is to help you:
- Identify programs that may match your situation.
- Understand basic eligibility requirements.
- Find the appropriate agency or organization.
- Learn where and how to apply.
- Locate additional resources if one program does not meet your needs.
Nebraskans pay nothing for our help and resource information.
Need Help in Nebraska? Start Here.
Can't cover food, rent, utilities or a medical bill this month? You don't have to search for every program on your own.
Share your situation and we'll point you toward the DHHS office, nonprofit or local agency that fits.
Common Nebraska Assistance Programs
Food & Nutrition
- SNAP / Food Stamps
- EBT information
- Food banks
- Food pantries
- Emergency food assistance
Housing
- Rental assistance
- Section 8
- Low-income housing
- Eviction assistance
- Foreclosure prevention
- Emergency housing
Utilities
- LIHEAP
- Electric assistance
- Gas assistance
- Utility bill assistance
Financial Assistance
- Emergency financial assistance
- Cash assistance
- Family assistance
- Single-parent resources
- Community grants and assistance
Health & Senior Services
- Medicare
- Heritage Health (Medicaid)
- Senior assistance
- Disability resources
- Health-care assistance
Other Resources
- Legal assistance
- Education
- Job training
- Workforce resources
- Community services
Immediate Nebraska Assistance
Need help right now? Dial 2-1-1 to find local help in Nebraska with food, shelter, utility bills and other emergencies.
For SNAP, Medicaid and LIHEAP, contact the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) or apply through iServe Nebraska.
For Medicare questions, call Nebraska SHIP & SMP at 1-800-234-7119.
Helping Hands cuts the search for Nebraska help down to a few clear steps.
Find out what you may qualify for and explore Nebraska assistance programs.
Helping Hands is a resource and information service. Program eligibility, availability, funding, and application requirements are determined by the applicable government agency, nonprofit organization, housing authority, or other program administrator. Providing information about a program does not guarantee eligibility or approval.
