Holiday assistance programs for toys, meals and bills

The Salvation Army describes its holiday help as three things: the Angel Tree gift program, feeding, and utility assistance. It reports that 2,562,029 individuals and families received holiday assistance in 2025, and more than 1 million children got gifts through Angel Tree.

There is no national application. You apply to the office that serves your ZIP code. Many offices use the online form at SAAngelTree.org, which checks your ZIP code first. If your area is not served there, the site tells you to contact your local Salvation Army for other ways to apply.

Documents vary by office. The online form lists examples such as a photo ID and proof of where you live. For each child it may ask for a birth certificate or custody papers, clothing and shoe sizes, and a toy wish. You can upload scans or photos taken on your phone.

Food help is local too. The Greater New York office says it provides turkeys and side dishes, and the Detroit-area office gives seniors grocery store gift cards. Ask your office what it offers this year, since programs change from one season to the next.

Marine Toys for Tots works through local campaigns, and each sets its own rules. The national Request a Toy page says you must apply with the local campaign that supports your area. Its finder asks you to pick your state, then lists the campaigns there.

How families apply changes by city. In New York City, the local campaign says families register through one approved partner agency, such as a church or community center, from October 1. Toy distribution there begins November 16.

In New Orleans, the campaign sends families to public distribution events, for children from infancy to age 14. If your area has no campaign listed, ask 211 which groups in your county give out toys.

Register in one place only unless you are told otherwise. The NYC campaign asks families to use a single agency, and the Salvation Army office in New Orleans says it removes families who also apply with other agencies.

For a free Thanksgiving or holiday dinner, local groups do most of the work, so start with a search tool. The Feeding America finder takes your ZIP code and lists member food banks near you. It says anyone who needs extra help affording food can visit a pantry, though some serve only certain areas.

USAGov suggests calling 211 to find agencies that help with food in an emergency. You can also call the USDA National Hunger Hotline at 1-866-3-HUNGRY (1-866-348-6479), or 1-877-8-HAMBRE (1-877-842-6273) in Spanish, Monday to Friday, 8 AM to 8 PM Eastern.

SNAP has no special holiday benefit, but it is the steadiest grocery help if you qualify. You apply through your state, and our SNAP guide explains the income limits. TEFAP, the federal program that stocks many pantries, is also run through your state agency.

Many states limit winter shutoffs, either between set dates or when it gets very cold. The LIHEAP Clearinghousekeeps a state-by-state list. Minnesota's date-based protection runs October 1 to April 30, for example, while Texas bars disconnections when the temperature is under 32°F.

These rules pause shutoffs, not bills. The Clearinghouse notes that utilities keep billing during protected periods, and the past-due balance does not shrink. The rules also generally cover regulated utilities only, so a co-op or a heating oil dealer may not be bound by them.

To pay down the bill itself, apply for LIHEAP and ask your utility about a payment plan. The Salvation Army also lists utility help among its holiday services, so mention your bill when you call about gifts.