Water and sewer bill assistance - Columbia Water single-family residential customers; income, payment history, and program limits apply
City of Columbia Customer Assistance Program
The City of Columbia Customer Assistance Program may pay up to 75% of a past-due water or sewer bill, up to $1,000, for eligible customers. The City states that income, payment history, and other requirements apply and that assistance is limited in frequency. It does not fund hoarding cleanup, but it may help protect housing stability while a plan is developed.
Household garbage, recycling, yard waste, and disposal guidance - City of Columbia corporate limits; address, material, and schedule rules apply
Columbia Solid Waste and Recycling
Columbia Public Works provides garbage, recycling, and yard-waste collection and explains drop-off and restricted-material guidance. Confirm the address-specific schedule, accepted materials, cart placement, and whether a special pickup or fee applies before moving items to the curb. This is a disposal pathway, not a cleanup crew or hoarding treatment.
Non-emergency city-service navigation - Columbia city limits; request routing, response, and department rules apply
MyColaSC and City Service Requests
The City describes MyColaSC as a free service-request platform where residents can report and track non-emergency issues. Use it for a city-service question or to identify the right department, not for immediate danger, clinical care, protective services, or guaranteed cleanup. Ask how a request may be routed before submitting sensitive details.
County housing and homeowner-program navigation - Richland County; ownership, income, geography, and funding rules apply
Richland County Community Development
Richland County's community-development information includes housing, home-ownership assistance, local utility information, and related programs. Ask which current program addresses a specific health or safety repair, whether the property is in the County's jurisdiction, and what income or ownership documents are required. It is not automatic clutter-removal funding.
Adult protection and SNAP/TANF benefits navigation - Richland County; reporting, income, household, and document rules apply
Richland County Department of Social Services
Richland County DSS provides local access information for adult-protection reporting and SNAP/TANF benefits. Use the abuse-and-neglect hotline for a protective concern rather than email, and ask the benefits office about current application, verification, and accessibility options. Benefits navigation is not hoarding treatment or cleanup funding.
Benefits and financial-wellness navigation - South Carolina; income, household, program, and appointment rules apply
SC Thrive
SC Thrive helps South Carolinians connect with food, healthcare, Medicaid, Medicare, SNAP, medication assistance, and work-support resources. It may help stabilize the financial conditions around a housing or hoarding concern, but it is not a cleanup provider or clinical service. Confirm current participating sites and documentation needs.
Food, rent, mortgage, utility, and crisis assistance - Richland County; residency, income, documentation, and funding rules apply
The Cooperative Ministry
The Cooperative Ministry describes emergency food and crisis-assistance programs and may connect eligible Richland County residents to rent, mortgage, and utility support. Ask about current service hours, required South Carolina identification, available funds, and whether the requested help fits the program. It is not guaranteed funding for hoarding cleanup.
Emergency food and pantry navigation - Midlands and Richland County; pantry, household, schedule, and capacity rules vary
Harvest Hope Food Bank
Harvest Hope operates an emergency food pantry in Columbia and connects households to partner agencies across the Midlands. Confirm current pantry hours, identification, household limits, pickup options, and whether a closer partner agency is available. Food assistance is not a hoarding-support or emergency medical service.
Older-adult, caregiver, disability, home-support, and transportation navigation - South Carolina; age, disability, and program rules apply
South Carolina Department on Aging Supportive Services
The South Carolina Department on Aging coordinates supportive services through Area Agencies on Aging. Listed services include information and referral, personal care, light housekeeping, pest control, and transportation for eligible older adults and other qualifying residents. Ask the designated local agency about assessment, fees, waitlists, and service area.
Accessible transportation - Richland County and Columbia area; disability, age, application, scheduling, and service-area rules apply
The COMET Mobility and ADA Services
The COMET provides fixed-route service, DART ADA paratransit, and mobility programs for eligible seniors and people with disabilities. DART requires eligibility and advance reservations; V-TRIP and PUP have separate age, disability, geography, and training rules. Confirm current service area, fare, application, and scheduling before relying on a ride.
Free civil legal assistance - South Carolina, including Columbia; income, assets, issue, deadline, and intake rules apply
South Carolina Legal Services
South Carolina Legal Services provides free civil legal assistance to eligible residents and lists housing among its service areas. It may be relevant when a housing condition, eviction, repair, benefits, or discrimination concern overlaps with clutter or safety. Ask about current intake and deadlines; it does not handle criminal cases or provide cleanup.
Qualified-care, support-group, organizer, and task-force search - Columbia, telehealth, and national options; verify every listing directly
IOCDF Hoarding Resource Directory
The International OCD Foundation directory can help locate clinicians, support groups, professional organizers, and task forces that identify an interest in hoarding-related concerns. Directory inclusion is not an endorsement or credential guarantee. Confirm licensure, experience, consent-based pacing, privacy, fees, insurance, wait time, and service area directly.
Private-pay practical and peer-support pathway; confirm fit, scope, availability, consent, privacy, travel, and fees
The Peer Tree
The Peer Tree is the private-pay pathway for nonclinical hoarding and clutter support, including organizing help, groups, family guidance, and practical next steps. Ask about current service area, scope, pacing, privacy, consent, availability, and cost before beginning. The Peer Tree is separate from Fight the Blight's nonprofit programming.
Digital peer support - Available online; not therapy, clinical care, or emergency support
Unburied
Unburied, from The Peer Tree, is a judgment-free digital peer-support pathway for people affected by hoarding and clutter concerns and for friends and family supporters. It can offer connection, tools, and ongoing momentum from Columbia or anywhere else. It is not therapy, clinical care, a crisis service, or emergency support.