People and practical help
Housing, food, care, transportation, and ongoing support
These listings connect the local community with housing, food, behavioral health, benefits, transit, survivor advocacy, disability support, peer support, and practical resources. Ask about current availability, cost, scope, consent, and safety before relying on them.
Year-round, housing-first emergency shelter with staffing, case management, and permanent-housing pathway - Columbia and Boone County; intake and capacity rules apply
Voluntary Action Center Waypoint Shelter
The Voluntary Action Center describes Waypoint as a year-round, housing-first shelter with 24/7 staffing and case management. Confirm the current intake process, eligibility, space, accessibility, storage rules, and whether the program fits the household. It is not hoarding-specific care.
Low-barrier homeless day center, warming/cooling shelter, basic needs, case management, and referrals - Columbia; hours and capacity rules apply
New Day Columbia
New Day Columbia provides daytime services, emergency warming or cooling shelter, basic needs, referrals, and connections to longer-term housing and health support. Confirm the current schedule and service scope before traveling; it is not emergency dispatch or cleanup.
Evening meal pathway at The Hub - Columbia; meal schedule and service capacity should be confirmed directly
Loaves and Fishes
Loaves and Fishes serves hot meals at The Hub and is listed by the City as a local food resource. Ask about current serving times, access, and any changes before traveling; meal support is not a cleanup or medical service.
Food bank, pantry, and hunger-relief pathway - central and northeast Missouri; agency, household, schedule, and capacity rules vary
The Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri
The Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri connects people with food resources through its market and partner agencies. Check current programs, locations, documentation, and schedules before traveling; food support is not a cleanup or medical service.
Utility, medical-supply, and local benefits assistance - Boone County residents; income, residency, household, application, and lottery rules apply
Columbia Public Health and Human Services Social Services
Columbia's Social Services unit describes assistance for essential electricity, water, trash, and sewer bills, and its My Key portal includes medical and supply assistance and other programs. The current utility program has Boone County residency, income, account-name, documentation, annual-limit, and lottery rules. Confirm current eligibility and funding before relying on it.
City program application and benefits access - Columbia and Boone County; account, verification, and program rules apply
Columbia My Key Assistance Portal
My Key is the City's portal for applying to programs that may include utility assistance, medication or medical-supply help, and GO COMO paratransit eligibility. Create an account and review the current application and document requirements; assistance is not guaranteed and does not include automatic cleanup funding.
Residential trash, recycling, large-item, hazardous-waste, and yard-waste guidance - Columbia city limits; material, cart, schedule, and service rules apply
City of Columbia Solid Waste Utility
The City provides weekly curbside trash and recycling, large-item collection for eligible residential customers, yard-waste drop-off, and household-hazardous-waste information. It also describes no-cost assisted collection for residents with certified physical limitations. Confirm accepted materials, curb timing, appointments, and address eligibility before moving items.
Rental compliance, tenant complaints, nuisance, and energy-efficiency guidance - Columbia city limits; complaint, consent, notice, and jurisdiction rules apply
Columbia Neighborhood Services and Rental Resources
Neighborhood Services explains rental compliance, tenant complaint and consent-to-enter processes, nuisance accumulations, energy-efficiency resources, and city housing contacts. A complaint or inspection can have housing consequences; use it for a genuine city-limits concern and ask about the process before submitting sensitive information.
Public transit and ADA paratransit - Columbia; route, disability, application, reservation, and service rules apply
GO COMO Transit and Paratransit
GO COMO is the local public-transit and paratransit pathway. The City describes accessible, lift-equipped paratransit for eligible riders, and My Key includes a paratransit-eligibility application. Confirm current routes, eligibility, reservations, accessibility, and service hours when planning appointments.
SNAP, Medicaid, cash assistance, and family-support navigation - Missouri; program, income, household, and document rules apply
Missouri Department of Social Services Benefits
Missouri's benefit system can help residents explore and apply for programs such as SNAP, Medicaid, and cash assistance. Ask about current applications, verification, accessibility, and local help. Benefits access may stabilize food, medical, and household needs, but it is not hoarding treatment or cleanup funding.
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.