Get Help & Give Help (COVID-19)

Table of Contents

Get help

The City of Columbia Division of Human Services coordinates our community’s mass care and human services response to the COVID-19 pandemic. On this page, we will provide up to date information about social service and healthcare resources for residents of Boone County.

To find help with things like food, childcare, assistance paying household bills, medicine, healthcare, mental health services, or other essential services, please use our local guide to health and human services CoMoResources 

You can also contact our social services specialists M-F 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
573.817.6430
1005 W. Worley St. Columbia, MO 65203
SocialServices@CoMo.gov

Or, contact United Way 2-1-1. It’s FREE and CONFIDENTIAL. Specialists are available 24/7. Dial 2-1-1 or 1-800-427-4626 (TTY 1-866-385-6525)

Housing assistance

Housing Assistance Services

Utility assistance

Columbia/Boone County Division of Human Services 
Assistance for electric, water, trash, and sewer (eligibility required)

Please call or email for assistance!
573.817.6430
1005 W. Worley St. Columbia, MO 65203
SocialServices@CoMo.gov

Central Missouri Community Action
Assistance for electric and gas (eligibility required)
573.443.1100
800 N. Providence Rd., Columbia, MO 65203
[email protected]

Rent/mortgage assistance

Central Missouri Community Action
Rent and mortgage assistance
573.443.1100
800 N. Providence Rd., Columbia, MO 65203

Love Columbia
Rent assistance
573.256.7662

Phoenix Programs
Rent assistance
573.875.8880

Rock the Community
Rent and mortgage assistance
314.651.8735
[email protected]

Voluntary Action Center
Rent and mortgage assistance
573.874.2273

Missouri Housing Development Commission
SAFHR
Rent and mortgage assistance
833.541.1599
[email protected]

Local SAFHR Navigators:

  • Love Columbia   573.256.7662
  • Salvation Army  573.442.3229

Food

Food pantries

The Food Bank Central Pantry
573.874.7848

The Food Bank- Food Pantries (Boone County)

Home delivered meals and groceries

Services For Independent Living
Grocery and food pantry shopping and delivery (eligibility required)
573.874.1646

Meals on Wheels
home-delivered meals (eligibility required)
573.886.7554

Aging Best
home-delivered meals (eligibility required)
800.369.5211

SNAP (food stamps)

Missouri Department of Social Services
855.FSD.INFO

WIC

Columbia/Boone County WIC
573.874.7384
Please call first!

Health

Healthcare

MO Healthnet (Medicaid)
Missouri Department of Social Services
855-FSD-INFO

Family Health Center
573.214.2314
Please call before you seek care!

Medication

Columbia/Boone County Division of Human Services
Assistance with medications and medical supplies/equipment (eligibility required)
573.817.6430
[email protected]
Please call or email for assistance!

Voluntary Action Center
Assistance with medications and co-payments (eligibility required)
573.874.2273

Pharmacies

Boone County Pharmacies

Mental health services

If you or someone you know is having a mental health crisis or are having thoughts of suicide, call the 24/7 Crisis Hotline 800.395.2132.

Adults

MU Psychological Services
Boone County residents over age 19 can receive up to five teletherapy sessions at no cost through MU’s Psychological Services Clinic. If more sessions are needed, clients can receive ongoing care which can be billed to insurance or paid via a sliding scale.
573.882.4677
[email protected]

Burrell Behavioral Health Assessment Center
573.777.8455

Compass Health Network Behavioral Health Services
Central Intake 844.853.8937
Crisis-line 888.237.4567

Phoenix Programs
573.875.8880

Children, youth, and families

Family Access Center of Excellence (FACE) of Boone County
Family Access Center of Excellence (FACE) will connect Boone County families who have a child aged 0-19 to a local provider for up to 6 hours of free counseling services. FACE will help each family by providing a menu of local provider options, support family access by scheduling appointments, and address any barriers to accessing the services families have chosen—including paying for up to six hours of therapeutic services for families who are struggling to cope with COVID-19 stressors.
573.771.3223

Boone County Provider Database

Essential workers

HeartSpace Clinic
Support for Boone County residents who are teachers, childcare providers, caseworkers, social workers, counselors, doctors, nurses and other medical professionals who are in the healing field and dealing with the impact of the COVID-19:

  • Warmline 573.355.2568 (8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.  Monday – Saturday)
  • For individual and group therapy sessions 573.214.0436

Other resources

Household and hygiene products

Voluntary Action Center
hygiene items and household cleaning products (eligibility required)
573.874.2273

The Salvation Army
hygiene items (eligibility required)
573.442.3229

Childcare

Find childcare

ChildCare Aware of Missouri
866.892.3228
[email protected]

Child care subsidy

Missouri Department of Social Services
855-FSD-INFO

Unemployment

Missouri Department of Labor- Unemployment Benefits
800.320.2519

Job Center (Columbia)
Available to assist  with filing unemployment claims and to answer questions. She said many of the staff are working remotely, but the phones and emails are being answered.
Phone: 573.441.6361
Toll-free: 888.728.5627

Legal Aid

Mid-Missouri Legal Services
573.442.0116

Give help

CoMoHelps is a joint effort of Boone County, City of Columbia, Community Foundation of Central Missouri, Heart of Missouri United Way, and Veterans United Foundation. We are working with local nonprofits, community partners, and government agencies to quickly determine and meet the needs of our community during the COVID-19 pandemic. Visit CoMOHelps.org for information on giving to help.