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STATEIllinoisWaukegan

Waukegan Local Assistance Programs

This page lists local organizations in Waukegan, Illinois that provide free legal help, food and social services. Statewide programs are described on the Illinois page.

Prairie State Legal ServicesFree civil legal help for Lake County
Websitepslegal.org 
Phone847-662-6925
Address325 West Washington Street, Suite 100, Waukegan, IL 60085

Prairie State Legal Services offers free legal help to low income people and people age 60 and over in Lake County, including Waukegan residents, with issues such as housing, benefits, domestic abuse and consumer problems. Its Waukegan office serves Lake County.1

Food

COOL Food PantryFree food pantry
Websitecoolministries.org 
Phone847-662-1230
Address800 W Glen Flora Avenue, Waukegan, IL 60085
HoursMonday to Friday, 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM, plus one Saturday a month, 10:00 AM to noon; call for the date

COOL Food Pantry provides food for breakfast, lunch and dinner, with specialty foods for cardiac and diabetic diets. COOL runs a second pantry in East Waukegan at 123 W Water Street, reached at the same phone number.2

Most Blessed Trinity Food PantryFree food pantry and soup kitchen
Websitembtparish.org 
Phone847-623-2112
Address912 8th Street, Waukegan, IL 60085
HoursWednesday, 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM

Most Blessed Trinity Food Pantry hands out groceries each Wednesday morning. The same parish runs a soup kitchen at 914 8th Street, Wednesday through Saturday, 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM, at 847-775-0116.3

Social services

Catholic Charities Lake County ServicesEmergency assistance and case management
Websitecatholiccharities.net 
Phone847-782-4000
Address671 South Lewis Avenue, Waukegan, IL 60085

Catholic Charities Lake County Services provides emergency rent and utility help, food, clothing, case management and counseling, with rapid rehousing for families in crisis and a five-year Family Self-Sufficiency Program.4

Community Action Partnership of Lake CountyRent, energy and food help
Websitecaplakecounty.org 
Phone(224) 412-8945
Address2424 Washington Street, Waukegan, IL 60085
HoursMonday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM

Community Action Partnership of Lake County takes applications for rent, mortgage, shelter, energy bill and food pantry help. Applications start by phone, and the agency lists 847-249-4330 for booking a phone appointment.5

Sources & notes

Data and figures on this page come from the sources and notes below:

Footnotes

  1. Prairie State Legal Services, Our offices  (Waukegan office address, phone 847-662-6925, serves Lake County). ↩

  2. COOL Ministries, About Us  (COOL Food Pantry opened in January 1983; food for breakfast, lunch and dinner, with specialty foods for cardiac and diabetic diets). Address, phone, hours and the East Waukegan pantry come from a local listing, not from the COOL site: Zion Township, Local Emergency Resource List  (800 W Glen Flora Ave, 847-662-1230, Monday to Friday 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM; East pantry at 123 W Water St). ↩

  3. Most Blessed Trinity Parish, Parish bulletin, August 2, 2026  (food pantry, 912 8th Street, Wednesday 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM, 847-623-2112; soup kitchen, 914 8th Street, Wednesday through Saturday 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM, 847-775-0116). ↩

  4. Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago, Lake County single mom finds strength to move forward  (Waukegan office, rapid rehousing and Family Self-Sufficiency Program). Address and phone come from a local listing, not from the Catholic Charities site: Zion Township, Local Emergency Resource List  (671 S Lewis Ave, Waukegan, 847-782-4000). ↩

  5. Community Action Partnership of Lake County, Programs  (rent, mortgage, shelter, energy and food pantry help; office at 2424 Washington Street, phone (224) 412-8945, Monday to Friday 8 AM to 5 PM; call 847-249-4330 for a phone appointment). ↩

  1. Aurora Local Assistance Programs, Illinois.
  2. Champaign Local Assistance Programs, Illinois.
  3. Chicago Local Assistance Programs, Illinois.
  4. Elgin Local Assistance Programs, Illinois.
  5. Joliet Local Assistance Programs, Illinois.

About this information

SingleMotherGuide.com is an independent state-by-state reference guide and is not affiliated with any government agency. Program amounts and income limits are compiled from official federal and state sources, which are cited on the page, and are reviewed periodically and updated as those sources change.

The information is provided for general guidance and is not legal or financial advice. The administering agency makes the final determination of eligibility and benefit amounts. To report an error, please contact us.

Data freshness

Figures on this page are compiled from the public sources cited above and may change; refer to the cited sources for the most current information.

Last updated
Updated by
Ada Hu
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