New Bedford Local Assistance Programs
This page lists local organizations in New Bedford, Massachusetts that provide free legal help, food and social services. Statewide programs are described on the Massachusetts page.
Legal aid
| South Coastal Counties Legal Services (SCCLS), New Bedford Office | Free civil legal help |
|---|---|
| Website | sccls.org |
| Phone | 508-979-7150 |
| Intake line | 800-244-9023 |
| Address | 21 South Sixth Street, New Bedford, MA 02740 |
South Coastal Counties Legal Services provides free civil legal help to low-income residents of Southeastern Massachusetts, Cape Cod and the Islands, with help for housing, public benefits, family law, immigration, education, elder law, consumer debt and employment. Its New Bedford office is at 21 South Sixth Street. Call the intake line at 800-244-9023 to apply.1
Food
| Catholic Social Services, Solanus Casey Food Pantry | Food pantry |
|---|---|
| Website | ccfrdioc.org |
| Phone | 508-997-7337 |
| Address | 238 Bonney Street, New Bedford, MA 02744 |
| Hours | Wednesday and Thursday, 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM |
The Solanus Casey Food Pantry, run by Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Fall River, serves residents of the Southcoast, including Bristol County. The pantry serves close to 800 clients and their families each month.2
| Mercy Meals & More | Free hot breakfast |
|---|---|
| Website | mercymealsandmore.com |
| Phone | 774-433-0148 |
| Address | 634 Purchase Street, New Bedford, MA 02740 |
| Hours | Monday through Saturday, 6:30 AM to 7:30 AM |
Mercy Meals & More serves a free hot breakfast six days a week, with free clothing and foot care for guests in need.3
Social services
| People Acting in Community Endeavors (PACE) | Community action agency |
|---|---|
| Website | paceinfo.org |
| Phone | 508-999-9920 |
| Address | 166 William Street, New Bedford, MA 02740 |
PACE is the community action agency for the Greater New Bedford area. Its programs include Head Start and Early Head Start, fuel assistance, free tax preparation, child care help, health insurance access, housing help and a community food center.4
| Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Fall River, New Bedford Office | Emergency help and counseling |
|---|---|
| Website | ccfrdioc.org |
| Phone | 508-997-7337 |
| Address | 238 Bonney Street, New Bedford, MA 02744 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM |
The New Bedford office of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Fall River helps families and individuals with food, utility and rental assistance, homelessness, housing counseling and free and low-cost legal services for refugees and immigrants. For help with homelessness, call 508-999-4757.5
Sources & notes
Data and figures on this page come from the sources and notes below:
Footnotes
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South Coastal Counties Legal Services, Home page . SCCLS lists offices in New Bedford, Fall River, Brockton and Hyannis. The New Bedford office address and phone come from Mass.gov, Emergency Assistance (EA) Family Shelter Legal Advocates . The intake line is 800-244-9023. ↩
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Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Fall River, Solanus Casey Food Pantry and Contact Us . ↩
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Mercy Meals and More, Home page . The breakfast hours and phone number come from the organization’s own site. The street address rests on listings, including YWCA Southeastern Massachusetts, Nutritional Assistance Resources . Listings give 508-264-8183 as a contact number. ↩
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PACE, Home page . PACE’s own impact report gives 166 William Street, New Bedford, MA 02740; see PACE, 2025 Community Impact . Mass.gov lists the ZIP code as 02742; see Mass.gov, Community Action Agencies Contact Information . ↩
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Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Fall River, Contact Us and About . ↩
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