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Pontiac Local Assistance Programs

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

Lakeshore Legal Aid, Pontiac officeFree civil legal help
Websitelakeshorelegalaid.org
Phone248-530-9330
Address35 W. Huron St, Suite 701, Pontiac, MI 48342
HoursMonday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Friday by appointment

Lakeshore Legal Aid is a nonprofit law firm that provides free civil legal help to low income people, older adults, and survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault in southeast Michigan. Its Pontiac office handles the Oakland County litigation work, with walk-in hours Monday through Thursday. New clients can also call the Counsel and Advocacy Law Line at 888-783-8190.1

Legal Aid and Defender AssociationFree civil legal help in Oakland County
Websiteladadetroit.org
Phone313-967-5800, toll free 877-964-4700
Address7650 Second Ave, Suite 120, Detroit, MI 48202

The Legal Aid and Defender Association provides free civil legal help to residents of Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties who cannot afford an attorney. Its services cover eviction defense, foreclosure prevention, family law, public benefits and criminal record expungement. It also runs a free outreach clinic at the Oakland County courthouse in Pontiac every other Wednesday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., on a first come, first served walk-in basis.2

Food

Lighthouse, Pontiac food pantryFree groceries once a month
Websitelighthousemi.org
Phone248-920-6000, ext. 2225
Address46156 Woodward Ave, Pontiac, MI 48342
HoursMonday, Wednesday and Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Lighthouse is a Pontiac-based nonprofit that fights homelessness and poverty across Oakland County. Its Pontiac pantry at headquarters serves households once a month. Park near Door D and call ext. 2225 to place an order. Lighthouse also provides emergency shelter, rental and utility help, and housing programs.3

Baldwin CenterFree meals and basic needs help
Websitebaldwincenter.org
Phone248-332-6101
Address212 Baldwin Ave, Pontiac, MI 48342
HoursFamily Soup Kitchen Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

The Baldwin Center serves Pontiac families with free meals, clothing, and help finding other support. Its Family Soup Kitchen offers walk-up or drive thru meals at no charge, with no questions asked. On Wednesdays the center hosts Wellness Wednesdays, with a meal and free health, housing and employment resources, plus limited showers and laundry on a first come, first served basis. Call before a first visit, as Baldwin Avenue is under construction and the route in has changed.4

Social services

Oakland Livingston Human Service Agency (OLHSA)Community action help with bills, housing and Head Start
Websiteolhsa.org
Phone248-209-2600
Address196 Cesar E. Chavez Ave, Pontiac, MI 48342
HoursMonday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

OLHSA is the community action agency for Oakland and Livingston counties. Its Pontiac office is the main office. It helps with emergency rent and utility bills, housing counseling, Head Start preschool, and referrals to other county services. Call the main number to apply or to learn what help is open.5

Grace Centers of HopeShelter and a one-year life skills program
Websitegracecentersofhope.org
Phone248-334-2187
Address35 E. Huron St, Pontiac, MI 48342

Grace Centers of Hope is a Christian nonprofit in downtown Pontiac that helps men, women and families facing homelessness, addiction and abuse. Its main program is a one-year residential Life Skills Program with housing, daily meals, counseling, mentoring and job readiness help. Mothers can bring their children, with childcare on site. To start intake, call 1-855-435-7424.6

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

Footnotes

  1. Lakeshore Legal Aid, About Us. Pontiac office address, phone and walk-in hours from the Lakeshore site. Intake line 888-783-8190 from the same page. ↩

  2. Legal Aid and Defender Association, Home. Detroit office address and legal assistance phone from the association site, read from a search-indexed copy. Toll-free intake 877-964-4700 and intake hours from Michigan Legal Help, Legal Aid and Defender Association. Pontiac courthouse clinic every other Wednesday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., from the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, Free Legal Clinics. ↩

  3. Lighthouse, Food Services. Pontiac pantry address, hours and ordering phone from the Lighthouse site, read from a search-indexed copy after the live page returned a rate limit error. ↩

  4. Baldwin Center, Services. Soup kitchen hours, phone and Wellness Wednesday details from the Baldwin Center site. Address 212 Baldwin Ave, Pontiac, MI 48342 from the Oakland County resource guide, Find Help Build Futures 2026. ↩

  5. Oakland Livingston Human Service Agency, Home. Pontiac office address and main phone from OLHSA pages on its own site, read from search-indexed copies. Office hours Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., rest on a business listing; call to confirm before a visit. ↩

  6. Grace Centers of Hope, Women’s Program and Men’s Program. Program details and intake line from the Grace Centers site, read from search-indexed copies. Main campus address 35 E. Huron St and phone 248-334-2187 from the organization’s donation page, Donate. ↩

  1. Rochester Hills Local Assistance Programs, Michigan.
  2. Royal Oak Local Assistance Programs, Michigan.
  3. Southfield Local Assistance Programs, Michigan.
  4. Sterling Heights Local Assistance Programs, Michigan.
  5. Taylor Local Assistance Programs, Michigan.
  6. Troy Local Assistance Programs, Michigan.
  7. Warren Local Assistance Programs, Michigan.
  8. Westland Local Assistance Programs, Michigan.
  9. Wyoming Local Assistance Programs, Michigan.
  10. Ann Arbor Local Assistance Programs, Michigan.

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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