Durham Local Assistance Programs

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

Legal aid

Legal Aid of North Carolina provides free civil legal help to low-income people, including help with housing, eviction, benefits and family matters. Its Durham office serves Durham and nearby counties. People can call the statewide helpline at 1-866-219-5262.¹

Duke Law Clinics offer free legal help through student-run clinics supervised by licensed attorneys. The Civil Justice Clinic works on housing, benefits and protection cases in partnership with Legal Aid of North Carolina.²

Food

The Durham branch serves six counties in the region: Durham, Chatham, Granville, Orange, Person, and Vance. It provides food to a network of partner agencies, including soup kitchens, food pantries and shelters.³

Urban Ministries of Durham runs a food pantry stocked with groceries, plus a clothing closet and diapers for families in need. Food is available once every 30 days with a photo ID and proof of a qualifying need, such as children in the household, a disability, or age 62 or older.⁴

Social services

Families Moving Forward runs The NEST, an emergency shelter for families with children who have lost their housing. Families work with staff on housing plans, jobs and childcare, with a goal of moving into safe, affordable housing within 90 days. A family cannot call the shelter directly for a room. Every family must first go through Entry Point Durham at (984) 287-8313.⁵

Caris Foundation is a Durham nonprofit that pays emergency rent and covers other essential housing costs, such as electric and water bills, for families facing a short-term crisis.⁶