Resources

Resources

NEED ASSISTANCE?
 
RESCU Foundation – www.RESCUfoundation.org – offers programs, education and financial assistance for Renaissance Festival participants for medical needs.
 
211 – Visit 211.org, click to enter a zip code to find your local 211. This website lists local resources for assistance in the following areas: financial assistance, food, clothing, utilities, rent, shelter, mental health, addiction, abuse, assault, sex trafficking, legal, health, dental, transportation, and more.
 
www.NeedHelpPayingBills.com – Search this website for national and local resources of assistance. Areas of focus include: financial assistance, basic needs (food, clothing, utilities, rent, shelter, telephone, transportation), mental health, job assistance, housing (rent, mortgage, security deposits), pet (food, supplies, medical), grants, car payments, debt relief, healthcare, RX assistance, heat/AC service, and much more.
 
Red Cross – https://www.redcross.org/ – The Red Cross assists post disaster, such as fire, flood, hurricane, earthquake, and more. Please apply ASAP after a disaster.
 
ACLU – American Civil Liberties Union –  https://www.aclu.org/ – The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is an American nonprofit organization founded in 1920 “to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every person in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States”. The ACLU can assist with instances where civil rights have been violated, such as: LGBTQ, disability, free speech, human rights, racial justice, religious liberty, reproductive freedom, and more.
 
Entertainment Community Fund (formerly the Actor’s Fund) –  https://entertainmentcommunity.org/  – Mission: “We provide human services nationally for people who work in film, theater, television, music, opera, radio and dance. We’re here for everyone on stage, camera and behind the scenes to support a life in the arts.” This organization offers social services, emergency financial assistance, housing assistance, and offers programs to assist in entertainment industry careers.
 
CERF+ (Crafters Emergency Relief Fund) – https://cerfplus.org/get-relief/apply-for-help/craft-emergency-relief-fund/ – ThCERF+’s emergency relief grants focus on materials-based craft and folk/traditional artists that incurred significant medical expenses related to treatment and recovery from COVID-19 AND/OR experienced a recent, career threatening emergency, such as an illness, accident, fire or climate related disaster.
 
Rauschenberg Emergency Grants –  emergencyfunds@nyfa.org – One-time grants of up to $5,000 for visual and media artists with unexpected medical emergencies.
 
Musicares – https://www.musicares.org/ – Provides assistance to musicians including musical instrument replacement for musicians affected by disasters. MusiCares provides a safety net of critical health and welfare services to the music community in three key areas:

* Mental Health & Addiction Recovery Services: Support, referrals, and emergency financial assistance for counseling, psychiatric care, inpatient treatment, coaching, intensive outpatient care, sober living and more.
* Health Services: Financial assistance during medical crises and preventive services such as dental and medical screenings, hearing clinics, vocal health workshops, and assistance obtaining low-cost health insurance.
* Human Services: Support for basic living expenses like rent, utilities, car payments and insurance premiums in times of hardship, plus programs addressing affordable housing, career development, legal issues and senior services.

 
Musicians Foundation – ww.musiciansfoundation.org – Musicians Foundation provides financial grants to professional musicians that help pay essential bills, like medical and dental treatments, rents and mortgages, and utilities.
 

Sweet Relief Musicians Fund – https://www.sweetrelief.org/ – Provides financial assistance to all types of career musicians who are facing illness, disability, or age-related problems. The applicant must be a musician who has regular public performances, or performed on at least three widely released recordings (audio or audiovisual), or written music that has been performed on three widely released recordings, or published on three occasions.

Disaster Relief and Assistance

National:
FEMA Loss of Tools and Equipment Assistance for Artists:
 
SBA Disaster Assistance:
For designated Disaster Areas, offering personal and business loans for those affected by a disaster.
 
North Carolina:
North Carolina Arts Council
An extensive resource list of national and local assistance and relief organizations.
 
NC Unemployment Assistance for victims of Hurricane Helen in Western NC:
 
SBA Disaster Assistance for Hurricane Helene:

 

LEGAL:
 
Lawyers for the Creative Arts  – https://law-arts.org/ – This organization provides free legal services to financially eligible clients in all areas of the arts—visual, music, dance, literary, digital media, arts education, and much more. We help individuals and organizations with business issues, contracts, copyrights, trademarks and many other legal areas.
 
VLAA – Volunteer Lawyers and Accountants for the Arts – https://vlaa.org/get-help/other-vlas/ – VLAA’s mission is to support the creative community by providing free legal and accounting assistance and a wide variety of affordable educational programs.

 

Mental Health Talk Line/ Support Resources:

* California Youth Crisis Line (call or text)  800-843-5200

  • calyouth.org for online chatting
  • a 24/7 talk line to discuss any concerns for anyone under the age of 24.
  • 24/7 hour parent support for help for parents who need to consult or ask for advice.

* Teen Counseling
TeenCounseling is a partner of BetterHelp, who specifically helps youth and teens with mental health support. BetterHelp is designed for members over the age of 18; however, they have a specialty site called TeenCounseling that requires parental involvement and is designed for users between the ages of 13 and 19. Parents should be the ones who sign up for the free month (4 sessions) first, then they have the option to invite their teen to join the account once created. The first question of the questionnaire asks the member what kind of therapy they are looking for: individual, teen or couples. Selecting “teen” at this first step will redirect the member to TeenCounseling, where they can complete that questionnaire and create an account (then invite the teen to join if they want!). To get help for yourself or your teen, go to www.rceaf.org and click “Need Mental Health Assistance” to begin the process.
 

*Trevor Project lifeline 866-488-7386 (call) 678-678 (text)

  • -chat and talk service, mainly for the LBGQTA but will talk with anyone
 

*Translife Lifeline 877-565-8860 (call)

  • a peer support line for anyone transgender, gay, or questioning their sexual identify, will also chat with others who need support
  • also have a parent and family friend line to chat with 
 

*National Suicide Hotline 800-273-8255

  • national hotline for anyone who is seeking support with suicide, can call and talk to them
  • can help identify resources or just provide support 
 

* Contact helpline 800-932-4616 (call)

  • a hotline to talk about any concerns 24/7, limited staff, sometimes can be busy 
 

*Samaritans 24-Hour Crisis Hotline (212) 673-3000

  • 24/7  talk line you have to call directly to ensure you are not under duress, is often busy
 

*ImAlive (online)

  • https://www.imalive.org/
  • online chat services
 

The Hopeline (online)

  • www.Hopeline.com
    (online chat for depression and suicide to chat with if needing support)
 
 

 

If you have been sexually assaulted and need help:

 

Assault Resources:

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

Mental Health (if you have sexually abused another): 

 
 
 
 
 

 

If you have been wrongly accused of assault and sexual misconduct:

 
 
 

 

Community help to have safer environments from sexual assault:

 
 
 

 

Addiction Resources:

 
 
 
 
  • Counseling, Dual Diagnosis, Inpatient Rehabilitation, Outpatient Therapy
    (Basic), Outpatient Therapy (Intensive), Substance Abuse
    877-659-4555
 

 

Legal Resources in Grimes and Bastrop Counties, Texas for sexual assault:

 
 
 
 
 
 

Resources in New Orleans, LA:

RHD – Metro Crisis Response Team offered by Resources for Human Development
https://www.rhd.org/
504-826-2675 or Crisis Team 504-568-3130
2221 Phillip Street, Suite 209, New Orleans, Orleans, 70113
Telephone and face-to-face triage, assessment, and intervention for persons experiencing any mental health crisis. 

National Alliance on Mental Illness – NAMI – New Orleans
www.namineworleans.org
504-896-2345
1538 Louisiana Avenue, New Orleans, Orleans, 70115
provides mental health day treatment, case management, supported housing services, drop in centers and supportive employment services to adults with chronic mental illnesses

New Orleans Police Department Homeless Assistance Unit
334 Royal Street, New Orleans, Orleans, 70130
504-250-1543

New Orleans Healthcare for the Homeless Program
www.nola.gov/health/homeless
504-658-2785
2222 Simon Bolivar Street, 2nd Floor, New Orleans, Orleans, 70113
Providing healthcare for persons/families experiencing homelessness, uninsured, and underinsured.

 

City of New Orleans Shelter & Engagement Center
www.neworleansmission.org/
504-517-1815
1530 Gravier Street, New Orleans, Orleans, 70112
Low barrier homeless shelter