Resources
This list of free or low cost community resources is gathered from across the web to assist our community members. The list will be updated regularly.
The posted content is not endorsed by FPS. view our Liability Disclaimer below.
If you find a broken link or outdated information, please contact the office of School Community Relations with the link and location of the error. Thank you
Connect to All Services
MI Bridges – alternate links: Spanish or Arabic
The State of Michigan offers wrap around assistance through the MI Bridges program. Applying for MI Bridges will connect you with a Navigator to help you find support for:
Child Care
Food
Housing & Utility Costs
Healthcare
Food Assistance Programs
Free Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Boxes - from Lighthouse
Thursdays 9:30 am - 1:00 pm
St David’s Episcopal Church
16200 12 Mile Rd, Southfield, MI 48076
In conjunction with Lighthouse, St. David's will be distributing 20 lb boxes of fresh produce every Thursday through August. Boxes will contain potatoes, onions, celery, carrots, cabbage, apples and strawberries. The hours of the distribution are Thursdays, 9:30 am – 1:00 pm. The church is located at 16200 12 Mile Rd, Southfield, MI 48076.
Heat & Utility Assistance
The funds can help with paying a number of different utility bills, including winter heating costs, water service, and others.
State Emergency Relief (SER)
The State Emergency Relief (SER) Program provides immediate help to individuals and families facing conditions of extreme hardship or for emergencies that threaten health and safety through a combination of direct financial assistance and contracts with a network of non-profit organizations.
Sign up or login to MI Bridges to register and get connect with a Navigator to help you find support. (view in Spanish/view in Arabic)
Salvation Army Utility Assistance
If you have been affected by the COVID-19 crisis, The Salvation Army can help. Residents within the eastern half of Michigan are eligible to apply for any past due bills or financial needs due to the COVID-19 crisis starting from March 27, 2020. Get started through their site »
Internet Support Programs
Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB)
The emergency broadband benefit (EBB) program allows eligible households to enroll through an approved provider or by visiting GetEmergencyBroadband.org. The emergency broadband benefit will provide a discount of up to $50 per month towards broadband service for eligible households and up to $75 per month for households on qualifying tribal lands. Eligible households can also receive a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from participating providers if they contribute more than $10 and less than $50 toward the purchase price. The emergency broadband benefit is limited to one monthly service discount and one device discount per household. To learn more about the EBB program or to become an outreach partner, please visit www.fcc.gov/broadbandbenefit.
EveryoneOn is a national nonprofit that creates social and economic opportunities by connecting everyone to the internet. Since 2012, EveryoneOn has facilitated access to affordable technology solutions--in-home internet service, desktops and laptops--and free digital literacy training through their offer locator tool, cross-sector partnerships, and local programming efforts. Please note, while normally our recommended first stop in learning about available options and offerings, they are currently unable to maintain their search for offers listings based on changing Internet Service Providers' (ISPs) offers during this time period. They suggest visiting http://bit.ly/digcltisp, which houses links to offers by various ISPs.
Some known local area ISPs and their most recent offers as well as information about Lifeline are listed below.
or call: 855-220-5211
Offering two months of free service to new Access customers who order by April 30, 2020. $5/mo or $10/mo (plus taxes) thereafter, depending on your speed.
Expanding eligibility based on income and to households participating in National School Lunch Program/Head Start
Waiving all home internet data overage fees
No term commitment
No deposit
No installation fee
In-home Wi-Fi modem included
or call: 855-8-INTERNET (1-855-846-8376)
Comcast has recently increased the speeds of its Internet Essentials home internet service from 15/2 Mbps to 25/3 Mbps. Additionally, eligible households who enroll now will be provided with free service for their first 60 days. More information can be viewed in their press release. As a reminder, Internet Essentials provides a $9.95 per month home internet service exclusively to low-income households.
Comcast is also making its Xfinity Wi-Fi hotspots free for anyone to use. Millions of the hotspots are scattered throughout the country; you can find hotspot locations at wifi.xfinity.com
Lifeline is a federal benefit that lowers the monthly cost of phone or internet service. Lifeline typically provides up to a $9.25 monthly discount on service for eligible low-income subscribers. Subscribers may receive a Lifeline discount on either a wireline or a wireless service, but they may not receive a discount on both services at the same time. Lifeline also supports broadband Internet access service and broadband-voice bundles. To apply for Lifeline, a consumer must use the National Verifier application system at: https://nationalverifier.service-now.com/lifeline. Once the National Verifier has confirmed your eligibility to receive Lifeline service, you may then select a service provider.
Sprint and T-Mobile are supporting current customers by:
Providing Unlimited data for 60 days to customers with metered data plans (effective 3/18)
Giving 20 GB of free mobile hotspot to customers with hotspot-capable devices (effective 3/18)
Waiving per-minute toll charges for international long-distance calls from the U.S. to CDC- defined Level 3 countries (effective 3/17)