Help leaving homelessness in Arkansas
We've found 9 places in Arkansas for people leaving homelessness, mostly in Little Rock and Fort Smith, and 7 that serve the whole state. Our volunteers haven't confirmed these yet, so a quick call ahead is worth it. Most of them help with shelter & housing (4), food (3) and benefits & cash (3).
Places in Arkansas
Arkansas 211
Free information line for food, shelter, rent help, childcare and other local resources. Dial 211 or text your ZIP code; as of 2026 the Hark-operated line serves Benton, Washington and Madison counties, so callers elsewhere in Arkansas should confirm coverage.
Canopy Northwest Arkansas
Arkansas's refugee resettlement agency, which since January 2025 also runs the state's Refugee Cash and Medical Assistance program. Provides housing placement, employment services, case management, youth services, immigration legal help, and survivor services through its anti-trafficking program.
Our House
Shelter and housing programs for homeless and near-homeless families and individuals in central Arkansas, paired with a career center, children's programs, mental health support and a family stability program. The Resource Hotline is the starting point for anyone seeking help.
The Next Step Homeless Shelter
Fort Smith day room and shelter for people experiencing homelessness, listed by the Arkansas Division of Correction as a housing resource for people leaving prison. Walk-in address and phone are published on the state reentry resource page.
Legal Aid of Arkansas
Free civil legal help for low-income residents of 31 northern and eastern Arkansas counties, including protective orders, evictions, public benefits appeals, debt and guardianship. Apply online or call the statewide 1-800 line; a separate fair housing helpline handles discrimination complaints.
Center for Arkansas Legal Services
Civil legal aid office covering central and southern Arkansas counties, listed by the state Division of Community Correction as a reentry legal resource. Contact details below come from the state reentry page; call to check eligibility.
Arkansas Vital Records
State office for certified Arkansas birth certificates. Order online through the Department of Health's portal with a driver's license or two alternate IDs and proof of relationship, or visit the Little Rock office on West Markham.
Arkansas State ID Card
Identification-only cards for Arkansas residents age 5 and up who do not hold a valid driver's license, issued at state revenue offices for a $5 fee. Adult cards last four years; call Driver Services with questions about required documents.
Access Arkansas
The state's online portal to apply for SNAP food benefits, Medicaid and Transitional Employment Assistance cash help, and to check an application's status. Create an account to apply, call the DHS help line, or visit a county DHS office.
National lines that work in Arkansas
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
Call or text 988 for any mental health or substance use crisis. Available to anyone in any program.
Lifeline free phone program
Free or discounted phone and service for people on Medicaid, SNAP, SSI, or low income. Apply online or through a carrier.