Category 01

Food Support

Free food resources within walking distance of I-House, plus a few citywide options if you need more flexibility.

Closest options — Food Pantries

Iris House Westside

Pantry + grab-and-go meals; fresh food options available.

📍 2348 Adam Clayton Powell Jr Blvd First-come, first-served

Zeina Lorraine Community Food Pantry

Grocery-style pantry with produce, canned goods, staples.

📍 203 W 133rd St 🕒 Tues & Thurs ~11AM–2PM ID + proof of address required

Salem United Methodist Church Pantry

Weekly pantry distribution.

📍 2190 Adam Clayton Powell Jr Blvd First-come, first-served

Church of the Annunciation

Weekly pantry with general groceries.

📍 88 Convent Ave ID required

Ready to eat — Hot Meals

Missionaries of Charity (Harlem)

Simple daily meals (breakfast/lunch style).

📍 406 W 127th St Consistent daily schedule

Metropolitan Baptist Church

Morning meal distribution. Short service window.

📍 151 W 128th St

Mt. Olivet Baptist Church

Community meals + pantry support.

📍 201 Malcolm X Blvd

Beyond the neighborhood — NYC-Wide

Food Bank For New York City

Find hundreds of pantries and SNAP assistance across the city.

Find food

City Harvest Mobile Market

Mobile food markets with fresh produce across upper Manhattan.

See markets

New York Common Pantry

Large pantry + grocery distribution + support services.

📍 8 E 109th St

Tips

  • Bring reusable bags
  • Arrive early — lines can form
  • Some locations require ID or proof of address
  • Most are first-come, first-served

Category 02

Mental Wellbeing

Free hotlines, text support, and counseling referrals available day or night. Language access available for each service.

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

24/7 phone, chat, or text support for emotional distress, suicidal thoughts, or supporting someone who is.

📞 Dial or text 988 🕒 24/7
Visit 988lifeline.org

NYC Well

NYC's confidential counseling and referral line for mental health, substance use, and peer support.

📞 1-888-NYC-WELL 💬 Text WELL to 65173 🕒 24/7
Connect now

Crisis Text Line

Free, 24/7 texting with trained crisis counselors. WhatsApp support available internationally.

💬 Text HELLO to 741741 🕒 24/7
Open chat

SAMHSA National Helpline

24/7 confidential treatment referral for individuals and families facing mental or substance use disorders.

📞 1-800-662-HELP (4357) 🕒 24/7 · Free
See options

Category 03

Safety & Trauma Response

Help after sexual assault, domestic violence, or other traumatic incidents — safety planning, medical care, legal advocacy, and emergency housing.

RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline

Confidential crisis counseling, safety planning, and referrals to nearby support centers.

📞 800-656-HOPE (4673) 💬 Chat available 24/7
Start a chat

Safe Horizon

NYC-based emergency shelter, advocacy, and case management for survivors of violence and trauma.

📞 Crime Victims: 1-866-689-4357 📞 DV Hotline: 1-800-621-4673
Explore services

More resources

Have a campus, consulate, or community-specific resource to add? Share it with the RC.

Submit a resource

Category 04

Sexual Health

Confidential clinics, safer-sex supplies, and information lines for testing, treatment, and prevention.

NYC Sexual Health Clinics

Walk-in and appointment-based STI testing, treatment, and PrEP/PEP access via NYC Health (DOHMH).

📞 Call 311 → "sexual health clinics" 📍 Chelsea · Central Harlem
Find a clinic

Planned Parenthood of Greater New York

Comprehensive sexual and reproductive health care, telehealth visits, prescriptions, and education.

📞 1-800-230-PLAN (7526) Telehealth available
Book an appointment

Free Safer-Sex Supplies

NYC distributes free condoms, lube, at-home HIV test kits, and safer-sex kits via discreet home delivery.

Request by mail anywhere in NYC LGBTQIA+ inclusive
Order online

GMHC (Gay Men's Health Crisis)

HIV/STI testing, PrEP/PEP navigation, peer support groups, and legal advocacy for LGBTQIA+ communities.

📍 446 West 33rd St 📞 1-800-243-7692
Explore GMHC

Callen-Lorde Community Health Center

Sliding-scale LGBTQIA+-affirming medical and behavioral health services, including hormone therapy and HIV care.

📍 356 West 18th St Telehealth available
Book care

National HIV Information

Reliable education, prevention guidance, and statistics on HIV treatment breakthroughs and public health alerts.

Category 05

Housing Resources

Options for residents transitioning out of I-House — student co-living, short-term stays, affordable residences, and furnished apartments. Book early.

Dorms & Co-Living

Low-cost stays

Affordable residential options

Furnished & extended-stay apartments

Columbia & university-affiliated

Off-Campus Housing Assistance (OCHA)

Columbia's official database for sublets, rooms, and apartments. UNI required.

OCHA portal

Teachers College Guest Housing

Short-term summer housing near campus (May–August).

TC housing info

Sublets & apartment listings

Housing tips

  • A room in a shared apartment is usually the most affordable option
  • Use OCHA for trusted Columbia-only listings (UNI required)
  • Book early — summer housing fills quickly