Mercer County
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Local offices in Mercer County
We found these on official websites. Call before you go, since hours and places can change.
Human services · County office
Mercer County Board of Social Services
200 Woolverton Street, Trenton, NJ 08650-2099
Help here
- Benefits and social servicesApply for food, health, cash, housing, and other help based on your needs.
- Child supportGet help with child support services through the county social services office.
Last checked October 8, 2026 · Found on mercercoboss.hosted.civiclive.com
Community action · Nonprofit
Community Action Partnership of Mercer County
Help here
- Community assistanceContact the agency to find help and programs for people facing poverty.
Last checked October 8, 2026 · Found on capmercer.org
Local office · Nonprofit
Children's Home Society Mercer WIC Program
1440 Parkside Ave., Ewing, NJ 08638
Help here
- WIC nutrition supportApply for food and nutrition support for eligible pregnant people, infants, and young children.
Last checked October 8, 2026 · Found on nj.gov
Human services · Nonprofit
NJ 211
Help here
- Information and referralsCall 211 to find local help with housing, food, health care, bills, and other needs.Read more
Last checked October 9, 2026 · Found on nj211.org
Jobs and training · State office
Mercer County One-Stop Career Center
26 Yard Avenue, Building 4, 1st Floor, Trenton, NJ 08625-0954
Help here
- Career and job search servicesGet career counseling, job training, resume help, and support finding work.
Last checked October 8, 2026 · Found on nj.gov
State office
New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission Trenton Vehicle Center
120 South Stockton Street, Trenton, NJ 08608
Help here
- Vehicle and motor vehicle servicesVisit the center for eligible vehicle registration, title, plate, and disability placard transactions.
Last checked October 8, 2026 · Found on nj.gov
Mercer County, New Jersey website
Checked on October 8, 2026
Food near you
Food pantries and free meals in Mercer County, closest to the center of Trenton first. Hours change, so call first when you can.
Food pantry
Newark Bible Fellowship Church FOOD PANTRY
Newark Bible Fellowship Church
45 miles from the center of Trenton30 Randolph Place, Newark, NJ 07108
Hours
- Wed9:30 AM to 12 PM (2nd and 3rd and 4th of the month)
- Sat9:30 AM to 12 PM (2nd and 3rd and 4th of the month)
Listed on newarkbiblefellowshipchurchnj.com, checked on October 9, 2026
Free meals
UCC Kitchen
United Community Corporation
46 miles from the center of Trenton60 19th Avenue, Newark, NJ 07103
Hours
Hours not listed. Call first.
Who can come: People who are homeless or homebound
Listed on uccnewark.org, checked on October 9, 2026
Free grocery market
The Market at UCC
United Community Corporation
46 miles from the center of Trenton409 South 18th Street, Newark, NJ 07103
Hours
- Mon10 AM to 2 PM
- Wed10 AM to 2 PM
- Fri10 AM to 2 PM
Who can come: People in Newark and Essex County
What to bring: Make an appointment
Listed on uccnewark.org, checked on October 9, 2026
Food pantry
Food Ministry
Grace Church in Newark
47 miles from the center of Trenton950 Broad Street, Newark, NJ 07102
Hours
Hours not listed. Call first.
Food Distribution at 11:00 a.m. until bags are distributed. Food Pantry: Every Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. First Sunday of the Month at 1:00 p.m. Bags available Tuesday-Friday upon request.
Listed on gracechurchinnewark.org, checked on October 9, 2026
Food pantry
Pierre Toussaint Food Pantry
Saint Mary's Church
47 miles from the center of Trenton520 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., Newark, NJ 07102
Hours
- Sat9 AM to 11 AM
Who can come: Newark residents
What to bring: Current ID
Listed on smcnewark.org, checked on October 9, 2026
Food pantry
pantry+ at RU-N
Rutgers University-Newark
47 miles from the center of Trenton350 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Paul Robeson Campus Center, Room 226, Newark, NJ 07102
Hours
- Mon11 AM to 3 PM
- Tue11 AM to 3 PM
- Wed1 PM to 6 PM
- Thu11 AM to 3 PM
Who can come: Rutgers-Newark students, staff, and faculty
What to bring: Available to Rutgers-Newark community members. There is no eligibility process.
Listed on studentaffairs.newark.rutgers.edu, checked on October 9, 2026
Nonprofits that serve Mercer County
Each one serves this area. Call before you go, since services and hours change.
Food bank
Food banks supply the food pantries and meal sites near you. Call or check the website to find one close by.
Nonprofit
Community Foodbank of New Jersey
31 Evans Terminal, Hillside, NJ 07205
Listed on feedingamerica.org, checked on October 10, 2026
Free legal help
Free help with civil legal problems, like eviction, benefits and family law, for people with low incomes. Funded by the Legal Services Corporation.
Nonprofit
Central Jersey Legal Services, Inc.
Listed on lsc.gov, checked on October 10, 2026
Community action
Local nonprofits that help people with low incomes. Many help with energy bills, rent, jobs and taxes. Call to ask what they offer now.
Nonprofit
Mercer County
Serves Mercer County except Trenton
640 South Broad Street, P.O. Box 8068, Trenton, NJ 08650-0068
Listed on nj.gov, checked on October 9, 2026
Nonprofit
United Progress, Inc.
Serves the City of Trenton only
56 Escher St, Trenton, NJ 08609-1018
Listed on nj.gov, checked on October 9, 2026
Job help near Mercer County
American Job Centers are free. They help you look for work, write a resume, find training and apply for unemployment benefits. You can ask for an interpreter.
American Job Center
Mercer County One Stop Career Center
Also helps young people and people leaving jail or prison
0 miles away
26 Yard Avenue, Station Plaza 4, PO Box 8068, Trenton, NJ 08625-0068
Hours: Monday - Friday: 8:30am - 4:30pm
Updated by CareerOneStop on April 30, 2026
Youth and reentry program
Isles, Inc
For young people
0.2 miles away
10 Wood Street, Trenton, NJ 08618
Youth and reentry program
Helping Arms, Inc.
For young people
0.6 miles away
50 Escher Street, Trenton, NJ 08609
Youth and reentry program
New Jersey Association on Correction
For young people
1.5 miles away
986 S Broad St, Trenton, NJ 08611
Apprenticeship office
Mercer County Technical Schools
4.3 miles away
129 Bull Run Road, Pennington, NJ 08534
Unemployment benefits in New Jersey
If you lost your job or your hours were cut, you may be able to get unemployment insurance. You apply with the state, and the state decides who qualifies.
Workforce board for this area
The workforce board plans the job and training programs here and funds the job centers. Go to a job center for help; call the board with questions about its programs.
Workforce board
Mercer County Workforce Development Board
640 S. Broad St, P.O. Box 8068, Trenton, NJ 08650
Workforce board
New Jersey State Employment and Training Commission
PO Box 940, Trenton, NJ 08625
Job center and program listings from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED). Checked on October 10, 2026.
Cities and towns in Mercer County
New Jersey programs by kind of help
These are run by New Jersey and work the same everywhere in the state. Each page lists the programs and how to apply.
- FoodFood benefits, WIC, school meals and food banks.
- HousingRent help, shelter, and help with heat and power bills.
- HealthHealth coverage, Medicare, mental health care and help with drug costs.
- MoneyCash help, disability, retirement and veterans payments, and tax help.
- CareChild care, help for older adults and disability support.
- EducationHelp paying for college and training, and free preschool.
- WorkJobs, unemployment, and the IDs and papers you need for work.
- Legal helpFree legal help with eviction, family law, benefits and more.
- SafetyHelp with abuse at home, a safe place to stay, and crisis lines.
Checked on October 8, 2026
Federal help anyone can use
These come from the federal government, so they work the same in every state.
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
Social Security Administration. Monthly payments for people with little income and few resources who are 65 or older, blind, or have a disability, including children.
Call 1-800-772-1213 - Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)
Social Security Administration. Monthly payments for people who worked and paid Social Security taxes and now cannot work because of a disability that will last a long time.
Call 1-800-772-1213 - Social Security retirement benefits
Social Security Administration. Monthly payments for people who worked and paid Social Security taxes, starting as early as 62. Spouses and widows may also get benefits.
Call 1-800-772-1213 - Medicare
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Health insurance for people 65 or older and for some younger people with a disability or kidney failure.
Call 1-800-633-4227 - Extra Help with Medicare drug costs
Social Security Administration. Help paying for Medicare prescription drug plans for people with limited income and resources.
Call 1-800-772-1213 - VA health care
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Health care at VA clinics and hospitals for veterans who served in the active military and did not get a dishonorable discharge.
Call 1-877-222-8387 - VA disability compensation and benefits
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Monthly payments for veterans with an illness or injury caused or made worse by military service, plus education, home loan and other benefits.
Call 1-800-827-1000 - FAFSA, the federal student aid form
U.S. Department of Education. One free form that opens federal grants, work-study and loans for college or trade school. Many states and schools use it for their own aid too.
Call 1-800-433-3243 - Federal Pell Grant
U.S. Department of Education. Money for college or trade school that usually does not have to be paid back, for students with financial need.
Call 1-800-433-3243 - Lifeline phone and internet discount
Federal Communications Commission. A monthly discount on phone or internet service for households with low income or who get benefits like SNAP, Medicaid or SSI.
Call 1-800-234-9473 - Head Start and Early Head Start
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Free preschool, child care and family support for young children from birth to age 5 in families with low income, run by local programs.
Call 1-866-763-6481 - IRS Free File
Internal Revenue Service. File your federal tax return online for free with tax software offered through the IRS, if your income is under the year's limit.
- VITA and TCE free tax help
Internal Revenue Service. IRS-certified volunteers prepare and file your taxes for free, in person, for people with low or moderate income, older adults and people with disabilities.
Call 1-800-906-9887 - Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)
Internal Revenue Service. A federal tax credit for people who work and earn low to moderate income. It can mean a bigger refund, even if you owe no tax.
Call 1-800-829-1040 - Housing Choice Vouchers (Section 8)
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Help paying rent in a home you choose, for families with very low income, older adults and people with disabilities. Local housing authorities run it, and many have waiting lists.
- Replace a Social Security card
Social Security Administration. Get a free replacement Social Security card if yours was lost, stolen or damaged. Many people can ask online.
Call 1-800-772-1213 - FEMA disaster assistance
Federal Emergency Management Agency. Help with a place to stay, repairs and other needs after a disaster the President has declared in your area.
Call 1-800-621-3362
Checked on October 9, 2026
Talk to a person
- NJ 211
Free help finding food, housing, bills and more near you.
Call 211 - 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
Call or text 988 if you are in crisis or worried about someone. Any time.
Call 988Text 988