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HelpByState

Shelby County, Iowa

Free help in Harlan, Iowa

3 places in Harlan, plus 8 that serve more than one town. Each listing shows the day we checked it, and anything we could not confirm says call first.

Food pantries and meals in Harlan2

Harlan

Harlan Lions Club Mobile, Harlan, IA

Food pantry, a Food Bank for the Heartland partner. Our Mobile Pantry Dates (4:30- while supplies last) 10/26/26 11/16/26 12/28/26 1/25/27 2/22/27 3/22/27 4/26/27 5/24/27 6/21/27.

Hours
Monday, 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM (last week of the month only)
Address
1104 Morningview Dr, Harlan, IA 51537

Call first. No phone is listed for this site. For questions, call the Food Bank for the Heartland at 402-331-1213.

Harlan

West Central Community Action Harlan

Food pantry, a Food Bank for the Heartland partner. Photo ID, Social Security card, proof of residency, TEFAP form if applicable (no ID required to receive USDA/TEFAP food).

Hours
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM
Address
1017 7th Street, Harlan, IA 51537

Call first. No phone is listed for this site. For questions, call the Food Bank for the Heartland at 402-331-1213.

Utility bills and rent help in Harlan1

Harlan

West Central Community Action

Community action agency for this county. Apply here for LIHEAP, the federal help with heating and electric bills, and ask about weatherization and other family programs. If you cannot reach them, call the Iowa HHS Community Action Agencies Unit at 515-776-8871.

Hours
Please call for hours
Address
1408 "A" Hwy 44, Harlan, IA 51537

Call first. Hours are not listed. Call first to ask what help is open now and what to bring.

Checked October 9, 2026. Source: Iowa HHS Find a Community Action Agency page.Suggest an update

Also helps people in Harlan8

These serve more than one town. Check each listing for who they serve.

Statewide

National Domestic Violence Hotline

Free, confidential help for anyone hurt or threatened by a partner or family member: safety planning, shelter referrals and someone to talk to. Call 1-800-799-7233, text START to 88788, or chat at TheHotline.org. In an emergency, call 911.

Hours
24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Statewide

988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline

Call or text 988 to reach a trained crisis counselor any time, for a mental health crisis, thoughts of suicide or a substance use crisis. It is free and confidential. Veterans can press 1.

Hours
24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Statewide

Veterans Crisis Line

Dial 988, then press 1. Or text 838255, or chat at veteranscrisisline.net. Free and confidential. You do not need to be enrolled in VA health care.

Hours
Open 24 hours a day, every day
Statewide

VA national phone lines

VA benefits: 800-827-1000. VA health benefits: 877-222-8387. Homeless veterans, open 24 hours: 877-424-3838. MyVA411, the main VA line, open 24 hours: 800-698-2411.

Hours
Benefits line, Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 9:00 PM Eastern

Nearby

Help in other Shelby County towns

See all of Shelby County · Know a place in Harlan we missed?

Questions people ask in Harlan

Where can I get free food in Harlan, Iowa?

We have confirmed 2 places that can help in Harlan: Harlan Lions Club Mobile, Harlan, IA (Monday, 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM last week of the month only), call first; West Central Community Action Harlan (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM), call first. Please call first to confirm the ones marked call first. You can also dial 2-1-1 to talk to a person.

Where can I get help paying rent or a utility bill in Harlan, Iowa?

We have confirmed one place that can help in Harlan: West Central Community Action, (712) 755-5135. Please call first to confirm. You can also dial 2-1-1 to talk to a person.

Where can I get help with addiction or mental health in Harlan, Iowa?

We have confirmed 2 places that can help in Harlan: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline (24 hours a day, 7 days a week), 988; SAMHSA National Helpline (Open 24 hours a day, every day), (800) 662-4357. If you are in crisis right now, call or text 988. You can also dial 2-1-1 to talk to a person.

Where can I get help with veterans benefits in Harlan, Iowa?

We have confirmed 2 places that can help in Harlan: Veterans Crisis Line (Open 24 hours a day, every day), 988; VA national phone lines (Benefits line, Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 9:00 PM Eastern), (800) 827-1000. A veteran in crisis can call 988 and press 1, or text 838255.

Where can I get free legal help in Harlan, Iowa?

We have confirmed one place that can help in Harlan: Iowa Legal Aid, (800) 532-1275. Please call first to confirm. You can also dial 2-1-1 to talk to a person.

Something missing, or out of date?

If you run a pantry or program, or saw a listing that is wrong, tell us. We check every message against the organization's own page before anything changes.