Where to get help in Brunswick & the Golden Isles
the list I wish somebody had handed me
Plain language, no runaround. If a number here is dead or a door is closed, text me at 912-230-2885 and I'll fix the list — and help you find the next door.
If it's an emergency or you're in crisis
Free, 24 hours, no insurance needed.
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
Call or text 988. Talk or text, any hour.
Georgia Crisis & Access Line (GCAL)
1-800-715-4225. Mental health and substance use crisis, statewide, 24/7.
Emergency
911. If someone is hurt or in immediate danger.
Domestic violence — Amity House (Glynn County)
Shelter and safety planning in Brunswick. Ask GCAL or 988 for the current intake line.
Veterans Crisis Line
Dial 988, then press 1.
Food
Nobody in the Golden Isles should be eating out of a trash can. I have. It's why this section exists.
Manna House (Brunswick)
Hot meals and pantry help downtown.
Second Harvest / Golden Harvest food pantries
Call 211 to find the pantry closest to your address this week.
SNAP (food stamps)
Apply at gateway.ga.gov. I'll sit with you and fill it out if the form makes you shut down.
Church pantries
Most Brunswick and Sterling churches run a box program. Ask; they rarely advertise it.
Housing & utilities
Ask early. Help runs out at the end of the month.
211 Georgia
Dial 211 — rent, utility, and shelter assistance referrals for Glynn and McIntosh counties.
Coastal Georgia Area Community Action Authority
Utility assistance (LIHEAP), weatherization, and family support.
Brunswick Housing Authority
Public housing and Section 8 waitlist information.
The Well (Brunswick)
Day center services for people experiencing homelessness.
Mental health & recovery
You can start with a peer. You do not have to start with a clinician.
Gateway Behavioral Health Services
Community behavioral health for Glynn, McIntosh, and surrounding counties. Sliding scale.
AA / NA meetings — Golden Isles
Meetings run daily across Brunswick and St. Simons. I'll go with you the first time.
Heart of Care peer support
Text 912-230-2885. $20/hour, sliding scale, free if you can't pay.
Free coping-skills worksheets
Print them tonight from this site — no email required to read them.
Benefits, ID & paperwork
This is where most people give up. Don't give up here.
SSI / SSDI
ssa.gov or 1-800-772-1213. Denials are normal; appeals win. I help with the appeal packet.
Medicaid / PeachCare
gateway.ga.gov. Bring your ID, income proof, and patience.
Georgia ID / birth certificate
You often need one to get the other. There's an order that works — ask me.
Records requests
Hospital, jail, and school records. I write the letters.
Getting there
A missed appointment isn't non-compliance. It's usually no ride.
Medicaid non-emergency transportation
Covered rides to covered appointments — call the number on your Medicaid card, 3 days ahead.
The Red Bullet
My truck. Transportation assistance is part of what I offer. Text and ask.
Want somebody to walk it with you?
I'm a Certified Peer Specialist in Glynn County. $20/hour, sliding scale, free if you can't pay. I answer my own phone.
Common questions
- Who keeps this list?
- Briana F. Harden, CPS-MH — a Certified Peer Specialist living and working in Glynn County. I keep this list because I've needed every line on it at some point.
- What if a phone number here doesn't work anymore?
- Text me at 912-230-2885 and I'll fix it. Lists like this rot fast, and a dead number at 2am is cruel.
- Can you call these places with me?
- Yes. That is literally the job. Advocacy means I sit beside you while you make the call, or I make it while you listen.