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NOTE BEFORE MOVING: Make sure you have a valid ID! Ideally several! It’s much harder to renew or replace once out of state, and you’ll need valid IDs (not copies) to get new IDs.
Overview of accessing homelessness resources + shelters
Section titled “Overview of accessing homelessness resources + shelters”Social Programs + Material Benefits
Section titled “Social Programs + Material Benefits”- Getting on health insurance / Apple Health
- Getting on Food Stamps (SNAP) + WIC
- Social Security + Disability Benefits
(^ Check this! You may be surprised! Food, transportation, pet care, phones, utilities, and more!)
Medical
Section titled “Medical”- Health Care + Primary Care + GAC options + STI testing
- Therapists + Psychiatrists + Mental Health
- Crisis Resources
- Getting on Apple Health / insurance
IDs and Legal
Section titled “IDs and Legal”Note: Make sure you get or renew your ID where you are before moving! Please do so even if it has your deadname on it. It is ENORMOUSLY harder to get new IDs without a valid one.
- Getting a Washington Driver’s License or ID
- Registering to vote
- Name + gender change
- For minors: Washington State Name and Gender Change (for Minors)
Other resources
Section titled “Other resources”- Peer Seattle: Amazing queer group for help with all kinds of stuff!
- InReach: Find LGBTQ+ organizations and resources worldwide
- Relocation funding / finance sources
- Washington Reentry Guide: For formerly incarcerated people
- Trans kids:
- GAC Providers – please contact us for this info.
- Support groups
- Other resources
- Legal Resources
- Seattle Against ICE: What to do if you spot ICE and resources for those impacted
- Low income car repair resources. General information, and information by state.
- American Consumer Credit Counselling (ACCC) is a great resource for handling credit card debt! Can help consolidate your debt into a flat monthly payment with lower interest rates.
- Cost of Living Calculators
An important consideration before relocating to Washington is that the cost of living in Washington State can be considerably higher than other parts of the country. Fortunately - wages are also much higher. To evaluate the cost of living, you can use a cost of living calculator which can give you a jumping off point - they are not perfect, but are helpful to understand the comparison between where you live now and where you might want to relocate to. Keep in mind, medium and smaller cities and towns in Washington State may be more affordable.
- https://www.rentcafe.com/cost-of-living-calculator/
- https://www.bankrate.com/real-estate/cost-of-living-calculator/
Resources by Area
Section titled “Resources by Area”Washington State LGBTQ Commission resources by county
- Seattle: city + suburbs overview
- Everett/Snohomish County
- Everett PFLAG
- Globe Youth: for LGBTQIA+ youth in Snohomish County
- Everett/Snohomish County
- Eastside (Bellevue, Redmond, etc)
- Pride Across the Bridge (See Resources dropdown!)
- Bellingham + North Puget Sound
- South Puget Sound
- Yakima + Central WA (Chelan, Ellensburg, Wenatchee, etc)
- Eastern WA (+ Spokane)
- SW Washington (incl Vancouver)
- Pacific Coast + Kitsap Peninsula
(From https://www.guideoftheworld.com/washington-map.html)
Non-WA:
Section titled “Non-WA:”(This is not a rigorous list, just a repository of some! If you know of more please feel free to add or make a new subdoc to link!)
Oregon
Section titled “Oregon”- Portland area:
- WerqTogether is a Portland-based trans relocation org
- Oregon Gender-Affirming Resource Guide: lists supportive healthcare providers. Includes gender-affirming care, mental health, and much more
- Portland Resource List (Small, WIP)
- Non-Portland:
- Eugene, Corvalis, and the Willamette Valley
- Cascades Community Placement Services is a relocation support group based in Eugene, with connections to the area.
Other states:
Section titled “Other states:”- Twin Cities: Check TC Queer Transplants and their Discord!!
- Chicago IL: Ultimate Transgender Survival Guide (Chicago edition)!
- IL Resources: https://www.ilprideconnect.org/
- Central IL: https://www.instagram.com/cutransplants
- Denver, CO: Check https://tcpipeline.org/ and their Resource List. Note: their intake backlog has been very long for a long time, so I would reach out but wouldn’t bank on direct help.
- General CO resources: https://lgbtqcolorado.org/resource-guide/ and https://lgbtqcolorado.org/resources/
- Need shelter: Check out Aurora Regional Navigation Campus @ 15500 E 40th. Takes people as well as pets.
- Columbus, OH: https://stonewallcolumbus.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Ultimate-Trans-Survival-Guide-digital-version.pdf
- Rhode Island: Rhode Island Resources (small, mostly job stuff)
- Austin TX: Austin TX Resources
- Louisiana: www.transincomeproject.org
- Arizona
Non-US:
Section titled “Non-US:”- https://transexpatguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Trans-Expat-Guide-2025-ver10.pdf
- Mexico: Trans Guide Mexico
- Costa Rica: https://www.rainbowrefugecr.com/
- Canada: work or study permits are more feasible than asylum claims. See: For Jewish queer and trans Americans wanting to relocate to Canada
- Thailand: https://transactionrefuge.com/
- Global info: https://transworldexpress.org/wiki/Main_Page
- Organizations helping people flee to safer countries:
Still-needed sections:
(Want to help make this guide better? Feel free to just leave a suggestion directly, or get in touch!)
- Healthcare in other parts of the state!
- Improving the Food Stamps section
- Debt relief
- More info on other places to go
- Schools
- WA Drivers License + Vehicle Plates
- Name + gender change (Pierce)
Questions? Concerns? Feel free to reach out to me at sophie@tractionpnw.org!