GET THE HELP YOU NEED:

The Community Cares Program & the Put Pride Aside Campaign is a partnership between the San Diego Food Bank and over 30 health and human service organizations.

The program operates as a “one-stop-shop” at the Food Bank’s food distributions.

People attending the Food Bank’s food distributions can receive food assistance and get help signing up for a range of health and human service programs.

At the Food Bank’s resource fair events our nonprofit partner organizations host information tables advising people on their eligibility for programs including:

PUT PRIDE ASIDE INFORMATION SHEET

The information sheet below provides website addresses for a range of free or low-cost service providers for low-income families and individuals.

PUT PRIDE ASIDE INFORMATION SHEET

CALL 211, THE COUNTY’S SOCIAL SERVICES INFORMATION HOTLINE

The organizations listed below are not a comprehensive list of all San Diego County social service providers. For a comprehensive list of providers, contact the county’s social services information hotline 211 toll free. When you call, you will speak to a 211 operator who will discuss your situation and help you determine your eligibility for a range of programs.

COMMUNITY CARES PROGRAM/ PUT PRIDE ASIDE CAMPAIGN RESOURCE LIST

The following organizations provide programs for people with no income or those on low incomes. This is not a comprehensive list of all service providers in San Diego County. For a comprehensive list of all San Diego County social service providers contact the social services information hotline 211.

food assistance:

San Diego Food Bank: The SDFB provides a range of emergency and supplemental food programs. Contact: 1-866-350-FOOD (3663) or visit www.sandiegofoodbank.org

Senior Dining Centers: With funding from the Older Americans Act, the County's Aging and Independence Services contracts with a number of nutrition centers to provide hot, nutritious lunches during the week, for adults age 60 and older. Besides promoting better nutrition, these centers reduce the isolation of many older adults who may live alone. To find a senior dining center in your area, click here or call 1-800-510-2020

Home-Delivered Meals: Adults 60 and older who are homebound due to illness or disability can ask to have meals delivered to them. A social worker will visit to assess the need. If appropriate for the program, a hot meal is delivered each weekday and frozen meals are provided for the weekends. The cost is a voluntary donation. To find a nutrition site in your area that provides home-delivered meals, click here or call 1-800-510-2020

Brown Bag Program: Delivers surplus food items each month to low-income adults age 60 and older, helping to supplement their food budgets. Food is collected by volunteers (mostly seniors themselves) and donated by farmers, warehouses, packing companies and retail food chains. The program is coordinated by: The Angel's Depot, 1495 Poinsettia Ave., Suite 151, Vista, CA 92081. For more information call 1-760-599-7093

Meals on the Move (MOM): Supplements private-sector meal-delivery services on Thanksgiving and Mother's Day, and also provides a limited number of breakfast deliveries to the frailest homebound seniors. Click here for information about Meals on the Move or call 1-858-495-5275

HOUSING ASSISTANCE & emergency shelter:

County of San Diego Housing and Community Development: The county’s administrative offices provide information on Section 8 Housing, Public Housing and Shared Housing Programs. Contact: 1-858-694-4801 or 1-877-478-LIST or visit: www.sdcounty.ca.gov

South Bay Community Services: Provides a range of housing services for families in need. Contact: 1-800-640-2933 o visit www.southbaycommunityservices.org

The Alpha Project: Provides affordable housing assistance, supportive housing for people with special needs and emergency shelter. Contact: 1-619-542-1877 or visit www.alphaproject.org

San Diego Rescue Mission: A non-profit homeless shelter and recovery center serving thousands of homeless men, women and children in San Diego. 1-619-819-1826 or visit www.sdrescue.org

San Diego Coalition for the Homeless: Aims to empower homeless and at-risk individuals by providing food, clothing, shelter and professional services. Contact: 1-619-281-1815 or 1-619-281-1543 or visit www.sdhomeless.org

Interfaith Shelter Network: Coordinates the efforts of participating congregations, social service agencies, and governmental programs in order to provide shelter and other resources to homeless individuals and families and enable those we serve to move toward self-sufficiency. Contact 1-619-702-5399 or visit www.interfaithshelter.org

housing Foreclosure advice:

Housing Opportunities Collaborative: This organization provides resources and services for those having difficulty making monthly mortgage payments. The collaborative pools attorneys, real estate and mortgage industry professionals, housing counseling agencies, fair housing agencies, and other public agencies into one location to provide a “one-stop shop” of counseling resources. Contact: 1-888-995-HOPE or visit www.housingcollaborative.org

HEALTHCARE:

Consumer Center for Health & Education and Advocacy: CCHEA is an independent program of the Legal Aid Society of San Diego, Inc. which provides education and advocacy to help customers get the health services they need. Contact: 1-877-SD Health (1-877-734-3258) or visit www.lassd.org

Family Health Centers of San Diego: Anyone is welcome to seek care at Family Health Centers of San Diego. The centers provide affordable services to all income levels, with a special commitment to low income, uninsured individuals. Contact: 1-619-515-2332 or visit www.fhcsd.org

La Maestra Community Health Centers: Provides quality culturally and liguistically competent health care and educational programs to improve the overall wellbeing of families in need. La Maestra provides medical care, dental care, mental health and pharmacy services. Contact: 1-619-280-4213 or visit www.lamaestra.org

Neighborhood Health Clinic: Neighborhood Healthcare began as an all-volunteer neighborhood clinic in Escondido and now has eleven health centers located throughout San Diego and Riverside counties. Services include pediatric and adult primary care, prenatal care, family planning, HIV testing and medical care, women’s health, dental services, behavioral health/counseling, health education, and basic pharmacy & lab services. Contact: 1-619-440-7616 Ext. 218 or visit www.nhcare.org

DISCOUNT UTILITY PROGRAMS FOR LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS:

San Diego Gas & Electric: Offers two discount programs that can help you save on your bill: CARE and FERA. Eligibility is based either on total household income and household size or participation in public assistance programs. The California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) provides a 20% discount on monthly gas & electric bills for qualifying households. The Family Electric Rate Assistance Program (FERA) provides a discount on electricity costs once your energy usage reaches certain levels for households of three or more persons. Contact: 1-800-411-7343 or click on this weblink: http://www.sdge.com/residential/assistance/assistServCare.shtml

California Lifeline: The LifeLine program provides discounted telephone service to qualifying low-income households. If you think you meet the LifeLine qualifications, contact your telephone company and tell them you want to enroll in LifeLine. If the telephone company can verbally qualify you, they will begin the enrollment process in LifeLine immediately. Alternatively contact: 1-877-858-7463 or visit www.californialifeline.com

Employment and training services:

San Diego Workforce Partnership: Provides employment related services to local businesses and job seekers through a network of countywide One Stop Career Centers. Contact: 1-888-884-SDWP (7397) or visit www.sandiegoatwork.com

senior citizen services:

Elder Help: A non-profit organization comprised of professionals and community volunteers committed to offering quality social services that help seniors live independently in their own homes. Contact: 619-284-9281 or visit www.elderhelpofsandiego.org

Meals on Wheels: Contributes to the overall well-being of seniors by providing regular nutrition and daily contact with a caring volunteer. Contact: (619) 260-6110 or (800) 573-6467 or visit www.meals-on-wheels.org

mental health services:

Mental Health Systems: Provides mental health and drug and alcohol rehabilitation services. Contact: 858-573-2600 or visit www.mhsinc.org

San Diego Psychiatric Hospital: Walk-in emergency mental health services are available for adults and older adults who are experiencing a mental health emergency or crisis at the Emergency Psychiatric Unit located at: San Diego Psychiatric Hospital, 3853 Rosecrans Street, San Diego, CA 92110. Contact 619-692-8200

For more information on the Community Cares Project contact:

For program information, contact:
Vanessa Franco, Programs Director, vfranco@sandiegofoodbank.org or 858-527-1419 Ext. 14

For media outreach, contact:
Chris Carter, Director of Communications, ccarter@sandiegofoodbank.org or 858-527-1419 Ext. 31