Help for single mothers in Oakland

If you are a single mother living in Oakland and need help paying bills and meeting basic expenses, there are lots of options for getting the help you need.

Cash Assistance for single mothers

The State of California has a cash assistance program called CalWORKs (http://www.cdss.ca.gov/calworks) that gives cash aid and services to eligible needy families and single mothers. Alameda County also has a General Assistance program at http://www.alamedasocialservices.org/public/services/financial_assistance/general_assistance.cfm. The county also has a Refugee Cash Assistance program (http://www.alamedasocialservices.org/public/services/financial_assistance/refugee_cash_assistance.cfm) and a Cash Assistance Program (CAP) for Immigrants (http://www.alamedasocialservices.org/public/services/financial_assistance/cash_assistance_program_for_immigrants.cfm).

Food assistance for single moms

CalFresh is California’s version of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) which you can find out more about here: http://www.dss.cahwnet.gov/foodstamps. The HomelessShelterDirectory has an extensive list of places you can get a meal or groceries at http://www.homelessshelterdirectory.org/cgi-bin/id/cityfoodbanks.cgi?city=Oakland&state=CA. The Alameda County Food Bank has an Emergency Food Helpline you can call to get food that same day at http://www.accfb.org/get_food.

Shelter & Housing assistance for single mothers

The City of Oakland’s Housing Resource Center has programs to help, and can also point you in the right direction to get the help you need at http://www2.oaklandnet.com/government/o/hcd/o/HousingAssistanceCenter/index.htm. The Alameda County Social Services Agency can provide help with housing at http://www.alamedasocialservices.org/public/services/housing_and_homeless/housing_and_homeless.cfm. For emergency shelter and other services for the homeless, see the Oakland listings at HomelessShelterDirectory at http://www.alamedasocialservices.org/public/services/housing_and_homeless/housing_and_homeless.cfm.

Energy and Utilities assistance for single moms

California’s Department of Community Services and Development administers the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which you can read about at http://www.csd.ca.gov/services/helppayingutilitybills.aspx. It also runs the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) to help low-income families make their homes more energy efficient: http://www.csd.ca.gov/Services/ResidentialEnergyEfficiencyServices.aspx.

Help with Telephone Bills

You can get a good discount on your telephone bill through the California Lifeline Program at https://www.californialifeline.com/en.

Childcare help for single moms

Children’s Home Society of California has three Child Care Payment Programs that provide subsidized child care services to eligible families at http://www.chs-ca.org/child-care/ccap. California’s Department of Social Services has a page that explains how child care subsidies work in the state at http://www.cdss.ca.gov/cdssweb/pg78.htm. The City of Oakland’s Human Services has a page about Head Start in the area at http://www2.oaklandnet.com/Government/o/DHS/o/ChildrenYouthServices/OAK022077 and a page about Early Head Start at http://www2.oaklandnet.com/government/o/DHS/o/ChildrenYouthServices/OAK022078.

Medical and Dental Care for single mothers

For a list of places to get free or low-cost dental care, see FreeDentalCare’s list at http://www.freedentalcare.us/ci/ca-oakland. For free and low-cost medical care, see RotaCare Bay Area’s list at http://www.rotacarebayarea.org/pdfs/Alternate%20Clinics-San%20Leandro.pdf as well as FreeClinics.com’s list at http://www.freeclinics.com/cit/ca-oakland.

Help with Legal Matters

The main sources of free legal help in Oakland are Bay Area Legal Aid (https://www.baylegal.org/locations-2/alameda-county/) and East Bay Community Law Center (http://ebclc.org/).

Financial Counseling for single moms

United Way of the Bay Area’s SparkPoint Center helps families create plans to address unique needs, and connect to services. The center is a one-stop location for a full-range of services including personalized financial coaching, as well as programs that help families move up the career ladder, build assets and manage one’s credit. Offers a variety of workshops for FREE. To be eligible must be a low-income Alameda County resident: http://alamedaco.info/Resource-Finder/Resource-Finder-Results-Details-Eden.asp?Prog=PG003784&web=e.

Help for single mothers from Other Groups

There are lots of groups in Oakland that provide all kinds of services related to many of the areas mention above, including the following:

St. Vincent de Paul Alameda County: http://www.svdp-alameda.org.

AC-Oakland Community Action Partnership (AC-OCAP): http://www.ac-ocap.com.

Catholic Charities of the East Bay: http://www.cceb.org.

Salvation Army Oakland: http://www.alamedasalarmy.org/alameda_county/oaklandgarden.

Chronicle Season of Sharing Fund: https://seasonofsharing.org.

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