As a person who has been navigating the system,I can tell you it is not designed for success. Albeit there are a number of non profit agencies out there that are designed to help you back to your feet, most are just designed to take in clients and actually do not have funding. I am sure the drop out rate is high because its difficult to stay on track with so many bureaucratic hoops to jump. its just plain exhausting.
I feel there are too many non profit agencies and not enough direct support and because of this homeless and needy families are counted several times via non profit orientation therefore allowing them to receive more grants from the federal government . These grants are meant to support the families needing help not to support the non profit agency. It would be great if there were like two agencies or even three. but my support came from four different places. One for housing , one for food, one for cash aid, one for job assistance and retraining. Also I am Vet so there are several agencies who can also help and if you do not apply to all of them you will surely miss something.
A few years ago I needed help. I had two young adults that I was responsible for and I had had cancer and lost my job. Right away , I signed up for section 8 assistance but at that time there was a 8 year wait. Ten years later almost, is when I found my family and I homeless again. I went to several agencies for help , each had me sit through a presentation and told me how they could help. each wanted all of my personal documents and private information.
START WITH calling 211, they will enter your name into the big database and inform you of who to call next.
IF you are homeless- St Vincent De Paul has a great program for both veterans and non veterans. they have beds available but you have to get there early to claim your bed. otherwise they lock the doors at a certain time and your on the street for the night.
Next go to https://www.mybenefitscalwin.org/ to get your food assistance started and medical, If you haven't been receiving child support ask for cash aide.
Help with your electricity bill- Campesinos Unidos, Inc.
885 Gateway Center Way, Ste. 103
San Diego, CA 92102
Utility Assistance: (619) 391-9790
Emergency Services: (619)391-9790
Weatherization Services: (619) 391-9790 Option 5
Monday through Friday: 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Website: http://www.campesinosunidos.org/contact-us/
Energy Services Offered:
Assistance with residential utility bill payment
Emergency assistance with residential energy-related crisis (utility shut-off notices, energy-related life-threatening emergency)
Home Weatherization
Help with Homeless Prevention
The state of California can help you with 2 weeks of hotel vouchers only once in your life so be careful with this one. I took and it worked out fine but I also had my Veteran status to get me through the system a bit faster.
2 weeks how did that help? Well I had a car. I Ubered, and made 2 thousand dollars in two weeks then I was able to find three more apps that helped me find work. Ubering is great for milk money but awful on your only source of transportation , so be aware of that.
None of what you are going through is easy. and friends will back away from you because your probably in distress all the time but DO NOT GIVE UP! in time your life can be back to normal its just a natter of looking at the open doors and not the ones that have shut. This is the hardest to do since here in San Diego so many people have money and pretty thing , a person can easily feel invisible. Good luck and stay tuned for more. information as I learn it
